Filenews 23 February 2026 - by Petros Afxentiou
The Ministry of Energy, Commerce and Industry does not intend, at this stage, to proceed with a special legislative regulation for the activity of influencers, as stated by the competent Minister Michalis Damianou.
Asked to answer a question by AKEL MP Giorgos Koukoumas regarding the activities of influencers and the implementation of transparency rules, the Minister explained that the Consumer Protection Service (CPS) has carefully studied the findings of the comparative study of the European Audiovisual Media Observatory of the Council of Europe entitled "National rules applicable to influencers", legal status of opinion influencers.
However, it is estimated that the existing Cypriot legislation already provides the necessary consumer protection framework.
He explained that influencers, as content creators who promote products or services through social media platforms, are considered "marketers" under European and national legislation. Therefore, they are obliged to comply with the Consumer Protection Law of 2021 (Law 112(I)/2021), and in particular with the provisions regarding unfair commercial practices.
The Minister points out that the relevant Part of the Law is fully harmonized with Directive 2005/29/EC of the European Union on Unfair Commercial Practices, ensuring transparency in trade and the protection of vulnerable groups, such as children.
At the same time, the CPS has made the issue one of its priorities and, in cooperation with the Advertising Control Body (FED), has undertaken a series of initiatives. Among other things, informative material has been distributed to influencers with instructions for the clear disclosure of the commercial nature of their posts, businesses that collaborate with them have been informed, while a Guide to Influencer Marketing has been published, based on international standards. In addition, an information campaign was carried out to consumers so that they can recognize commercial posts through relevant markings such as #ad, #Paidpartnership or "paid collaboration".
Ex officio investigations into the action of influencers
Finally, the Minister states that the POS has also proceeded with ex officio investigations into the action of influencers on social media, examining whether their posts clearly reveal their commercial nature or include misleading claims that may influence the public's consumer decisions.
It is recalled that since the beginning of 2025, the Consumer Protection Service, in cooperation with the Advertising Control Body, has carried out targeted checks on influencers' accounts on social media platforms. The SPS carried out a first round of investigations into high-profile accounts, forwarding 14 warning letters and issuing an administrative decision imposing a fine. In a second round of audits, with a focus on accounts with a significant impact on young people aged 18-25, six warning letters were forwarded.
