The rapid rise of influencer-based marketing is fuelling the local creator economy, but also raising concerns about negative effects on society.
A media agency and influencer platform said stricter rules on influencers might not effectively mitigate the negative impact, preferring instead self-regulation.
The fragmented nature of content and media platforms makes centralised control a challenge, said the duo.
According to a National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) report on Thailand's social outlook in the fourth quarter of 2023 and overview for last year, influencers' rush to produce content and engage with audiences has led to a prioritisation of popularity over the accuracy and appropriateness of content.
This has manifested various negative social impacts, including the spread of misinformation, illegal persuasion and solicitation, such as the promotion of online gambling, noted the report.
Another negative impact is promoting harmful societal values, as some content is legal but contributes to misguided values, such as content centred on "showing off wealth". This could lead to increased financial strain as individuals may incur debt to acquire goods and services, according to the report.
The NESDC cited data from Nielsen in 2022 that countries in the Asean Economic Community had a combined 13.5 million influencers, with Thailand tallying more than 2 million, second to Indonesia.
Some of the influencer boom is a result of greater opportunities to generate income.
Both advertising and product reviews created economic value last year of up to US$19 billion globally, and are projected to increase to $140 billion by 2030.
In Thailand, influencers have garnered attention as they generate higher incomes, earning from 800 baht to 700,000 baht per post.
The council reported some countries have enforced laws specifically targeting influencers. For example, China passed regulations blocking content that flaunts wealth or an unrealistic luxury lifestyle.
Thailand has related laws, but clear regulations specific to influencers are absent.
If Thailand wants to effectively supervise influencers, it may need to revise the definition of online media to be clearer, said the NESDC.
The country can adapt the laws and regulations of foreign countries, applying them to Thailand's social context, said the think tank.
Pawat Ruangdejworachai, president of Media Intelligence Group, said rules and regulations alone might be insufficient to curb the negative social impacts of influencers, as youth often feel a greater urge to access controlled or forbidden content.
He suggested promoting a sense of responsibility among influencers, while parental control can also help.
Suvita Charanwong, chief executive of Tellscore, an influencer-hiring automation platform, said self-regulation is the best way to minimise the impact of influencers.
She said the major social media and e-commerce platforms use artificial intelligence to detect inappropriate content, while influencers should accept responsibility for their content and have ethics.
Ms Suvita cautioned that stringent laws could threaten the growth of the creative economy.
Tellscore educates its 100,000 influencers on which content violates laws, such as posts about alcohol and gambling.