RITA ORA, Michelle Keegan and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley have agreed to be upfront when they plug products on Instagram for money – or face court.
In an unusual move, the Competition and Markets Authority has named the trio and 13 other celeb “influencers” as having been at risk of breaking the law if they did not make changes to their posting habits.
The stars will now make it clear on posts when they have been paid or received gifts or loans of products from brands in return for endorsing goods or services.
Not sticking to the pledge could lead to court action — where they could end up with a fine or even a two-year prison term.
The names emerged yesterday after the regulator launched a probe last year to see “whether influencers were clearly disclosing paid-for endorsements”. Undisclosed ads are illegal.
Under the rules, influencers must make it “instantly recognisable” they have got something in return for posting about a product.
For example, posting #ad or #sponsored is OK — so long as it is not hidden among lots of other hashtags.
And it is not enough for influencers to declare on their profile they are paid by a brand if they do not do so on a specific post.
The regulator said officially it had not yet “made a finding on whether the influencers’ practices have breached consumer law”.
But an industry source said: “The CMA more or less told the 16 influencers, ‘We suspect you are breaking consumer laws by disguising adverts as personal messages. We could look to take you to court to let a judge decide. But if you commit to sticking to the rules we won’t do that. It saves a lot of hassle for you and us — and crucially gets you complying with the law. But we will be keeping an eye on you’.”
Warning letters have also been sent to other celebrities.
Here is the full list of the 16 celebrities named — and examples of them posting about products.
It is not suggested that the influencers were breaking the rules in any of these posts.
Holly Hagan
GEORDIE Shore’s Holly, 26, often includes a “#ad” in posts, but not always. In this selfie taken in a mirror last year she holds a dietary supplement packet from weight loss firm Boom Bod and wrote: “So happy with my results . . . these bad boys have helped me so much”
Alexa Chung
WEARING a shiny red trenchcoat and with her hair slicked back, the model and clothes designer, 35, took this photo inside the fancy London Edition hotel in Soho last year. She wrote: “Really into this assassin look. @editionhotels.” The picture got 51,030 likes.
Binky Felstead
ON January 14, the Made In Chelsea regular, 28, posted this fireside snap with her 19-month-old baby India – and a tub of Aptamil milk powder. She raves about the product giving the youngster vital nutrients. Post includes #ad but it comes 200 words into a 225-word post.
Millie Mackintosh
REALITY star, 29, presented a snap of herself in front of a Christmas tree holding a box of her range of Boots beauty products, saying: “That face you make when you unwrap your own @bootsuk Beauty Collection 15 days ahead of Christmas. You can shop yours on the link.”
Iskra Lawrence
MODEL, 28, was overjoyed this month to get an arrangement of roses from Venus Et Fleur. She wrote: “@venusetfleur thank you for my 2019 gift, so I can have the most beautiful #roses all year long.” For good measure she added: “PS yup these are new @aerie leggings.”
Megan McKenna
REALITY TV personality Megan, 26, got 12,500 likes for a post of her, wearing a sparkly dress and holding a VIP event ticket, sat in the back of a car from luxury travel firm Di Lusso Travel. She wrote: “Thank you @dilussotravel for my ride last night . . . ” It got 12,546 likes.
Louise Thompson
MADE In Chelsea’s Louise, 28, posed at the gym with other half Ryan Libbey earlier this month, announcing: “Monday morning workout DONE and I’m brimming with endorphins. Wearing my super duper supportive sports bra from @pocketsport which is only £29.”
Dina Torkia
FASHION blogger, 29, posted a picture of herself holding a bottle of fragrance from British firm Thameen, writing: “New scent from @thameenfragrance I’ve been using the past couple of weeks.” The photograph from last year got 19,202 likes.
Chloe Sims
THE Towie star, 37, posed next to Hair Burst products in January 2018. She wrote: “Obsessing over @hairburst hair care, even though I wear extensions I still like to look after my natural hair.” She did add #spon, indicating a sponsored post, at the end.
Jim Chapman
THE fashion blogger, 31, was upfront in a December post plugging Stansted airport, with #ad at the start and “paid partnership” marked. He said: “#LondonStanstedStyle #Wardrobe Upgrade means you have the time to shop in some of your favourite stores before boarding.”
Zoella
VLOGGING superstar, 28, real name Zoe Sugg, raved on an on about a Body Shop pollution-clearing face mask last year, calling it “clean and zingy” and “SO refreshing”. The post was 126 words long – and finally, at the very end, came the addition “#ad”.
Mario Falcone
JUST this week, the Towie regular posted a pic wearing this Noir Ldn scarf. He included #sp to indicate it was sponsored. But in the past the Advertising Standards Authority has ruled many people would not know what the hashtag stood for.
Ellie Goulding
SPORTING a sparkling Tiffany necklace, the 32-year-old Hereford-born singer announced to her millions of fans: “Took as many pictures as possible in my @tiffanyandco knowing I had to give it back.” The post was not marked as being an advert or sponsored.
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News Photo Rita Ora and Michelle Keegan could face two years in prison if they’re ‘not upfront when they plug products on Instagram’
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