Introducing "The White Paper on Responsible Influence".

"I loved the book, it's an indispensable guide for all the actors who move in this world," said Camino Villa, the instagrammer who, at 70 years old, has more than 170,000 followers. She was not the only one: Paloma Blanc (@7paresdekatiuskas), María León, Paloma Martínez Monasterio, designer Sole Alonso and professor José Martín Aguado are some of the influencers who wanted to celebrate this International Day by supporting the presentation of The White Book of Responsible Influence, an iCmedia initiative, with ISEM Fashion Business School as an academic partner. The publication can be purchased for free at influencerstrustlabeleu.org/.

At the headquarters of this business school, which is part of the University of Navarra, very different audiences are gathered this morning. "A responsible influencer environment depends not only on influencers, but on all stakeholders in the sector: brands, platforms, agencies, media... This book shows that everyone wants to take a step forward, assume their responsibility and collaborate in the creation of a new environment," says ISEM digital marketing professor and coordinator of the book, Patricia SanMiguel.

Teresa Sádaba, director of ISEM and a participant in the research, explained what brings a fashion business school into the conversation on this issue. "The figure of influencers is not new in our world. Phenomena such as fashion, have been promoted from their very origin by some kind of influencer, but technology has had an accelerating and resizing effect on this phenomenon. It has mixed the capillarity of social networks with the need for leadership, and influencers have appeared in this mix. This White Paper aims to offer a good diagnosis of how influence is being exercised in the new digital environment; the challenges that arise, the actors involved (companies, legislators, followers,...), the effects and a roadmap that points a path of reflection and action".

"Not all influencers are aware of their power and exercise it in a responsible way. They need to be made aware," continues SanMiguel. Minors, especially children between the ages of 7 and 12, are most at risk, because they do not have the capacity to distinguish between information and opinion, nor the self-esteem and maturity to filter the information they see on social networks. That is why it is necessary to protect them. "We had this intuition, but brands, foundations, associations have confirmed it to us: many mental illnesses are developing due to the non-responsible use of social networks," explains the expert. But minors are not the only ones who suffer, network users, more and more influencers need psychological support to cope with social pressure and haters".

Brands and platforms rely on the figure of the ethics manager

YouTube and TikTok are taking many steps forward to develop safer platforms "but there is a tension between business and responsibility," remarks Patricia SanMiguel. Even so, we cannot wait for everything to be regulated, life goes ahead of the law, that is why one of the levers pointed out in the book is the need to promote self-regulation, with very concrete actions, such as the creation of the figure of the Director of Ethics within the companies in the sector".

Contrary to what it may seem, the book does not present a gray picture, but rather a positive call to action from everyone's hand. As Marta Pellico, vice president of iCmedia, explains, "in this White Paper, we have identified together all the levers that can help us to promote an ecosystem of responsible influence, as well as those aspects that slow it down. We have carried out a thorough investigation and also a deep reflection on the current situation, which has led us to design from consensus, with a constructive and positive spirit, an action guide that lays the foundations of the game and promotes a reliable environment for the consumer, while helping to improve the credibility, transparency and effectiveness of the influencing environment". 

The White Paper on Responsible Influence is part of a European project led by INCIBE, "Safer Internet Centre Spain 2.0", which seeks to create tools to help users, especially minors, to use the Internet safely. It has been possible thanks to individuals from all entities related to the influence sector who have collaborated in the research, as well as NewLink, as a communication agency specialized in Influencer marketing and ConEse consulting, a consulting firm specialized in the drafting of white papers.