Over 100,000 Social Media Hidden Advertising Cases Monitored Over 5 Years Disguised as 'Self-Purchased'

It has been confirmed that social media posts disguised as genuine reviews, commonly known as hidden advertisements, monitored over the past five years have exceeded 100,000 cases.

According to data submitted by the Fair Trade Commission (FTC) to Representative Park Sung-hoon of the People Power Party on the National Policy Committee on the 21st, a total of 108,709 hidden advertisement posts on social media were monitored by the FTC over the past five years from 2021 to 2025.

The number stood at 17,020 in 2021, but increased to 21,037 in 2022 and 25,966 in 2023.

In 2024, 22,011 cases were detected, followed by 22,675 cases last year.

The FTC targets social media posts that deceive consumers like genuine reviews without disclosing that they received economic compensation as subjects of hidden advertisement monitoring.

The FTC monitors these posts and links them to the Korea Internet Advertising Foundation to induce their deletion.

Categorized by sector for last year's monitored posts, other services accounted for the largest share with 5,791 cases (25.5%).

This includes services such as restaurants and hair salons.

Clothing, textiles, and personal accessories followed with 3,725 cases (16.4%), health and hygiene supplies with 3,500 cases (15.4%), food and luxury goods with 2,219 cases (9.8%), and culture and entertainment services with 1,914 cases (8.4%).

In July of last year, three plastic surgery clinics located in Gangnam and Seocho, Seoul, were sanctioned by the Fair Trade Commission on charges of posting advertisements disguised as reviews.

Advertising methods are also evolving recently.

The FTC also regards advertisements where artificial intelligence (AI)-generated virtual figures recommend specific products or services without clearly indicating that they are virtual characters as targets for monitoring.

When generative AI or chatbots recommend or endorse products in the format of virtual figures that are difficult to distinguish from reality, they are required to disclose compensation relationships and the fact that they are virtual figures.

Representative Park said, "When advertisements approach consumers disguised as reviews, consumers can make purchasing decisions without even knowing they are viewing ads," adding, "As AI virtual figure advertisements have emerged following social media hidden ads, we must preemptively establish a consumer protection system tailored to the changing advertising market."
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.