Nicosia, Cyprus. Cyprus is tightening oversight of influencer marketing, with authorities stepping up inspections to ensure paid social media promotions are clearly labelled as advertising. The move comes as the global influencer marketing market is projected to exceed $30 billion in 2025.
Influencer marketing’s growth and changing advertising landscape
Once dismissed as a passing trend, influencer marketing has evolved into a dominant advertising channel.
Globally, the sector is expected to surpass $30bn this year, up from around $24bn in 2024, reflecting how strongly online personalities now shape consumer behaviour and purchasing decisions.
In the past, product promotion was largely the domain of celebrities, artists and athletes who appeared in traditional advertisements.
Blurring lines between personal content and paid promotion
Today’s influencers may not be household names, yet they maintain daily, direct interaction with their followers, cultivating a relationship that is intimate, two-way and commercially effective.
As a result, the line between personal recommendation and paid promotion has become increasingly blurred.
Enforcement focus and legal obligations
Against this backdrop, the consumer protection service and the advertising control agency have placed influencers at the centre of enforcement efforts.
In a joint update, the two bodies said that in a digital environment where advertising is embedded within social media content, the distinction between personal opinion and commercial communication must be clear and immediately recognisable.
Under European and national consumer law, influencers who promote products or services in exchange for payment or other benefits are considered traders and are required to comply with legislation on unfair commercial practices.
Do you see paid promotions on social media that are not clearly labelled as advertising?
