The European Council has approved conclusions on ways to support ‘influencers’ – online creators who post content on social media and video-sharing platforms – as they continue to have an increasing impact on the online content and information that people consume daily in the EU.
“Influencers are having a greater impact than ever before on the way we perceive and understand the world,” says Benjamin Dalle, Flemish Minister for Brussels, Youth, Media and Poverty Reduction. “Europeans are spending more time online, and while this impact is often positive, it can potentially be harmful, both to individuals’ mental health and at a societal level in areas such as democracy.”
To ensure that this impact is positive, the EU must provide support to influencers, enabling them to build their media literacy and increase their awareness and appreciation of the rules that govern their actions online.
The Council’s conclusions note that while influencers already make use of their technical and creative skills to produce and edit content, they also need media literacy skills to understand the potential negative impact of sharing mis- and disinformation, online hate speech, cyberbullying and other illegal or harmful content.
The Council also points to the rise of ‘kidfluencers’ – influencers who are under the age of eighteen – and the need for parents, guardians and caregivers to protect kidfluencers and ensure that they are aware of their relevant legal obligations.
In its conclusions, the Council encourages member states to engage with influencers and their emerging representative organisations to ensure that they are aware of their role in the media ecosystem and the legislation that applies to them.
The Council invites the Commission to explore ways to support influencers at EU level, including via a coherent policy approach focusing on media literacy and responsible online behaviour, as well as making use of existing EU funds and programmes on media education.
The Council calls on both the Commission and member states to develop policies and instruments to foster responsible behaviour on the part of influencers and to support the development of self-regulatory bodies or mechanisms, including a possible ethical code or similar initiatives for influencers.
The Council also emphasizes the importance of ensuring that influencers are involved in the development of those aspects of media policy that may impact them, including the increased use of AI.
Editor: Gabriel Ani
