Six influencers in the crosshairs of the Antitrust Authority, investigation opened

The Antitrust Authority has opened six investigations against six influencers who allegedly promote strategies to achieve high earnings, without making it clear that they are advertising. The addressees are Luca Marani, Big Luca, Alessandro Berton, Hamza Mourai, Michele Leka and Davide Caiazzo. The authority also launched four moral suasion initiatives against the influencers Ludovica Meral Frasca, Sofia Giaele De Donà, Milena Miconi and Alessandra Ventura.

The six influencers, writes the Antitrust Authority, promise easy and certain earnings. In particular, Luca Marani, Big Luca, Alessandro Berton and Davide Caiazzo would systematically publish, through social platforms and websites, photos and/or videos in which they offer for payment methods to obtain easy and sure earnings along the lines of the winning model they claim to embody. Moreover, the four influencers do not appear to use any advertisement wording informing the consumer of the advertising nature of the content, nor do they adequately highlight elements relevant to purchasing decisions such as the cost of the goods and/or services offered, the identity and/or address of the company. Finally, they appear to boast a popularity distorted by the presence of non-authentic followers on their Instagram profile and, in the cases of Luca Marani, Big Luca and Davide Caiazzo, by apparently unverifiable testimonials and reviews.

Hamza Mourai and Michele Leka would systematically publish, through social platforms, photos and/or videos in which they appear to advertise and offer, for remuneration, indications and/or methods for easy and secure gains through investing in cryptocurrencies, without referring to the associated risks. These two influencers would also not indicate the promotional nature of the communications offered and would not adequately highlight elements relevant to purchasing decisions.

With regard to the four moral suasion initiatives, Ludovica Meral Frasca, Sofia Giaele De Donà, Milena Miconi and Alessandra Ventura allegedly publish photos and videos on Instagram highlighting brands, hotels and other tourist facilities, with which they are believed to have commercial relations, without using any wording to highlight the promotional nature of this content. The influencers themselves would also boast a popularity that could be distorted by a considerable number of non-authentic followers on their Instagram profile.