Influencer marketing has become one of the most important communication channels across Central and Eastern Europe. As brands invest more heavily in creators, the industry is also facing increasing scrutiny around transparency, responsibility and consumer protection.
Insights from our media experts across Bulgaria, Poland, Romania, Serbia, the Czech Republic and Hungary show a regional market that is becoming more professional, but still faces several common ethical challenges.
Ethical frameworks are emerging
Most CEE markets now have some form of industry guidance for influencer marketing, although the level of development varies significantly. Hungary has recently joined this trend with the publication: Influencer
Code of Ethics created by the Influencer Working Group of IAB Hungary, reflecting a broader regional move towards self-regulation and greater accountability.
"Influencers and content creators have become important shapers of public opinion, which makes ethical responsibility increasingly important," says Mariann Forgács, CEO of Be Social and a member of the IAB Hungary Influencer Working Group. "The new Code is built on principles of honesty, accountability and transparency, reflecting the industry's own commitment to foster trust and credibility in the digital space."
Poland stands out as one of the region's most advanced markets. Clear recommendations from the country's consumer protection authority have made transparent labelling of sponsored content a market standard, while other industry initiatives continue to raise standards.
Similarly to Hungary, Romania and the Czech Republic have established influencer marketing codes developed by their local IAB organisations, while Serbia relies primarily on broader advertising self-regulation and consumer protection rules. In Bulgaria, influencer-specific regulation is still developing. A newly established association of content creators (BACC) has introduced its own ethical code, highlighting the growing demand for professional standards.
A more professional industry
we_can media experts across the region agree that influencer marketing has become significantly more professional over the past few years. Transparency around paid partnerships has improved, particularly among larger brands, agencies and established creators.
Nevertheless, most experts describe their markets as being in a transition phase. Ethical standards are generally well understood by professional influencers and advertisers, but they are applied less consistently by smaller brands, micro-influencers and informal collaborations.
Similar challenges everywhere
Despite differences in market size and regulation, experts identified similar concerns across the region. The most frequently mentioned issue is the inconsistent sharing of sponsored content. While explicit advertising is increasingly labelled, there are grey areas such as gifted products, barter deals and long-term brand relationships, which are often communicated less transparently. Fake followers and artificially inflated engagement metrics is another challenge, making it harder for brands to evaluate creators and campaign performance accurately.
Artificial intelligence is also creating new questions. Experts highlighted the growing use of AI-generated content and heavily edited images, raising concerns about authenticity and unrealistic expectations among audiences. Several experts also mentioned the promotion of gambling, financial products and health-related services, particularly when such content reaches younger audiences.
Brands are paying more attention
A positive trend is the increasing focus on ethics from advertisers themselves. Brands are no longer selecting influencers solely based on follower numbers and reach. Reputation, audience quality, transparency, brand safety and value alignment have become important factors in influencer selection. However, experts noted that this awareness is still less common among smaller advertisers, who may prioritise visibility and short-term results over long-term reputational considerations.
The road ahead
The current standing of ethics and its implementation in influencer marketing across Central and Eastern Europe is encouraging. While markets differ in their level of regulation and maturity, they are moving in the same direction: towards greater transparency, stronger professional standards and increased accountability.
The industry's biggest challenges are no longer about growth, the focus is shifting to trust: how to ensure that creators remain authentic, audiences are protected and commercial partnerships are communicated clearly.
