Mediareform Conference: Influencers and the Reform of the 1991 Electronic Media Law

On 2 July 2024, ALIA actively participated in a conference organised by the Service for Media, Connectivity and Digital Policy (SMC) in collaboration with the University of Luxembourg at Casino Luxembourg, focusing on the reform of the 1991 Electronic Media Law.
The conference highlighted the challenges that players in the media landscape are facing, particularly at the legislative level, following the recent rise of influencers. Influencers now play a central role on social media. They are able to influence consumers and shape opinions, and have thus become key players in the strategy of many brands.
The conference was opened by Dr Stéphanie Lukasik from the University of Luxembourg, who explained the development of the influencer phenomenon and the different facets and issues in the world of content creators. Olha Hruba from Cullen International then presented the existing regulations at European level and the various national frameworks in force.
The participants in the round table, moderated by Dr Raphaël Kies, discussed the issues involved in regulating influencers in Luxembourg and highlighted the need to clarify the current legislative framework in order to better regulate commercial influence. The speakers included Charel Schmit, Ombudsman fir Kanner a Jugendlecher, Christian Muller, from the Consumer Protection Department, Dr Stéphanie Lukasik from the University of Luxembourg,
Sandy Zoller from ALIA and Cecilia Said Vieira, content creator who hosts the podcast ‘Ceci, do you love me?’. In this context, Sandy Zoller highlighted the difficulty of regulating and raising awareness among influencers, insisting on the fact that the existing rules in this area are not precise enough and not necessarily adapted to needs. ALIA is therefore in favour of adapting the legal framework to the Luxembourg context, to enable influencers to have a clear view of their rights and obligations, to protect consumers effectively and to enable the authorities, including ALIA, to enforce these rules.
Consumer protection was one of the central themes of the conference, and in this context, particular emphasis was placed on the correct identification of commercial communications and product placements and the need for reporting mechanisms, verification of the age of users and parental controls to effectively protect minors from inappropriate content that could be detrimental to their development.