ASCI says LinkedIn lacks disclosure tools, asks influencers to follow code

The Advertising Standards Council of India on Tuesday said the popular professional networking platform LinkedIn lacks disclosure tools and asked content creators or influencers to come clear on their associations.

The self-regulatory organisation for the advertising sector reported in the last week alone, alert professionals on LinkedIn have flagged 60 cases, of which 56 cases are currently under review for violations related to non-disclosure of material connections.

"Unlike other popular social media platforms, LinkedIn does not provide platform disclosure tools," an official statement from the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) said.

"LinkedIn influencers are seasoned professionals and trusted voices in their respective fields; this makes it all the more important for them to lead by example when it comes to responsible influencing," the body's secretary general and chief executive Manisha Kapoor said.

In an advisory to such influencers, ASCI said that non-disclosure of material connections is a direct violation of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, as well as the Central Consumer Protection Authority's (CCPA) Guidelines on "Celebrities, Influencers, and Virtual Influencers on Social Media Platforms.

It elaborated that a "material connection" refers to any association between an advertiser and an influencer that could impact the weight or credibility of the influencer's representation.

"Such disclosures must be clear, upfront, and prominently displayed and not buried within a group of hashtags or links," it said.

Non-compliance, especially repay violations, will prompt the body to report such cases to regulatory bodies, the advisory warned.

Influencers must volunteer to put terms like "ad" or "partnership" with the content, adding that in recent times, LinkedIn has seen several cases of professionals talking positively about certain products or services and even advertising campaigns without revealing that they are part of a campaign.

"These practices mislead audiences, who may believe that the views represented by such professionals are unbiased and not influenced by any collaboration," an ASCI statement said.