EVENT: VIA at the Global Influencer Marketing Show 2020: Why Virtual Influencers need regulating

We were thrilled to be invited to present at the Global Influencer Marketing show 2020. The subject “ Virtual Influencers - the latest developments on global regulation”

Below is a small précise of current regulation of VIs, with most territories not having any specific legislation that captures and relates Virtual Characters - either those owned by individual wanting t be paid or this eowned b brands - part for France, where their regulation covers virtual characters. The FTC in the U.S has a kind of catch -all system related to disclosure.

None of the systems are in our opinion are that advanced yet apart for Frances.

The Virtual Influencer Agency is in contact with both the umbrella organisation for Advertising Standards in Europe and many of the country specific bodies and good decisions are bing made in this area. The system however is mainly set-up to protect from misleading advertising, and Virtual Influencer post are not necessarily defined as advertisements - yet.

One of the key issues we also see is the potential for significant harm if V.Is are able to be anonymous - in other words their ownership non-disclosed. We have created a Code of ethics we are asking all developers, brands and companies in the Virtual Industry to agree to. The system ensures all characters are identified by who they are owned by so the their intentions are clear.

The problems related to trolling, grooming and disinformation will explode if Virtual influencer ownership is anonymous.

For more information on our ABC system contact dudley@virtualinfluencer.agency