When Likes Go Rogue: Advertising Standards and the Malpractice of Unruly Social Media Influencers

Influencer marketing has emerged as a dominant force in advertising on social media. Despite extensive examination of factors propelling influencer success, scant attention has been paid to influencer misconduct, especially from a regulatory standpoint. To address this gap, this article presents for the first time a systematic analysis of the UK advertising watchdog’s rulings involving social media influencers. Through qualitative examination, it introduces four new themes, i.e., ‘promo-masquerade’, ‘risk-fluence’, ‘mone-trapment’ and ‘stereo-scripting’, which expand the discourse on influencer transgressions and spotlight distinct areas of regulatory concern. Even though influencers are seen as trustworthy figures in online brand communities, findings expose long-standing issues of non-compliance with established marketing rules. Criticism is directed at the inadequacy of current regulatory emphasis on recognisability of marketing intent alone, advocating instead for a more holistic approach that addresses various dimensions of influencer misconduct. Proposals include the implementation of a robust best practice framework and certification schemes to foster the influencer industry’s maturity and sustainable growth.