“I've never seen a client say: ‘Tell the influencer not to label this as sponsored’”: An exploration into influencer industry ethics

Abstract

Previous research on influencer industry ethics has focused on three issues: transparency of collaborations, payments to influencers, and influencer authenticity. In this exploratory study, we demonstrate that influencer industry ethics is more complex. We interviewed 28 representatives from different actor groups in the German influencer industry (influencers, client organizations, and intermediaries such as influencer marketing agencies) to systematically identify ethical issues and the moral expectations underlying these issues. In analyzing the interview data in a qualitative content analysis, we identify ten ethical issues: autonomy, transparency, sincerity, truthfulness, caring, professionalism, reciprocity, respect, loyalty, and social responsibility. Our study adds to the body of knowledge by further substantiating the discussion on transparency, payments, and authenticity; by introducing previously neglected ethical issues; by organizing the field of influencer industry ethics; and by explaining how the specific constellation of ethical issues in the influencer industry levels out the distinction between sponsored and organic content. In doing so, we argue for a broad perspective on influencer industry ethics that positions influencer communication at the intersection between Public Relations, advertising, and journalism.