Consumer watchdog calls on public to report social media influencers failing to disclose posts as ads

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is enlisting the public in a crackdown to identify social media posts that contain ‘potentially misleading reviews or testimonials’. Photo posed by models. Photograph: Filmstax/Getty Images

Australia’s consumer watchdog is embarking on a dob-in-an-influencer campaign targeting social media stars who fail to declare their posts as advertisements.

This week the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) put out a call on social media, asking the public to send in examples of influencers who appeared to be promoting a brand or product online without disclosing it was an ad.