As the examination of a bill to regulate influence approaches, 150 web stars sign a forum in the “JDD” to protect their activities while denouncing the “excesses of a minority”.
“Do not break our model” because of the “drifts of a minority”, 150 influencers, including stars like Squeezie, Cyprien, Natoo or Seb la Frite, launched Sunday to the deputies, before the examination next week of a bill to regulate their activity.
“We hear about the ‘influvoleurs’, ‘the fight to be waged’ against us. We think it’s a mistake. That a minority has become a generality”, plead the influencers in a column published in the “Sunday newspaper“.
Bruno Le Maire, Minister of the Economy, presented a battery of measures on Friday to regulate a sector so far largely unconstrained. In particular, he wants to subject the 150,000 French influencers, who often make a living from promoting products, to the “same advertising rules” as the traditional media.
The “drifts of a minority”
The small world of Instagram, YouTube and TikTok stars are worried about being equated with those accused of misleading consumers:
“Your only compass must be the protection of consumers from the excesses of a minority who thinks everything is allowed and the preservation of our activities and the jobs that we create”, they write.
“Do not break the virtuous model that we are building in the four corners of France with and for the French. Understand it, protect it, make it grow”, ask the signatories, among whom are the beauty YouTubers Enjoy Phoenix and Sananas.
“Scams, counterfeits, dubious commercial practices, some have made believe in recent months that they were representative of our sector when they only represent a minority. It is their abuses that we first want to denounce”, insist- they.
“In favor of a framework for the sector”
“We are certainly not perfect”, can we also read in this forum co-signed by the former Miss France Camille Cerf, McFly of the duo McFly and Carlito or Just Riadh. We made mistakes. But our priority is and always will be the protection of consumers, of our communities. We are in favor of a framework for the sector”, assure the signatories, adding: “We are not walking billboards”.
“We are 150,000 but we represent many more. With us, there are thousands of jobs, it is an entire sector that works on a daily basis. Production, marketing, assembly, sales, management…”
“We are a chance for France”
They also insist on the impact they can have on French companies: “Thousands of entrepreneurs and companies rely on us to develop their business, and create growth and employment. Our industry is a wealth. A chance for France, for our economy, for our jobs (…).”
They ask MPs not to ‘view them as a threat’ or ‘undermine a thriving economy’ which represents ‘thousands of jobs’ by helping to promote businesses. “The debate is not about being for or against influence,” they conclude.
In January, the repression of fraud (DGCCRF) published a damning investigation into the practices of the sector, with deception on the products sold, promotion of risky sports bets, even injections “by beauticians and non-health professionals”. The cross-partisan bill to be considered this week also plans to ban the promotion of cosmetic surgery.
