France's influencer law shows progress

Three years after France introduced its influencer law, recent data from the Autorité de régulation professionnelle de la publicité (ARPP) suggests the regulation may be improving transparency in the influencer sector.

Disclosures and compliance trends

Based on nearly 25,000 publications, the ARPP reported that 10% of certified content creators and 18% of non-certified creators mentioned partnerships in their posts, down from 13% and 39% respectively a year earlier. Although the study’s methodology changed, the overall trend indicates a more disciplined environment.

Creator resistance and challenges

The law, enacted in June 2023, was initially met with resistance by some content creators who viewed it as a burden. The reform required creators to include clear disclosures about partnerships, leading to more complex contracts, longer videos, and additional time spent understanding consumer rights.

Certified creators retain more audience

Recent data from Kolsquare, covering nearly 196,000 content creators in the first half of 2026, suggests that certified creators retained 75.7% of their audience, compared to 64.6% for non-certified creators. This 11-point gap may be significant for creators who rely on their audience for income.

Certification remains a minority choice

As of September 30, 2026, 2,677 content creators had obtained the Certificat de l'influence responsable, out of approximately 6,200 registered creators. While the number of certified creators is growing, it still represents a minority. Many creators may be hesitant to pursue certification due to the time required for training, which could otherwise be spent on content creation.

Marketers value certification

Marketers have also begun to recognize the value of certification, as the 2023 law makes them jointly responsible for any harm caused by their partners. This has led to certification acting as a label of trust, similar to the organic logo in supermarkets.

Finance sector compliance

ARPP data supports this, noting that certified creators in the finance sector have a perfect compliance record, compared to 38% of non-certified creators. Ultimately, the data suggests that transparency is becoming an asset in an industry increasingly built on trust.