Instagram has vowed to fight hidden ads amid a UK competition investigation

LONDON – Facebook-owned Instagram is committed to taking the next steps to prevent “hidden advertising”, the UK competition watchdog said on Friday.

Back in 2018, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) began investigating social media influencers without disclosing whether or not they should pay their money to promote businesses using their profiles.

Last year, there were 16 celebrities, including British singer Rita Ora and Vlogger Joella Agreed to declare Following warnings from the CMA, whether they paid or were encouraged to approve the products.

The regulator says it has now acquired Instagram to crack even hidden ads. A Facebook spokesman told CNBC that the social media giant was “happy to work with CMA on our ongoing efforts to help people be transparent when it comes to paying for posting content on Instagram.”

According to the CMA, new actions from Instagram include: asking users if they are encouraged to promote anything and, if so, disclosing it; Allows all customers to display clear labels on paid posts; And the use of algorithms to expel users who fail to disclose their post.

“For a long time, major platforms have shied away from taking responsibility for hidden advertising on their site,” CMA chief executive Andrea Coselli said in a statement Friday.

“So, this commitment to fix hidden ads and correct the way people post on Instagram – making it harder for users to ignore the law – is a welcome step.”

The CMA said the changes would apply to all Instagram users in the UK and to anyone who drives their posts around the world to the Brits. The Instagram watchdog also gives regular updates on its progress.