Well, you might be aware of the fact that what is the work so social media influencers? Yes, social media influencers whose main work is to promote or flaunt their latest purchases or talk about their favourite brand and the worst part is we, the audience believes in what they say which is wrong. I mean promoting the wrong product or which can have side effects on us, not a good thing. They are just promoting the brands or the products they like because they are getting paid for that. It is we who suffer later on.
Now, followers have the right to sue social media influencers who are engaged in promoting misleading advertisements or if they found lying about some product under the Consumer Protection Act 2019. They can be sued by their followers up to Rs. 50 lakh.
Why this is a matter to worry about?
Influencer followers relation is all about building trust and brands very well know this thing but who cares? Nowadays, most of the influencers are misleading their followers by telling lye about any brand or product because they receive money from the brand they promote to us. This is why the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) is working on new guidelines that will ensure social media influencers do not fake things and disclose everything about the product they are promoting.
Also read: How to Become an Instagram Influencer
When you can sue influencer?
Now followers can sue the social media influencers who are faking their product and lying about them on the Internet which is misleading a whole lot of people. Now, we have the right to sue them as per the Consumer Protection Act 2019 which is something good for us and bad for them.
According to Lex Ridge Partners, Advocates, and Solicitors,
“If some influencer is lying about the product description, giving fake guarantees or deliberating keeping pertinent information from users is against the law and if a person is being paid to do it, it will come under ‘misleading advertisements.”
So, in such situations, followers can sue the influencer. However, it is important to note than you cannot sue them if the influencer has already mentioned that it is a paid partnership, then it is your responsibility to figure out whether the product is good or not or the company will be held responsible for any claims.
As 2019 is nearing to an end, this is something good that will surely benefit us. However, a follower or social media user needs to understand and see things carefully before claiming wrong about anything.
Also read: Why Brands Prefer Instagram Over Any Other Social Media Platforms