The Global Influencer Rulebook: An A–Z guide on how regulation is catching up to the creator economy

The free-for-all era of influencer marketing is ending. From Lagos to Los Angeles, governments are rewriting the rules of digital persuasion and creators are discovering that compliance is the new currency of influence. The Daily Influence maps how regulation is reshaping the industry in 2025.

Africa

Across the continent, regulators are moving from education to enforcement, tightening standards in markets where influencer culture has exploded.

Nigeria

The largest creator economy in Africa, Nigeria’s advertising ecosystem is governed by the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON), which mandates that all content promoting goods or services to Nigerians must be vetted and approved before publication. A 2025 Federal High Court ruling affirmed ARCON’s authority over digital advertising, extending its oversight to creators and platforms. The regulator has since warned that the “era of lawless advertising is over,” marking a decisive shift toward compliance.

Kenya

Kenya's regulation is led by the Communications Authority (CA) and specialized bodies like the Betting Control and Licensing Board (BCLB), which focuses on sensitive industries. In May 2025 the BCLB banned celebrities and influencers from promoting betting or gambling products without prior approval – a move that raised ethical expectations for creator partnerships.

South Africa

South Africa’s influencer landscape is regulated by the Advertising Regulatory Board (ARB), which enforces the Code of Advertising Practice to ensure transparent and responsible marketing across platforms. In 2024, the industry strengthened compliance with the launch of the IAB South Africa Content Creator Charter, designed to raise ethical and disclosure standards across campaigns. Like Kenya, the country has also cracked down on gambling endorsements: regulators have warned that influencers promoting betting brands without appropriate disclaimers could breach advertising law, following a 2025 sweep targeting unlicensed gaming promotions.

Asia-Pacific

The region reflects two extremes: Australia’s consumer-first enforcement on one side, and China’s state-controlled professionalism on the other.

Australia

Australia’s Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) enforces the Australian Consumer Law (ACL), which requires creators to clearly disclose paid or gifted content and avoid misleading endorsements. Following a 2023 compliance sweep that found widespread breaches, the ACCC named influencer advertising and online reviews among its top enforcement priorities for 2025. The regulator has warned creators that undisclosed sponsorships or deceptive testimonials could amount to false or misleading conduct under consumer law.

China

China has one of the world’s strictest online markets. The State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) oversees advertising and consumer protection, cracking down on false claims, fake traffic, and misleading livestream promotions. In October 2025, the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) went further, introducing a rule that bans influencers from discussing professional topics such as health, law, or finance without relevant degrees or credentials. The policy, dubbed “no degree, no discussion,” has sparked debate online but reflects Beijing’s push to turn influencer culture into a more tightly controlled profession.

Europe

Europe’s approach has become the global benchmark, treating influencer marketing as a regulated profession rather than a creative grey zone.

United Kingdom

The UK has one of the most established influencer rulebooks. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) enforces transparency, requiring creators to clearly label all paid or gifted content. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) handles the consumer side, investigating hidden brand deals and undeclared affiliate links. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has also stepped in, leading a crackdown on “finfluencers” and warning that unapproved financial promotions could breach the law. Meanwhile, the Influencer Marketing Trade Body (IMTB) is pushing self-regulation from within the industry, an attempt to bring order to one of the world’s busiest creator markets.

France

France enforces one of the world’s most detailed influencer laws. It requires written contracts between brands and creators, shared liability for non-compliant content, and disclosure of all paid promotions in French. The law also bans the marketing of high-risk products such as cosmetic surgery and certain financial or gambling services. Oversight is handled by the Directorate General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control (DGCCRF), which has been ordered to publicly name violators, including forcing them to display compliance notices on their own social media accounts.

Spain

Spain’s National Commission on Markets and Competition (CNMC) now regulates top creators under Royal Decree 444/2024, which took effect in May 2024. The law defines “High-Profile Influencers” –  those earning significant income and reaching large audiences – as audiovisual service providers, placing them on the same footing as traditional broadcasters. These creators must follow rules on protecting minors, disclosing ads, and maintaining content standards, with penalties of up to €1.5 million for violations.

Middle East

Across the Gulf, governments are bringing the creator economy under state oversight, licensing influencers to boost credibility while keeping tighter control over what’s shared online.

United Arab Emirates

The UAE Media Council tightly controls the creator economy by mandating that all content creators posting promotional material, regardless of payment status, must obtain an Advertiser Permit, known as the “Mu’lin Permit.” The rule enforces transparency and ethical standards across all Emirates, effectively turning licensing into a gatekeeping tool for digital influence. Financial regulators, including the Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA), have also tightened oversight of “finfluencers,” issuing fines of up to AED 1 million for breaches. Dubai, meanwhile, has become the region’s unofficial influencer capital – a showcase for how regulation and aspiration now coexist in the same feed.

Saudi Arabia

The General Authority for Media Regulation (GAMR) licenses all commercial influencers, making government approval a prerequisite for paid content. The rules go beyond disclosure, enforcing national content standards that ban “flaunting luxury,” “immodesty,” and the use of children or domestic workers without consent. Updated 2025 regulations strengthened these provisions, introducing heavier fines and potential account suspensions – signalling that influencer conduct is now as tightly governed as the messages they post.

North America

North America is home to the world’s largest influencer market, the United States, where regulation is evolving to match the scale of the industry. Both U.S. and Canadian authorities are tightening disclosure rules and holding creators to the same standards as advertisers.

United States

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is the main regulator of influencer marketing in the US, requiring creators to clearly disclose any paid or gifted partnerships. In 2024, it introduced a new rule banning fake reviews, hidden endorsements, and the use of bots to boost engagement, marking its strongest stance yet on deceptive online advertising. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) also oversees “finfluencers,” warning that promoting investments without approval can breach financial laws.

Canada 

Canada is one of the few markets where influencer marketing is regulated like traditional advertising. The Competition Bureau treats undisclosed brand deals as deceptive marketing under the Competition Act, and can fine creators or brands that fail to declare paid content. The system is reinforced by Ad Standards, which issues plain-language guidance on how to disclose everything from sponsorships to free gifts – making transparency the price of credibility.