La publicidad encubierta a través de influencersla urgencia de una regulación

Abstract

This paper seeks an approach to covert advertising developed through the so-called influencers, as natural opinion leaders in social networks with great capacity to distort the behavior of consumers and users, and violate their legitimate interests. This type of commercial activity is classified as unlawful in our legal system, although its recurrent presence on the platforms is nothing more than a manifestation of the legal inadequacy of the digital context. In light of its relevance, alleviating these undesirable practices cannot depend exclusively on the voluntary submission required by self-regulation, and a regulatory review of a sectorial nature becomes urgent.