Influencers issued fines for covert advertising

ISTANBUL

Many celebrities and social media influencers have been fined for not using the phrase “advertisement” despite promoting various products on their Instagram accounts, with the advertisements stopped.

Following that the Advertising Board affiliated to the Commerce Ministry audited discount campaigns and advertisements in internet sales, the promotions on the Instagram accounts of some celebrities and influencers were also inspected.

The board determined that a social media influencer with a high number of followers, Gamze Erçel, tagged the social media account of a clothing brand in three posts on July 7, but did not include any advertising phrases in her post.

The board fined Erçel 155,712 Turkish Liras for not marking her post as advertisements of the brand, while stopping penalty on advertisements was also imposed.

In the inspections on covert advertising on social media, it was also determined that though famous singer Gülben Ergen promoted a skin care product belonging to her own brand, the consumers were not informed about the advertisement.

The board sentenced Ergen to stop advertising.

On the other hand, though actress Sedef Kasabalı included an advertising phrase indicating the advertisement content to her post, the board decided that the phrase was written too small to read.

The actress’ advertisement was also suspended.