Tag: influencer marketing

Is your favourite influencer real? The blurring lines of authenticity in the age of AI

The real question isn’t whether brands or influencers will adopt AI—they already have. The question is: Will audiences care? (Image Source: Unsplash)

AI-generated low-effort and machine-generated content has flooded every social media platform. Whether it’s fabricated travel photos, algorithmically optimized engagement bait, or entirely fake influencer accounts, AI is reshaping the digital landscape at an unprecedented scale.

The rise of Influencer Cartels: Gaming the system or just playing smart?

As AI infiltrates every layer of influencer marketing; from engagement manipulation to full-fledged AI influencers —the industry is at an inflection point. Will brands continue to chase numbers, or will they finally prioritize authenticity over appearance?

Influencers have long used engagement pods—private groups where members like, comment on, and share each other’s content—to boost their numbers. But as the industry evolves, so do the tactics.

From endorsements to enforcement: Telangana’s dual strike against betting apps and influencers

The Telangana Gaming (Amendment) Act, 2017, has actively taken measures to prohibit online gaming including games entailing a serious impact on the financial status and well-being of the people with provisions for punishment, including imprisonment and fines. Additionally, the Government of Telangana has signed a MOU with tech firms, such as Google, to enhance digital literacy and protect citizens from online risks.

Legally, an influencer will be liable for any breach or non-compliance of laws. However, the influencer can shield themselves from financial liability through Indemnification and protecting them from legal claims related to misleading content.

Ranveer Allahbadia row: Are AI or virtual influencers the answer to avoiding scandals and controversies?

Amid Ranveer Allahbadia's controversy, can virtual influencers become the new face of marketing for brands? (From left to right: Kyla (virtual influencer), Ranveer Allahbadia, Naina Avtr (virtual influencer))

Brands could increasingly swap scandal-prone humans for AI influencers who never mess up, demand pay raises, or tweet something regrettable at 3 a.m.

Finfluencers face 60% decline in brand deal rates, drop in followers as SEBI tightens rules

Finfluencers will face a massive revenue drop as brand deals evaporate, as firms will no longer risk collaborations that could land them in non-compliance with SEBI’s circular, say experts. (Representative Image: Mark Duffel via Unsplash)

SEBI’s latest move to prohibit financial influencers from using trend data to make predictions would lead to a significant drop in brand deals from brokerage firms and investment platforms. However, improvements in disclosures, reduced deceptive practices, and better measurability in influencer marketing are expected.

SEBI clamps down on finfluencers: Here’s how to pick the right financial advisor for you

As per the regulatory order, the firm has been given 45 days to pay the fine. (Image Source: iPleaders)

Picking a financial advisor is not an easy task. An advisor’s true worth is realised only after a few years, depending on how your investments have weathered the market volatility and whether your financial goals are achieved.

In the race for influence, are talent agencies losing their grip on influencers?

Exploitation and malpractices-related issues are exacerbated for micro and nano influencers who lack bargaining power, say experts. (Image: ali-abdul-rahman via Unsplash)

With rising competition, commissions and opaque contracts, some influencers are taking matters into their own hands — dismantling the power of talent managers in the process.

TECH 2025: Trends that will shape our lives as consumers in the year ahead

Social media companies, brands, and influencers have increasingly adopted the term “creator” for the many forms of social media content producers thriving today, from bloggers, vloggers, livestreamers to Instagrammers and TikTok stars. But there is a key difference. Read on to find out. (Image: igor-omilaev via Unsplash)

2025 is the year when AI meets influence. The year everyone becomes a Creator, but few will lead. Read Shubhranshu Singh’s views on the big bets in tech and social media.

Between creativity and compliance: How influencers circumvent ad rules

ASIFA India has already received 1238 submissions, with 75% from students and 25% from professionals. Of these, 35% are from women creators, and 50% come from emerging creators

Experts agree about an urgent need for more rigorous enforcement and greater awareness of crucial guidelines in influencer marketing.