Brands and influencers must work harder to ensure that consumers retain their trust.

That’s according to a survey of 2,000 people in the UK on behalf of Prizeology which found that 71 per cent of people thought that there were no rules for influencer conduct, PR Week reports. This is of course despite the fact that there are regulations which were put in place by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).

Furthermore, 61 per cent of respondents did not believe that influencers disclose when they have been paid to talk about a product. 44 per cent, meanwhile, felt that influencer marketing was actively damaging to society, while two thirds felt that their perception of a brand was improved when it was transparent about influencer ad deals.

88 per cent believe that brands should always be transparent about such agreements. In addition, 71 per cent felt that the ASA should act more strongly in these matters, and 56 per cent believed that both the brand and the influencer should be punished for non-disclosure.

"The results are extremely interesting and overwhelmingly show a shocking lack of knowledge and confusion amongst all age groups – including teenagers – about the way that brands use social media influencers to advertise their products,” Prizeology MD Sarah Burns said.

“The ASA has a tough job on its hands, but more must be done to enforce the rules and educate the public and influencers themselves as to what is acceptable and what is not."