The French authorities are very attentive to the digital world so that it does not escape State supervision and prevent abuse. In addition to the law that will soon be approved by the Senate to regulate the influencer sector, the Minister of Economy and Finance, Bruno Le Maire, announced yesterday that the names of influencers who have violated the rules and engage in misleading practices will soon be revealed. or fraudulent.
During an interview with the France Info channel, Le Maire said that the General Directorate for Competition, Consumption and Fraud Repression (DGCCRF) “is fully mobilized” and, since the beginning of the year, has detected 30 cases of infringements about the 50 influencer websites that have been controlled.
“You cannot accept that influencers are the Wild West,†warned Le Maire. According to the head of Economy, what is intended is to sanction those who do not act honestly and “protect those who do a super job, are dynamic and creative”, because otherwise a disreputable image will be projected on the whole of the activity.
Asked if there are known names among the offenders, Le Maire, who is a writer and cultivates an air of intellectual, outlined a smile and replied, with a certain irony: “Everyone has their own culture. There are names that say something to some and not necessarily to othersâ€.
Among the 30 conducts contrary to the rules, it has been found that they are not transparent about the commercial nature of their conduct and about the identity of the person for whom they work. The sanctions provided for include 18 orders to cease illegal practices and 16 criminal proceedings.
To reinforce surveillance, the DGCCRF will have a commercial influence brigade starting in September. But the fundamental thing will be the new law. The legislative project has already received the green light from the National Assembly, in a unanimous vote, and on May 9 it must be ratified by the Senate. The text tries to create a clear framework that gives guarantees to consumers. The obligations of digital platforms are also established with regard to the fight against illegal content and the moderation of influencer accounts.
During the parliamentary process, the rapper and influencer Booba (Élie Yaffa), also called the Duke of Bologna, refused to participate in an informative hearing in the Senate on April 27. “I’m not looking to do politics,” Booba justified himself on his Twitter account. The 36-year-old singer, born to a French mother and a Muslim Senegalese father, applauded the desire of parliamentarians to “unmask” those who behave criminally. “I let them do their job,†Booba added. They condemn and punish them. Thank you”.
