As of: January 19, 2024, 5:17 a.m
By: Hannes Niemeyer
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Influencers are a thorn in Italy’s side – not least since the Chiara Ferragni scandal.
Now the country wants to take action - if necessary with high penalties.
Rome – Does Italy have an influencer problem?
In any case, the wave of indignation about what is probably the country's biggest social media star is still great.
At the end of 2023, Chiara Ferragni, who is followed online by millions of people worldwide, caused a huge stir.
It came to light that Ferragni had enriched himself considerably with a supposedly charitable Christmas campaign.
Even Italy's President Giorgia Meloni did not leave the incident uncommented.
Ferragni's apology video also became a scandal.
It then became expensive for the internet celebrity - a fate that could soon threaten many of her profession.
Because there will soon be much stricter rules in Italy for the heroes of so many people on Instagram, TikTok and Co.
At least that’s what Giacomo Lasorella announces.
Lasorella is head of the media authority AgCom.
In an interview with the Italian newspaper
La Repubblica
, he announced that he wanted to monitor influencers of Ferragni's caliber with over a million followers in the future.
Italy wants to take strict action against influencers like Chiara Ferragni in the future.
© IMAGO / NurPhoto + IMAGO / Independent Photo Agency Int.
/ Claudio Mangiarotti (montage)
Influencers are threatened with drastic penalties in Italy – “the Wild West is over”
“The Wild West is over,” Lasorella announced in the interview that she wanted to limit the way social media stars were handled.
In concrete terms, this means that influencers are still allowed to advertise.
However, this must be clearly marked in large letters as advertising in the post.
“Clandestine and subliminal advertising is strictly prohibited,” explains Lasorella at
La Repubblica
.
Recommendations for nicotine products, alcohol consumption for minors, excessive alcohol consumption in general, medication or medical treatments or gambling are also prohibited.
In addition, influencers must now generally adhere to the basic Italian principles of media.
This also includes avoiding racist or discriminatory statements and avoiding the spread of fake news.
Anyone who violates one of the principles with their advertising faces a fine of up to 250,000 euros.
Violations of child protection regulations can become even more expensive.
Italy tightens rules for “big fish” in the influencer business – because of the Ferragni scandal?
However, AgCom only consistently checks this once the follower barrier reaches one million.
The AgCom boss explains that the threshold is so high by saying that his authority cannot afford to track tens of thousands of people so constantly; the effort would be “unthinkable”.
However, the threshold is initially “experimental,” as Lasorella says.
An adjustment is therefore still possible.
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So harsh new regulations that are now looming – and all because of the Ferragni scandal?
Lasorella consistently rejects the connection with the case of the star influencer.
“We were already dealing with the issue before this news emerged,” he explains to
La Repubblica
.
Meanwhile, Italy is not only having trouble with influencers, but also sometimes with wild animals.
A provincial president now wants to have bears shot regularly.
(han)