The Youtubeur Squeezie is one of the signatories of the forum. SYLVAIN THOMAS
Bruno Le Maire, Minister of the Economy, wants to subject the 150,000 French influencers to “the same advertising rules” as the traditional media.
«Don’t break our model” because of “excesses of a minority“, 150 influencers, including stars like Squeezie, Cyprien or Seb la Frite, launched Sunday to the deputies, before the examination next week of a bill to regulate their activity. “We hear about “influencers”, “of the battle to be waged” against us. We believe this is 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 submit the 150,000 French influencers, who often live from the promotion of products, “to the same rulesadvertising than traditional media. The small world of Instagram, YouTube and TikTok stars is worried about being equated with those who are accused of misleading consumers.
Read alsoAn action plan to end the influencer jungle
“We made mistakes”
«Your only compass should be the protection of consumers from the excesses of a minority who thinks everything is permitted and the preservation of our activities and the jobs we create. 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 growask influencers. “Scams, counterfeits, dubious commercial practices, some have made believe in recent months that they are representative of our sector when they represent only a minority. It is their excesses that we first wish to denouncethey insist.
«We are certainly not perfect. 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, exclaiming: “We are not walking billboards“. They ask MPs not toregard as a threat” is “hurt a thriving economy” which represents “thousands of jobsby helping to promote businesses. “The debate is not about being for or against the 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.