The Ministry of Trade will provide training to influencers on legal and ethical principles.

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The Ministry of Trade announced that the "Responsible Social Media Influencers Training Program" will provide training to social media influencers with more than 300,000 followers in the first phase regarding the legal and ethical principles they need to pay attention to in marketing communication.

In a statement from the ministry, it was noted that "With the increase in digitalization and social media usage today, it is observed that advertisements and shares made through social media platforms directly affect consumers' consumption habits and purchasing preferences. These digital developments we are experiencing also bring the risk of our consumers being more victimized through social media advertisements. In order to best protect consumers on social media platforms and to enable advertisers to establish healthier commercial communication, the Ministry of Trade, in collaboration with the Ministry of Treasury and Finance and the Advertising Self-Regulation Board, has launched the 'Responsible Social Media Influencers Training Program.'

PROMOTIONAL MEETING HELD

On October 16, a promotional meeting was held regarding the training program hosted by the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey, with the participation of representatives from the Ministry of Trade's Consumer Protection and Market Surveillance General Directorate Advertising Board, the Ministry of Treasury and Finance Tax Audit Board, representatives from the advertising sector, and social media influencers known as "influencers" in the public eye, who have high follower counts and influential power.

FACE-TO-FACE TRAINING EVERY TWO MONTHS FOR ONE YEAR

According to the statement, the "Responsible Social Media Influencers Training Program" will convey up-to-date information on a wide range of topics, from consumer rights to tax legislation, from how to manage social media advertisements within the framework of ethical rules to the protection of personal data in advertising, aiming for social media influencers to adopt a more transparent, reliable, and ethical understanding of advertising.

LEGAL AND ETHICAL PRINCIPLES WILL BE EXPLAINED

In the training program, which can be attended by social media influencers with more than 300,000 followers in the first phase, social media influencers will have the opportunity to learn the legal and ethical principles they need to pay attention to in marketing communication. The first session will be held on November 25, and the training, which is planned to be conducted face-to-face every two months for one year, will provide participants who complete it with a participation certificate, and their names will be published on the website of the Advertising Self-Regulation Board.

THE AIM IS TO PROTECT THE CONSUMER

Thus, social media influencers who support the values of legal, ethical, and responsible marketing communication will also distinguish themselves in the eyes of brands. The statement emphasized that "With the 'Responsible Social Media Influencers Training Program,' it is aimed to raise awareness among social media influencers to carry out their activities within the framework of legal regulations, thereby ensuring that consumers are correctly informed and educated. Necessary efforts are being meticulously carried out by our ministry to protect our consumers at the highest level in digital media, just as in traditional media."