• by Joe Mandese , 2 hours ago

Nearly four years and four ad industry certification programs since the Institute for Advertising Ethics launched, it is introducing a fifth certification, this time turning the industry's attention to the ethical use of the $30 billion-plus influencer marketing marketplace.

“Trust in the creator economy must be built in public,” IAE President Andrew Susman says of the new certification program, adding that the program will launch in January 2026, and industry pros that complete its curriculum will receive the institute's new "Influencer Integrity Shield" certifying their professional ethical training regarding the practice.

The new influencer marketing certification includes modules addressing risk mitigation, responsibility and professional practices in the burgeoning creator economy, including:

• Foundations of Influencer Marketing

• Effects and Impacts of Influencer Communication

• Disclosure Standards and Regulatory Expectations

• Ethical Principles from Adjacent Fields

• Guidelines for Responsible Influencer Selection and Partnership

The modules, based on an open standards process drafted by the IAE, will be available for public review here and the IAE is accepting public comments from Jan. 15 through the first-quarter of 2026.

“Ethical standards earn trust only when they are developed in daylight," says IEA Director of Curriculum and Assessment Anna McAlister, noting, "Aligning the [Influencer Integrity Shield] with established disclosure expectations, and strengthening it through research and public participation, is what makes the framework both credible and widely adoptable.”