FTC
Fyre Fest Scandal Reignites, and Influencer Agencies, Management and PR Firms Are Getting Burned
Earlier this year, I wrote an article for Entrepreneur magazine about the now-infamous Fyre Festival. Among other topics, the article dealt with how not only influencers, but recently brands, agencies, and others involved with influencers, were being scrutinized by the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) for failures to properly disclose endorsements. It also posited that…
No Ifs, Ands or Bots. Bot Use Disclosure Now Mandatory In California.
As anyone who shops online knows, many sellers and service providers offer messaging options that allow visitors to ask questions and interact with the site. Often, the “person” they’re communicating with isn’t real (although it often seems human – “Hi! I’m Tina! Can I help you?”). It’s a chatbot, a type of bot that…
Silence Isn’t Golden If You’re an Influencer
Most influencers are aware of their obligations to clearly disclose when they have a “material connection“ to a brand they’re endorsing. (For those of you unfamiliar with the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) Endorsement Guides’ disclosure requirements, you can check out a short blog or longer article I wrote that talks about them. But, a…
‘Fyre’ Danger! 7 Ways Influencers, Brands and Agencies Can Avoid Getting Burned for Not Disclosing Endorsements, Entrepreneur (April 10, 2019)
In an article published by Entrepreneur, Paul I. Menes, Co-Head of the Entertainment and Media Practice at Adli Law Group, and known as The Influencer Lawyer ™, discusses the fallout from the Fyre Festival fiasco. He explores the implications and consequences for Festival promoter Billy McFarland and his associates, the influencers who promoted and endorsed…
Influencers Need to Be Under the Influence – of the Laws Governing Endorsement Disclosures
Being a social media Influencer can be very lucrative. Brands are more willing than ever to pay popular Influencers lots of money to tap into their millions of followers, to promote their products to what has proven to be willing consumers. The Federal Trade Commission (the “FTC”) is paying attention. They’ve consequently ramped up enforcement…