Undue influence under control

For all the influencers raging against the government for the crackdown on social media marketers, please sit down. Everyone saw this coming like a dust storm in a desert.

It is hard to scroll through any social media platform and avoid a video or a post that has gone viral. Viral posts are those that receive a few thousand to a few lakh 'likes and are said to 'influence' people.

Influencers, by extension, are those with a large following on social media, who are perceived to have great control over the behaviour of those who subscribe to them, or 'follow' them. Their followers are perceived to be influenced by their opinions and choices. Their sizeable following makes them attractive to companies who pay them to promote their products or services.

The new government rules ought to come, considering the size of the social media influencer landscape. The government now expects influencers to declare clearly what is a paid promotion, a brand association, or a gift so that it protects consumers in the same way an advertorial in a newspaper is declared. Influencers will pay hefty fines for not complying, as much as 50 lakh, or they can be barred from endorsing products for up to six years.