Survey finds brands pressuring social media creators to hide paid sponsorships

The short version

• A survey by SheSpeaks found 18% of surveyed creators were asked by brands within the past year to conceal paid partnerships.[Business Insider]
• The survey showed that 14% of creators acknowledged they do not always disclose commercial ties, compared with 2% a decade earlier.[Business Insider]
• Individual creators, including wellness influencer Sharon Johnson, reported direct requests from advertisers to leave out required ad tags.[Business Insider]

Key facts

• A survey of 365 creators conducted by SheSpeaks found that 18% were explicitly asked by a brand in the past year to hide a partnership.[Business Insider]
• Fourteen percent of creators reported they do not always disclose commercial partnerships, up from 2% in a similar survey conducted ten years prior.[Business Insider]
• Wellness influencer Sharon Johnson stated that a supplement firm asked her to omit advertising disclosures on product-unboxing posts.[Business Insider]

Sources

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.

• Brands are pushing influencers to hide their paid dealsBusiness Insider metered