Squeezie, Cyprien or Seb la Frite… the French stars of social networks have decided to use their influence in the political debate. “Do not break our model” because of the “excesses of a minority”, thus launch this Sunday to the deputies 150 influencers, before the examination next week of a bill to regulate their activity.
“We hear about the ‘influencers’, ‘the fight to be waged’ against us. We believe this is a mistake. That a minority has become a generality”, they plead in a column published in the Sunday newspaper.
A sector for the moment largely without constraints
Bruno Le Maire presented a battery of measures on Friday to regulate a sector so far largely unconstrained. In particular, the Minister of the Economy wants to subject the 150,000 French influencers, who often live from the promotion of products, to “the same advertising rules” as the traditional media.
The small world of Instagram, YouTube and TikTok stars is worried about being equated with those who are accused of misleading consumers. “Your only compass must be the protection of consumers from the abuses of a minority who thinks everything is permitted and the preservation of our activities and the jobs we create. Do not break the virtuous model that we are building in the four corners of France with and for the French. Understand it, protect it, grow it,” influencers ask.
“Scams, counterfeits, dubious business practices, some have made people believe in recent months that they are representative of our sector when they only represent a minority. It is their abuses that we first want to denounce,” they insist. “We are certainly not perfect. We made mistakes. But our priority is and always will be the protection of consumers, of our communities. We are in favor of a framework for the sector”, assure the signatories, exclaiming: “We are not traveling billboards”.
A damning investigation of the repression of fraud
They therefore ask MPs not to “consider them a threat” or “undermine a thriving economy” which represents “thousands of jobs” by helping to promote businesses. “The debate is not about being for or against influence,” they conclude.
In January, the repression of fraud (DGCCRF) published a damning investigation into the practices of the sector, with deception on the products sold, promotion of risky sports bets, even injections “by beauticians and non-health professionals ” . The cross-partisan bill to be considered this week also plans to ban the promotion of cosmetic surgery.