KOLs & promotion
Paid promotion: what the audience needs to know
Payment, token exposure and the presentation of the message all affect how an endorsement is understood.
Research articles and reference entries are published in English. Navigation is available in seven languages.
In this article
A promotion can be paid in money, tokens, discounts or access. The material relationship should be apparent where the audience encounters the endorsement. A vague label in a profile does not necessarily explain one particular post or campaign. Legal requirements vary with jurisdiction and the product being promoted.
Read the presentation
Compare what a reasonable viewer is likely to infer with what actually happened. Was the post framed as an independent discovery? Did the speaker claim to be a satisfied customer? Was a demonstration presented as a real trade? Was the financial relationship visible before someone followed the buying instructions?
Save the original post, date and disclosure together. A later edit can improve the record without changing what an earlier audience saw. Conversely, an isolated screenshot may omit a disclosure present in the full thread or video.
The SEC's Kardashian case documents a specific failure to disclose a $250,000 payment. It should not become a shortcut for accusing other creators without evidence. The task is to identify the relationship and the representation, then state what the record supports.
Sources
- FTC: Disclosures 101 for Social Media Influencers
- MASTR: Crypto Survival Guide, four original panels
- SEC: Kim Kardashian EthereumMax settlement, 3 October 2022
Research checked 5 September 2026. Historical cases retain the date and legal status of the cited record.