The document discusses three areas of concern in the digital media industry: 1) vulnerable audiences being exposed to inappropriate content, especially on YouTube, due to a lack of moderation; 2) concerns about data sharing and privacy as tech companies gather large amounts of personal data; and 3) issues with influencer marketing as many celebrities are not properly disclosing sponsored content. It notes that current regulations are limited and do not address many grey areas, and that controversies have led to declining trust in digital media and social platforms.

1. Doing the right thing,
whatever the trend
Chris Broadbent

2. Off the back of a particularly volatile year for
digital media, we’ve highlighted what we believe
are three areas for concern in the industry:
01 Vulnerable Audiences and
Inappropriate Content 02
The price of connectivity:
Is data sharing out
of control? 03
The state of influencer
marketing: to #ad or
not to #ad

3. 01
Vulnerable Audiences
and Inappropriate
Content

4. Exposing inappropriate or
controversial content has been
big news over the past year

5. YouTube is a key channel for young
audiences – a lack of moderation is likely
to lead to harmful content reaching them
Sources: BBC NEWS/ MediaCom Connected Kids 2017
Of teens who use
social networks
subscribe to specific
channels on YouTube
70%
15.6m
Logan Paul had more
than 15 million
channel subscribers
on YouTube at the
time of the video
+6m
The ‘Japan Suicide’
video was viewed
more than 6 million
times

6. Mass amounts of user generated content
means moderation and regulation can be tough
Source: Business Insider – November 2017
Of content uploaded to
YouTube every minute
300-400
HOURS
Of content uploaded
to YouTube every day
567,000
HOURS

7. 02
The price of connectivity:
Is data sharing out
of control?

8. Multiple stories of tech companies ‘spying’ has
led to increasing concern about data sharing
amongst consumers

9. Brits fear they have a lack of control over what
personal data online companies can gather and share
Sources: MediaCom Survey – Jan 2018
Agree ‘I feel that the way
companies can gather data about
me is getting out of control’
46% 10%
Agree ‘I feel that I have control
over what information is gathered
and held by online organisations’

10. Transparency is key to helping consumers feel like
they’re in control
Sources: MediaCom Survey – Jan 2018
Agree ‘Companies should be
open and transparent in the way
that they gather personal data’
55% 64%
Agreement is significantly
higher for over 45s

11. 03
The state of influencer
marketing: To #ad or not
to #ad

12. Influencers are well trusted sources of inspiration
for product purchases – especially amongst
younger generations
Sources: MediaCom – Connected Kids 2017/ Good Relations – May 2017
Of millennials have made a
purchase decision solely on an
influencer recommendation
69% 54%
Of teens claim to have
purchased a product that a
YouTuber has endorsed

13. The crack down has led to a rise of signposted ads
– sponsored Instagram posts with the hashtag
‘#ad’ nearly doubled in 2017
Sources: Klear – The State of Influencer Marketing 2018
Note: Sponsored Instagram posts refer to posts with the #ad hashtag
Source: Klear, 2018
85
Jan
87
Feb
103
Mar
107
Apr
121
May
126
Jun
134
Jul
142
Aug
139
Sep
147
Oct
161
Nov
171
Dec
Sponsored Instagram Posts Double in 2017
(millions)

14. But many of the most followed celebrities on
Instagram are still not complying with guidelines
and regulations
Of sponsored content on
Instagram deemed misleading for
consumers
93%
Correctly signposted posts in
Instagram study
9
152
out of
Sources: Mediakix – 93% of Top Celebrity Social Media Endorsements Violate FTC Guidelines – May 2017

15. Current Industry Regulations

16. Current regulations and guidelines are topline and only
offer the foundations of regulation – many don’t go into
the intricacies and grey areas of digital media

17. Digital Distrust

18. Off the back of controversy, trust in digital media has
fallen this year

19. Much of this distrust has come from a sense of
inaction on important issues, invasion on privacy
and insufficient regulations
Sources: MediaCom – Connected Kids 2017/ Good Relations – May 2017
Agree “social media
companies do not do enough
to stop illegal or unethical
behaviour on their platforms.”
(Source: Edelman Trust Barometer
2018 – UK Findings)
70%
Agree “social media
companies do not do enough
to prevent the sharing of
extremist content.”
(Source: Edelman Trust Barometer
2018 – UK Findings)
70%
Agree “I feel that online
advertising invades my
privacy”
(Source: MediaCom Survey – Jan
2018 – 1107 respondents)
37%
Agree “I feel that online
advertising is sufficiently
regulated”
(Source: MediaCom Survey – Jan
2018 – 1107 respondents)
8%

20. Doing the right thing, whatever the trend