The Hungarian Competition Authority (GVH) has concluded its investigation into influencer Halmi Bence, who was found to have promoted his business services on social media without proper advertising disclosures. The influencer, who has approximately 422,000 followers on TikTok and over 37,000 on Instagram, cooperated with the GVH during the proceedings and acknowledged the violation, leading to a reduced fine of 1.3 million HUF.

The investigation was part of a broader initiative launched by the GVH in spring 2024, targeting six domestic influencers and several advertising companies to review advertising practices among local content creators. The GVH discovered that only 20% of influencers consistently comply with advertising disclosure rules, while 54% usually indicate promotional content but do not always do so, and about a quarter never or rarely provide any such information.

This case follows the earlier conclusion of an investigation into another influencer, Kása Roland, who operates the 'Rolix' YouTube channel. The GVH found that Halmi Bence and his company, Shelby Rent Kft., created a misleading impression that he was not acting in connection with his business when failing to disclose the promotional nature of his communications on his Instagram and TikTok channels from August 2023 to June 15, 2024.

The GVH emphasizes the importance of clear and prominent advertising disclosures for influencers, even when promoting their own products or services. They recommend that influencers and agencies refer to the updated influencer marketing guidelines released at the end of 2022, which provide practical examples of how to comply with consumer information requirements.

Furthermore, the GVH encourages businesses to cooperate with the authority, as doing so can significantly reduce fines or even avoid monetary sanctions altogether. It is crucial for affected businesses to demonstrate cooperation from the early stages of the proceedings.

The GVH continues to prioritize the protection of children and young people as vulnerable consumer groups, aiming to raise awareness about the risks associated with the digital space through its Digital Awareness Program.