Jo McKenna: Italy Correspondent on the new influencer registration system

Italian influencers are subject to new rules. 

AGCOM, the Italian Communications Authority, has implemented a plan that forces relevant influencers to register and adhere to a code of conduct, or face fines.  

The rules apply to those with 500,000 followers, or at least 1 million monthly views, or both, on social media such as Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, or Twitch. 

Italy Correspondent Jo McKenna told Mike Hosking the code of conduct is designed to stop exploitation and the publication of false information. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
In Italy. Joe McKenna, good morning to you.

Speaker 2 (00:03):
Good morning.

Speaker 1 (00:03):
Make now these DDP numbers, I don't think you had
much growth coming anyway, so I thought, how many you
got any growth lift at all?

Speaker 2 (00:11):
Well, yeah, I thought they were pretty disappointing when we
spoke about them last time. But now the European Commission
has cut Italy's GDP forecast in half, practically from zero
point seven percent down to zero point four percent. That
makes Italy the fourth weakest economy in the EU. I'd
forgotten that we're running behind Germany now and Austria and Finland.

Speaker 1 (00:33):
Does that political? Does that? Do people go, Well, that's
Maloney's fault and that's the government's fault. Is it that
specific or not?

Speaker 2 (00:39):
Well, I think it might have an impact because she's
constantly saying that, you know, she's the one who is
here to revive the economy, and she's constantly talking about
a boom and all the good stuff she's doing. I'm
not sure people really believe that. And we're going to
see the impact of the tariffs from Trump and the

(00:59):
international certainty I think having an impact as well.

Speaker 1 (01:01):
Hey, listen, I've got a question for you about military
in the monment with a civilian military unit to combat
hybrid warfare? What is that? What do they mean?

Speaker 2 (01:11):
Look, it sounds a bit vague to me, but the
Defense Minister Guido Corosseto has released a report talking about
these threats that we're seeing allegedly from Russians attacking infrastructure
across Europe, and he's talking about the need for a
civilian military unit that sounds like a tech unit of
some kind to monitor and try and get ahead of

(01:32):
some of these hybrid attacks.

Speaker 1 (01:36):
Five thousand people's a lot of people. Where are they
getting them from?

Speaker 2 (01:39):
Yeah? Exactly are they going to recruit new people? Are
they're going to recruit experts? Are they're going to recruit
them from already from existing military It's not very clear.

Speaker 1 (01:48):
My military question, and you mentioned Germany it triggered me,
is that they're looking for the sort of military service
they're looking to boost their standing army by tens of
thousands over the next handful of years. Do you still
and Italy have that military service at eighteen that you've
got to go do some time?

Speaker 2 (02:04):
No, in fact, it doesn't exist really anymore. It's voluntaries.
So I think that's going to be an issue for
the Italians going forward.

Speaker 1 (02:12):
Yeah, exactly. Anyway, influences, rules around influence. What's an influencer?
Do they define that? Yeah, they do.

Speaker 2 (02:19):
I don't think it's going to affect me. Apparently you
have to have at least a million subscribers to qualify
for this new registry, and you have plenty of supporters
and some financial income coming from all your influence as well.
And I think the fines are quite hefty though. The
influencers have to register with the government. They risk fines

(02:41):
of six six hundred thousand euros if they violate this
new code of conduct. Trying to get more regulation on
those who are on the web and using their influence
to make a lot of money.

Speaker 1 (02:53):
Okay, so you register and then you, having registered, you
have to adhere to a set of rules. What are
the rules? I mean, is it like because I'm thinking
of only fans, I mean, does that make you an
influencer you go down Matt track or is it just
selling stuff or what?

Speaker 2 (03:06):
I think there's a pretty detailed I haven't seen all
the details, but it's say it's applying to people who
publish at least twenty four pieces of content. They have
an engagement rate of two percent or higher on at
least one social media platform. There's a lot of requirements
that are not quite clear to me, but it's certainly

(03:26):
designed to stop exploitation and false information.

Speaker 1 (03:30):
Okay. Now I'm reading the other day sky Scanner, which
is an international market research company, and they did a
whole twenty two thousand people under the radar destinations and
up popped in number seven Albia in Italy and I've never.

Speaker 2 (03:45):
Heard of it.

Speaker 1 (03:46):
Have you heard of Albia?

Speaker 2 (03:47):
I haven't.

Speaker 1 (03:48):
Yeah, see that's I think it's so under the radar,
noe zeb you heard it? And if you're living in
Italy and you've never heard of Albia, apparently this is
the place that people want to go, so I know it.

Speaker 2 (03:57):
Oh okay, okay, another another loc.

Speaker 1 (04:00):
Yeah it is Olbia and Italy. Can you do some
research on that workout whether it is a place worth
going to because Jaipour's up there, Bowdroum, Madeira. I've heard
of all of these veil Bill Bao, Michinoster or famous places,
but this albeit a place I've never heard of in
my life.

Speaker 2 (04:15):
Oh Albia is it is coming to mind now. It's
a beautiful beach location in Gardinia, so that certainly requires
more research.

Speaker 1 (04:24):
Yeah yeah, now get onto that for us, Joe and
I'll check back in next Thursday with you fantastic Okay,
that is Joe McKenna in Italy. For more from the
mic Asking Breakfast, listen live to news talks it be
from six am weekdays, or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio