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Jurisdiction(s):
United Kingdom
Key definition
Social media definition

What does Social media mean? In legal practice, social media describes internet-based services that allow users to create, publish, share and interact with content and with each other, often in real time and at scale (for example, social networks, microblogs, forums, blogs, messaging services with group/public features, and video-sharing platforms), as opposed to one-way broadcast media. The term is descriptive rather than a defined statutory term. Regulation is framed through related concepts, including in the UK the Online Safety Act 2023 (covering user-to-user and search services) and the video-sharing platform regime under the Communications Act 2003 (as amended), and in Ireland the Online Safety and Media...

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Belgium: federal and regional legal framework for social media influencer marketing—transparency, sector-specific advertising controls, enforcement, IP ownership and contracting considerations

Published by a LexisNexis TMT expert
Practice notes
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This Practice Note explores the present legal regime governing Social media influencers (influencers) in Belgium. As in many jurisdictions, influencer marketing in Belgium remains pervasive, expanding across multiple platforms and deployed for both commercial and political ends. In 2025, research into how Belgians perceive branding via social media and influencer activity found that 83.9% of 16–24-year-olds said they follow an influencer on social media. Among these, 34% confessed to being steered by an influencer in a recent purchase, and 38% reported they began following a brand because of an influencer. All figures have risen relative to the earlier study carried out in 2023. It hardly needs saying that influencer marketing presents openings for brands and advertising businesses, helping them engage target audiences with greater precision. Influencer promotion manifests in numerous formats, some more understated than others, including adverts, paid-for posts, mid-roll breaks in videos, and product placements. Influencers wield notable capacity to shape the buying behaviour of their followers. That impact comes with a spectrum of obligations, since their messages can render consumers especially vulnerable to new products or emerging trends across the platforms and formats described above, influencing reactions to promoted brands and the products featured in content online...

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Isha Upadhyaya
Isha Upadhyaya

Isha is a lawyer with experience in intellectual property, media, data protection and IT law. She has been a member of the Brussels Bar since 2021. Isha obtained her master's degree in law from KU Leuven in 2021 and is pursuing the LLM in Intellectual Property & ICT Law at KU Leuven. Isha obtained the CIPP/E certification in 2024.Isha has a passion for the digital economy, new technologies, platforms and the entertainment industry. She has experience with legal questions related to advertising and marketing, IP and data protection litigation, as well as GDPR compliance. Isha assists clients in all phases of a project, from legal advice to contract drafting and assistance during negotiations and disputes.Before starting her career as a lawyer, Isha worked in the legal tech sector where she focused on the digitalisation of law firms. More...

Loïc Delanghe
Loïc Delanghe

Loïc is a lawyer working at PwC Legal Belgium with strong experience and interest in IT, IP, TMT and data protection related matters. He is a member of the Brussels Bar. Loïc graduated from UCLouvain and obtained an additional master's degree in ICT law from the University of Namur & the University of Oslo. He obtained the CIPP/E certification in 2020.  Loïc is passionate about legal issues arising from emerging technologies and strives to find original legal solutions in a constantly evolving world. As a certified privacy professional and qualified lawyer, Loïc has developed expertise in data protection-related topics and has advised both public and private clients in various sectors, including automotive, fashion, health, and telecommunications. Loïc has worked as a data protection advisor for multinational companies to ensure compliance with various projects (use of AI, data exchanges between companies, data reuse,...

Web page updated on 21/05/2026

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