The Council of the EU has called for increased supports and guidelines for influencers, including for parents of 'kidfluencers' who are creating online content before they have turned 18.
The Council approved a number of conclusions on Tuesday relating to influencers, which aim to support online content creators to have a positive impact across the EU.
Influencers are individuals who post content on social media and video-sharing platforms, which can sometimes be sponsored by brands or other collaborators. Last year, a quarter of Belgians who follow influencers on social networks said they made a purchase as a result of their recommendations.
'Greater impact than ever before'
Flemish Minister for Youth and Media Benjamin Dalle highlighted that as Europeans are spending more time online, influencers "have a greater impact than ever before on the way we perceive and understand the world."
"To ensure a positive impact, the EU must provide support to influencers, enabling them to build their media literacy and increase their awareness and appreciation of the rules that govern their actions online."
The Council's conclusions note that influencers need media literacy skills to understand the potential negative impact of sharing mis- and disinformation, online hate speech, cyberbullying and other illegal or harmful content.
In particular, it pointed to the rise of 'kidfluencers' – influencers who are under the age of 18 – and the need for parents, guardians and caregivers to protect 'kidfluencers' and ensure that they are aware of their relevant legal obligations.
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The Council has called on Member States and the European Commission to develop policies and tools to encourage responsible behaviour of influencers, and develop self-regulatory bodies or mechanisms such as an ethical code.
It also suggests that Member States engage with influencers and any emerging representative organisations to ensure they are aware of relevant legislation and their role in the media, and that the Commission explores ways to support influencers at an EU level.
The Council also recommended that influencers should be involved in the development of future media policy that may impact them, including regarding artificial intelligence.
