What Brands, Agencies and Creators Need to Know About the New Responsible Influence Certification Program

This week marks an important new chapter in the self-regulation of advertising in the United States. Yesterday, the Center for Industry Self-Regulation's Institute for Responsible Influence (IRI) announced the launch of a new program for fostering trust in the creator economy: the Responsible Influence Certification Program. The program operates by providing education, certification and monitoring of influencer marketing and seeks to elevate industry standards, restore consumer trust and build authentic, responsible brand partnerships. This initiative seeks to address public concerns and skepticism about influencer marketing in social media. The Center for Industry Self-Regulation and IRI are part of the Better Business Bureaus National Programs (BBBNP), the self-regulatory organization that fosters trust in the marketplace.  

The Responsible Influence Certification Program comes at an important moment in the evolution of the creator economy. Although social media influencers now represent a $37 billion industry, the emerging technology and changing regulatory landscape have created uncertainty for brands, raising practical business challenges, confusing messaging and creating potential legal exposure and, perhaps most serious of all, a lack of trust among consumers. The goal of IRI and the Responsible Influence Certification Program is to promote high standards for creators and restore credibility and trust.

How the Program Works 
The Responsible Influence Certification Program starts with training. Creators seeking certification must watch a series of video modules, pass an exam and sign a pledge in order to earn the IRI Certified Creator Seal. The topics covered in the training may include:

• FTC Endorsement Guides (including disclosure of paid partnerships and material connections)
• Use of intellectual property and AI
• Guidance for customer reviews
• Legal and ethical standards for advertising

The seal serves as a signal to brands and to consumer audiences that this influencer has been trained in responsible, transparent digital influence. Certified creators are then subject to monitoring by the IRI which seeks to ensure compliance.  

Why the Program Matters 
The success of the creator economy depends on enthusiasm, authenticity and transparency.  Lack of trust is the enemy.  When consumers don't trust influencers, the integrity of brands suffers, and when brands lack confidence in influencers, their partnerships suffer and they miss opportunities for connecting with consumers.  The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and National Advertising Division (NAD) have both highlighted the importance of training influencers and monitoring their efforts to ensure that all participants within the influencer ecosystem comply with legal standards and FTC Endorsement Guides. The IRI certification means that the creator has been trained in advertising standards and pledges to be guided by those high standards.  While the certification would not itself provide a legal or regulatory safe harbor for brands and agencies, it may serve as a kind of due diligence or evidence that certified creators are trained and pledged to follow recognized standards of responsible advertising.  If the program is successful, brands may conclude that they can reduce risk and facilitate more confident partnerships by working with certified creators.  The program is new and will likely evolve as more details emerge, but it represents an important development for all creator economy participants and their legal counsel.    

      

“Our Responsible Influence Certification Program raises the bar for the creator economy. We are fortunate to work with an extraordinary Advisory Council of leading brands, top agencies, and respected industry organizations to shape a framework that empowers creators, helps reduce risk for brands, and will ultimately earn the trust of consumers" Jennifer Santos, Institute for Responsible Influence
https://industryselfregulation.org/...