The Dutch Media Authority has announced the expansion of its regulatory oversight to include content creators with fewer than 500,000 followers, effective June 16, 2025. This change marks a significant shift from the previous threshold established in 2022, which limited supervision to only the most popular influencers.
Chairwoman Amma Asante states that the expansion “ties in with one of the focus themes of the Authority: a safe online environment for young people.” The authority expects all supervised content creators to maintain transparency about advertising, take minors into consideration, and disclose their identities.
The new rules apply to uploaders who:
- Maintain accounts on YouTube, Instagram, and/or TikTok
- Posted at least 24 videos in the past 12 months
- Earn money or receive other benefits from their videos
- Are registered with the Dutch Chamber of Commerce
Initially focused on education and informal enforcement, the Dutch Media Authority has now adopted a risk-driven supervision model that includes stricter enforcement mechanisms, such as fines.
The regulations categorize commercial content into advertisements (content intended to convince viewers to purchase products), sponsorships (compensation or free products provided to fund video production), and product placement (products incorporated into video storylines).
Under these guidelines, advertisements must be clearly labeled as “advertorial,” “paid promotion,” “#advertisement,” or “#paidpartnership.” Sponsorships require explicit disclosure beyond terms like “thanks to” or “in cooperation with.” Product placements must not draw excessive attention to products and are prohibited in children’s programming.
Certification Initiative
In March 2024, the Netherlands became the second European country after France to launch a responsible influence certificate program. The “Certified by influencerregels.com” initiative provides training on Dutch advertising laws related to influencer brand collaborations.
The program has received support from major brands including Nestlé, Unilever, L’Oréal, Heineken, and Coca-Cola. Since its launch, approximately 340 Dutch creators have completed certification.
The Dutch regulatory expansion follows a broader European trend toward greater oversight of influencer marketing. Currently, 12 additional European advertising self-regulatory organizations are developing similar certification programs, with most set to start implementation in 2025. Germany plans to launch its program this summer.
Enforcement Approach
The Dutch Media Authority employs a phased enforcement strategy. The agency initially focuses on education before targeting specific high-risk content categories such as unboxing videos for children and beauty vlogs, which often involve undisclosed advertising.
For violations, the authority can impose fines of up to €225,000. However, the current campaign focuses on informing influencers through social media and providing knowledge sessions for management agencies, which connect advertisers with content creators.
The amended Policy Rule has been published in the Dutch Government Gazette following public consultation in April 2025.
The Dutch Media Authority has announced the expansion of its regulatory oversight to include content creators with fewer than 500,000 followers, effective June 16, 2025. This change marks a significant shift from the previous threshold established in 2022, which limited supervision to only the most popular influencers.
Chairwoman Amma Asante states that the expansion “ties in with one of the focus themes of the Authority: a safe online environment for young people.” The authority expects all supervised content creators to maintain transparency about advertising, take minors into consideration, and disclose their identities.
The new rules apply to uploaders who:
Initially focused on education and informal enforcement, the Dutch Media Authority has now adopted a risk-driven supervision model that includes stricter enforcement mechanisms, such as fines.
The regulations categorize commercial content into advertisements (content intended to convince viewers to purchase products), sponsorships (compensation or free products provided to fund video production), and product placement (products incorporated into video storylines).
Under these guidelines, advertisements must be clearly labeled as “advertorial,” “paid promotion,” “#advertisement,” or “#paidpartnership.” Sponsorships require explicit disclosure beyond terms like “thanks to” or “in cooperation with.” Product placements must not draw excessive attention to products and are prohibited in children’s programming.
Certification Initiative
In March 2024, the Netherlands became the second European country after France to launch a responsible influence certificate program. The “Certified by influencerregels.com” initiative provides training on Dutch advertising laws related to influencer brand collaborations.
The program has received support from major brands including Nestlé, Unilever, L’Oréal, Heineken, and Coca-Cola. Since its launch, approximately 340 Dutch creators have completed certification.
The Dutch regulatory expansion follows a broader European trend toward greater oversight of influencer marketing. Currently, 12 additional European advertising self-regulatory organizations are developing similar certification programs, with most set to start implementation in 2025. Germany plans to launch its program this summer.
Enforcement Approach
The Dutch Media Authority employs a phased enforcement strategy. The agency initially focuses on education before targeting specific high-risk content categories such as unboxing videos for children and beauty vlogs, which often involve undisclosed advertising.
For violations, the authority can impose fines of up to €225,000. However, the current campaign focuses on informing influencers through social media and providing knowledge sessions for management agencies, which connect advertisers with content creators.
The amended Policy Rule has been published in the Dutch Government Gazette following public consultation in April 2025.