15 Influencers Caught Writing Fake 'Minus 8kg in One Month' Experience Stories
[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] Influencers who exploited their fame to make false and exaggerated advertisements about diet, hair loss, and health supplements on social media have been caught.
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety announced on the 9th that it had identified 8 distribution specialized sales companies and 15 influencers who engaged in false and exaggerated advertising using fake testimonials.
The identified influencers misled consumers by posting before-and-after comparison photos of product consumption or emphasizing a slim figure through retouched images in their advertisements.
The main violations include ▲ false and exaggerated advertisements claiming effects such as detox and swelling reduction (65 cases) ▲ testimonial advertisements comparing before and after product consumption (34 cases) ▲ advertisements causing misunderstanding or confusion by claiming diet efficacy and effects as health functional foods (27 cases) ▲ deceptive advertisements using the efficacy and effects of raw materials (15 cases) ▲ advertisements not complying with review results (7 cases) ▲ advertisements claiming disease treatment effects such as cancer prevention and reduction of heart disease (5 cases), among others.
Most influencers posted testimonial advertisements showing changes in face, body shape, and weight before and after consuming specific products while selling those products. In particular, they linked their own shopping malls on the first page of their SNS accounts or announced group purchase dates in advance to induce consumer purchases.
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An official from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety warned, "Even if you do not directly sell the product, anyone including influencers, YouTubers, bloggers, and advertising agencies can face criminal penalties if they post photos, videos, or advertisements containing false and exaggerated claims or testimonials."
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