UK Vloggers Promoting #Brands Must Now Label Their Videos as Advertisements

UK video bloggers can no longer rake in cash for online ads without limitations, following a landmark ruling by an advertising watchdog this week.

Popular YouTubers are now required to disclose if they have been paid by brands to promote products in their videos. The rules, issued by the Committee for Advertising Practice (CAP), come after it emerged last year YouTubers in the UK were endorsing Oreos in videos without clearly stating they were paid to do so. Vloggers now have to include text clarifying the content is sponsored at the bottom of the screen, or note it clearly in the title of the video.

“A key rule under the Cap code is that if the content is controlled by the marketer, not the vlogger, and is written in exchange for payment (which could be a monetary payment or free items) then it is an advertisement feature and must be labelled as such,” the ruling said.

The rules allow for exceptions when brands send vloggers free products without controlling the editorial direction of the videos in question, and come as some of the most famous YouTubers have made millions off of their huge, largely teen fanbases.

“Vloggers often have huge followings built on authenticity, built on them providing interesting, funny, natural content,” the Advertising Standards Authority, a self-regulatory organization of advertisers in the UK, previously said of the issue. “We think it’s only fair that when they start promoting stuff on behalf of a brand – which is absolutely fine for them to do – that they do so in a way that’s clear and upfront with their audience.”