Crackdown on social media influencers spruiking health products
Social media influencers will be banned from giving testimonials on health products and services under the Therapeutic Goods Administration’s advertising code.
The influencers will need to follow rules preventing them from expecting cash and gifts in return for their personal opinion when promoting health products on social media.
Under changes to the TGAās advertising code, from July 1 influencers will have to abide by strict rules when posting about health products and services, including medicines, vitamins and skincare.
They will be banned from giving personal comments or testimonials on health products that havenāt been tested or approved, whether they have been paid or given the product for free.
The rules will apply to therapeutic use, which includes cosmetic claims such as āremoves toxinsā and āfades age spotsā, as well as ārelieves painā, āaids sugar metabolismā and āreduces inflammation in the bodyā.
Influencers can still endorse products but must disclose that it is advertisement, for example by including the words āpaid partnershipā or #Ad.
Murdoch University social media researcherĀ Catherine Archer said the TGA ruling was ālong overdueā but there was already pushback from influencers.
āUnfortunately for the influencers, health and related products/services are where many of them make a lot of their money, so there will be pushback,ā she said.
āAlready we have seen some say that they should be paid for things like sunscreen as it is a ācommunity serviceā.
āHaving researched this space for 10 years, and recently conducting interviews with influencers who have been working in that space for the same length of time, the need for more enforceable guidelines is obvious.ā
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Menzies Health Institute Queensland principal research fellowĀ Lauren Ball said the TGAās decision revealed the importance of credible, evidence-based information when it comes to health.
āWe have large workforces of health professionals, like dietitians and GPs, who are certified to practise safely in this space,ā she said.
āInfluencers sharing unsubstantiated claims in the form of click bait are dangerous, and prevents Australianās from seeking professional help.ā
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