Social Media & Digital Safety

Businesses must follow advertising laws even on social media. The FTC requires that all sponsored content be clearly disclosed. Influencers must use terms such as #ad, #paidpartnership or directly state that they are being sponsored so consumers understand when a social media post is acting as a promotional ad. Failure to disclose sponsorships can lead to fines and penalties.

Other legal considerations include:

• Truth-in-advertising laws: Claims must be truthful, not misleading and evidence-based.

• Privacy laws: Companies must disclose if they collect data, track users or share information with third parties.

• Copyright & intellectual property rules: Brands and Influencers must use music, images and content legally.

Ethical social-media marketing requires transparency, honesty and respect for the audience. 

Unethical practices include:

• Manipulating images or videos to create unrealistic expectations

• Using bots or fake accounts to inflate engagement

• Creating deceptive “before and after” photos

• Targeting vulnerable groups (e.g., teens) with misleading claims

• Selling personal data obtained through apps or social platforms

Privacy: Some companies track you, record your location or store personal data without your consent. Ethical companies are transparent about what they collect and respect the Telephone Conusmer Protection Act (TCPA) which protects you from unwanted calls, texts and spam. Good marketers give you options, explain their actions, and allow you govern your data. 

Influencers: Ethical Influencers share genuine opinions and disclose relationships with brands. When Influencers exaggerate results or promote unsafe products, consumers can face real risks which spanning from financial losses to health consequences.

Social Media: Ads, Influencers and algorithms can easily make it hard to tell what's true and what's not. Ethical brands clearly mark sponsored posts, don't use fake reviews and don't secretly collect data from likes or clicks. That level of honesty builds real trust, not the kind of empty promises that go away when you close the app.