YouTubers have to declare ads. Why doesn't anyone else?

2021-02-15

[public] 4.42M views, 393K likes, 2.56K dislikes audio only

Around the world, there are regulations for "influencers". Those regulations make sure that if someone is paid to endorse a product, they have to declare that payment to the people watching. But why does no-one on TV, or film, or anywhere else have to do that?

👥👥 CREDITS 👥👥

Written and performed by TOM SCOTT https://www.tomscott.com/

Script assistant ANDREA MARKS

Animation BILLY CRINION https://twitter.com/BillyCrinion and WILLIAM MARLER https://wmad.co.uk

Dubbing mixer GRAHAM HAERTHER

"Does the Spearmint Lose Its Flavor on the Bedpost Overnight" by Rose/Broom/Breuer (1924), arranged for orchestra by BENJAMIN SQUIRES https://www.benjaminsquires.co.uk/

Thanks to EVAN EDINGER, JESSICA ENDOYAN, CHRISTINA HERNANDEZ, the TINY SPECK team, and SAM VALIANT

© Pad 26 Limited MMXXI

📄📄 SOURCES 📄📄

💵 PAYMENT AND CONTROL

Lonnie Donegan changing Spearmint: mentioned in a lot of places, but I can't find a contemporary account.

Ray Davies flying: https://twitter.com/thekinks/status/1265203792754212864 and https://www.cbc.ca/radio/undertheinfluence/why-ray-davies-flew-26-000-km-to-save-lola-1.5009086

BBC trademark policy: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/5R152hTbVPQdYjn29q5jt4/16-songs-banned-by-the-bbc

Pitbull and Kodak: https://twitter.com/pitbull/status/16567622829080576

Pitbull and Voli: http://web.archive.org/web/20200413134901/http://voli305vodka.com/ "Owned and operated by Armando Christian Perez, aka Pitbull"

Gucci on Lil Pump: no quotes, but given the lyrics and video, it's safe to say they didn't have control

YMCA reaction: https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1346&dat=19790329&id=M3VRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=uPoDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7192,10172867

✔️ YOU HAVE TO DECLARE IT

US Code Title 15: https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15

Nikkie de Jager, One Dip Makeup Challenge: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CA18hTShwpk

Disclosures 101 for Social Media Influencers [PDF]: https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/plain-language/1001a-influencer-guide-508_1.pdf

An Influencer’s Guide to making clear that ads are ads [PDF]: https://www.asa.org.uk/uploads/assets/uploaded/3af39c72-76e1-4a59-b2b47e81a034cd1d.pdf

The FTC’s Endorsement Guides: What People Are Asking: https://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/business-center/guidance/ftcs-endorsement-guides-what-people-are-asking

YouTube declaration: https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/154235

❌ NO-ONE ELSE HAS TO DECLARE IT

McFlurry: https://adage.com/article/adages/30-rock-mcflurry-scene-paid-placement/134689

Snapple: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-30rock-idUSN2833828120071128

"Branded content pods": https://adage.com/article/media/snl-air-fewer-commercials-season/303697

Farrow and Ball: https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/18014632.saturday-night-live-sketch-features-farrow-ball/

Branson cameo: https://www.cinemablend.com/pop/Branson-s-Bond-Cameo-Was-Bought-1558.html

Superman's $40,000: https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-03-08-ca-322-story.html

Bond placement: https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20151001-does-bonds-product-placement-go-too-far

Lorraine Kelly's tax bill: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2019/mar/20/lorraine-kelly-theatrical-artist-tax-tribunal-judge-rules

🎢 WE'RE GOING TO DISNEY WORLD

"Moms' conference": https://www.5minutesformom.com/disneysmmoms/

SNT viewing figures: https://www.eveningexpress.co.uk/lifestyle/entertainment/saturday-night-takeaway-smashes-ratings-record-after-airing-without-audience/

"19 years in a row": https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/tv/ant--dec-win-best-17648154

"Can't find any other example" of the castle being covered: https://www.disboards.com/threads/ant-and-dec-tv-show-live-from-magic-kingdom-in-april.3581535/

Ofcom on product placement in UK TV: https://www.ofcom.org.uk/tv-radio-and-on-demand/advice-for-consumers/television/product-placement-on-tv

"One article on a tabloid web site": https://www.thesun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz/10841854/ant-and-dec-trademark-name/

🇺🇸 THE LAND OF THE FREE 🇺🇸

FCC, "The FCC and Freedom of Speech": https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/fcc-and-freedom-speech

US Bill of Rights: https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/bill-of-rights

First Amendment exceptions: fact-checked by legal experts, but best summarised on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution

Commercial speech: https://www.mtsu.edu/first-amendment/article/900/commercial-speech

Communications Act 2003: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2003/21/contents

Animal Defenders International v United Kingdom: https://hudoc.echr.coe.int/fre?i=001-119244

CMA, "Social media endorsements: being transparent with your followers": https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/social-media-endorsements-guide-for-influencers/

German product placement: https://www.grin.com/document/417399

📕 CHAPTERS 📕

00:00 Intro

00:58 1. Payment and Control

05:47 2. You Have To Declare It

09:17 3. No-One Else Has To Declare It

18:03 4. We're Going To Disney World

24:47 5. The Land Of The Free

31:15 Outro