UNDER THE INFLUENCER

摘要

In the past 10 years, "sponcon," the business of getting paid to promote a company via your social media, has spread pandemic- like. Sponsored content may be obnoxious (and even morally questionable at times), but it's plenty legal as long as influencers cop to the fact that they're being paid. The Federal Trade Commission says that if influencers have received money, gifts, or anything else that could affect how users view their mention of a brand or product, they should disclose it prominently in the post. Few do. Unsurprisingly, the agency isn't actively monitoring individual influencers. And the short life of stories on Instagram and Snapchat means it's even easier for covert #ads to simply disappear. Welcome to the weird-and booming- industry of influence.