The Parliament will shake up the codes of influencers, with a reinforcement of sanctions against abuses and a new section of prohibitions. The law in question will also create a legal status for these “stars” of social networks.
Promotion of cosmetic surgery, therapeutic abstention, nicotine sachets or sports betting subscriptions. These practices that you find on many influencer accounts will be prohibited. A bill by Senator Amel Gacquerre (centrist) was unanimously adopted in the Senate on Tuesday, May 9, after a first vote to this effect in the National Assembly. Many provisions were validated during the examination of the text:
- Prohibition of any promotion that undermines the protection of public health on social networks.
- Ban on influencers performing with animals whose keeping as pets is prohibited in France.
- the promotions of certain risky financial investments will be more strictly regulated with, for example, attention to cryptocurrencies.
- ban on promoting gambling on platforms where it is impossible to restrict content to those over 18 years old.
- influencers will be legally subject to the Evin law which legislates the promotion of alcohol.
- prohibition for minors under 16 to promote foods or drinks that are too sweet, salty, or contain too many synthetic products.
- influencers who create their content from outside the European Union (EU) will have to take out civil insurance in the EU, to compensate potential victims.
A joint parliamentary committee must now agree on a common text. The Ministry of the Economy estimates the number of influencers in France at 150,000, of which only 15% make a living essentially from this profession.
Several of these amendments are on hold because the Senate and the National Assembly do not agree on all these measures. Contacted by AFP, the association Addictions France was rather disappointed: “The government and the majority of senators preferred to support the questionable and illegal practices of the alcohol lobbies, rather than acting for the interest general.”
In a desire to deter abuses, the names of influencers guilty of an offense will be made public, as announced by Bruno Le Maire, Minister of the Economy, on May 3.