social media – Page 2 – The NEN

New rules to crack down on illegal ads and protect children online

Crack down on fake celebrity endorsements and illegal weapons adverts as new Government rules safeguard consumers and protect children
Ministers will convene a new taskforce to drive industry-led action
Proposed rules will strike a balance between internet safety and supporting innovation

Social media platforms, websites and services like advertising display networks will have to take tougher action to stop children seeing age-restricted adverts for products like alcohol or gambling.

Fake celebrity scams and pop-up malware from hackers will also be clamped down on as part of new rules to make advertising regulation fit for the digital age.

The plans are published today by the government in response to its Online Advertising Programme.

Online advertising includes the banners or displays which appear around the content of a website, results prioritised at the top of search engines, and pop-ups on a user’s screen. It helps businesses grow by reaching targeted audiences and can be cheaper and quicker than traditional advertising formats. Last year it accounted for three quarters (£26.1 billion) of the £34.8 billion spent on advertising in the UK.

Its rapid development, combined with changes in technology and complex supply chains between marketers and platforms, make it difficult to stop illegal ads appearing.

People frequently encounter fraudulent celebrity endorsements for financial scams, legitimate-looking pop-ups containing hidden malware, and promotions for products prohibited under UK law – such as weapons, drugs, counterfeit fashion and fake ticketing.

Children can be exposed to ads for age-restricted products such as alcohol, gambling and adult-rated films and games.

Creative Industries Minister Sir John Whittingdale said: “Advertising is a huge industry in which Britain is a world leader. However, as online advertising has taken a steadily bigger share, the rules governing it have not kept pace and so we intend to strengthen them to ensure consumers are properly protected.

“Our plans will shut down the scammers using online adverts to con people out of their cash and will stop damaging and inappropriate products being targeted at children.

“We will make sure that our proposed regulation helps keep people safe while supporting and enhancing the legitimate advertising industry so it can maximise its innovation and potential.”

There is currently a self-regulatory system for the content and placement of online adverts in the UK, overseen by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). The ASA has a strong record of delivering consistent, effective results and holding legitimate advertisers accountable. However regulators are not empowered to act to address illegal harms in the same way as harmful advertising by legitimate businesses.

The government intends to introduce new rules to tackle illegal paid-for online adverts and increase protections for children. A range of targeted legislative and non-legislative measures will address the most serious risks linked to online advertising. This approach complements the Online Safety Bill, which is targeted at user generated content, and will build on measures tackling fraudulent advertising in that legislation.

The new statutory regulation will put more responsibilities on major players across the online advertising supply chain. As well as online publishers, apps and websites serving ads, ‘adtech’ intermediary services which facilitate the placement and distribution of online adverts will be in scope. Promotional posts by social media influencers where they receive payment or free products will also be covered.

Social media firms, search engines and other websites will be required by law to have proportionate systems and processes to stop people being served illegal adverts, and prevent under-18s seeing adverts for products and services illegal to be sold to them. This will improve safety, transparency and consumer trust by introducing more effective action while supporting industry growth.

In due course, the government will launch a further consultation on the details of potential legislation – including its preferred choice for a regulator to oversee the new illegal paid-for advertising rules. New legislation would not affect the ASA’s remit for the content and placement of legitimate paid-for advertising online.

Ministers will this week convene a new taskforce to gather more evidence around illegal advertising and build on industry initiatives to tackle harms and increase protections for children before the legislation is introduced.

The taskforce will be chaired by Creative Industries Minister John Whittingdale and Mark Lund, the chair of the Advertising Standards Board of Finance and former president of McCann UK and Europe.

The group will include representatives from across the advertising industry, including the ASA, as well as tech trade bodies, consumer groups and the government’s Anti-Fraud Champion, Anthony Browne.

Mark Lund, chair of The Advertising Standards Board of Finance and deputy chair of the Online Advertising Taskforce, said: “UK advertising is a dynamic engine for the UK economy because it’s creative and trusted.

“So, I’m delighted to be helping lead in the task force’s role in strengthening industry’s response to illegal harms advertising and the protection of children online, building on the long-term success of the ASA and the self-regulation system in keeping both trust and creativity at world leading levels.”

Anti-Fraud Champion Anthony Browne said: “We remain absolutely committed to fighting fraud and this is another example of the government delivering on a pledge from its pioneering Fraud Strategy.

“Eighty percent of fraud is cyber enabled and it often starts with fraudulent posts and adverts on social media. I am therefore pleased to see new measures being introduced to tackle these.

“The government will continue to work with industry, and law enforcement, to prevent fraud from happening and ensure better support is given to the public.”

Seven Days to Stamp Deadline – Make a ‘Card Commitment’ to boost positivity

Use expiring stamps to bring a moment of joy

It’s seven days before millions of non-barcoded Royal Mail stamps become invalid, and the UK’s Greeting Card Association is asking Brits to use one of those stamps this week to change someone’s life.

Before the 31 July expiration date, the GCA, which is proud to represent many local high street card retailers, is encouraging people this week to make a ‘card commitment’, using one of those stamps to bring the power of thoughtfulness to someone who really needs it.

“Sending and exchanging cards promotes wellbeing and mental health, lighting up the life of recipients and senders alike,” said GCA chief executive officer Amanda Fergusson.

“What’s more that simple act nurtures local independent businesses on the high streets we all love, supports local charities and organisations in the communities we care for and helps protect the Royal Mail delivery service we all treasure.

“The use of an expiring stamp next week to connect with someone who would love to know you’re in their thoughts, would be a small act that may have an incredible impact,” added Amanda.

The GCA will encourage Brits making a #Cardmitment this week to share their card-sending stories on the GCA’s Instagram site and social media feeds of its 500 members – from small high street card retailers to some of the largest publishers in a creative industry worth over £1.5bn to the UK economy.

The altruistic act of sending a card can be powerful, reducing the sender and recipient’s negativity, stress and loneliness, and promoting positive mental health.

Sending greeting cards can be a way to spread kindness and positivity, and doing so makes the sender and recipient feel connected, and better about themselves.

The suggestion marks the beginning of a significant GCA #Cardmitment campaign that, over the coming months, will highlight how powerful the simple, British act of sending a card can be to individuals, communities and society.

#Cardmitment

The most influential Wimbledon players of 2023

Novak Djokovic is the most influential tennis player at Wimbledon 2023 but who else makes the top ten?

Novak Djokovic is the most influential tennis player competing at Wimbledon this year, generating up to £54,700 per sponsored Instagram post
Nick Kyrgios is the second highest earning on Instagram, earning potentially up to £22,700 on each sponsored post
Andy Murray is the third most influential, earning up to £12,800 on each post, whilst Stefanos Tsitsipas is fourth and earning up to £12,200

A new study names Novak Djokovic as the most influential tennis player competing at Wimbledon in 2023, earning potentially £54,700 per sponsored Instagram post.

The research, conducted by CasinoAlpha.co.nz used an Instagram pricing calculator to create a list of the most influential Wimbledon tennis stars competing in this year’s tournament and established how much they can earn per sponsored Instagram post.  

Novak Djokovic, the current men’s singles Wimbledon champion, is the most influential tennis player at Wimbledon this year. He could earn up to £54,700 from each sponsored post on Instagram.

He has the highest following of any Wimbledon tennis player at 13 million and an engagement rate of 2.7%. Djokovic earned his following through winning seven Wimbledon titles throughout the years and 94 single titles all together throughout his tennis career at various competitions.

Nick Kyrgios has been named as the second most influential tennis player at Wimbledon this year, earning up to £22,700 per Instagram post. Although never having won Wimbledon before, Kyrgios is a favourite to win in 2023. He has the second highest follower count at 4.1 million and a high engagement rate of 3.7%.

The third most influential competitor is Andy Murray who can earn up to £12,800 on each sponsored post on Instagram.

Another men’s singles champion, Andy Murray has won the Wimbledon championship twice and holds 46 single titles leading to him becoming one of the favourites to win for the third time at Wimbledon this year. He has a following of 2 million and a large engagement rate of 6.1%.

The fourth most influential tennis player at Wimbledon this year is Stefanos Tsitsipas, potentially earning up to £12,200 per sponsored Instagram post. The tennis star, currently living in Monte Carlo, has a large following of 1.8 million and a 3.3% engagement rate.

Matteo Berrettini is the fifth most influential player at Wimbledon on Instagram. His following of 1.6 million and an engagement rate of 7.1% can earn him up to £11,100 on each sponsored post.

Iga Swiatek is the sixth most influential tennis player at Wimbledon and the most influential female tennis player at Wimbledon this year.

Her combination of a follower count of 1.3 million and a high engagement rate of 9% could potentially earn her up to £9,300 on each sponsored Instagram post.

Commenting on the findings, Tudor Turiceanu, CEO of CasinoAlpha.co.nz said: “Overall, Wimbledon is accepted as one of the greatest tennis tournaments in the tennis calendar and is the oldest tennis tournament in the world dating back to 1877.

“The players at Wimbledon are considered to be the best in the world and the Wimbledon title can allow a tennis player to become more influential on social media, reaping rewards both on the court and off.”

Name	Instagram handle	Instagram follower count	Engagement rate	How much they can earn per sponsored Instagram post
Novak Djokovic	djokernole	13,000,000	2.7%	£54,700
Nick Kyrgios	k1ngkyrg1os	4,100,000	3.7%	£22,700
Andy Murray	andymurray	2,000,000	6.1%	£12,800
Stefanos Tsitsipas	stefanostsitsipas98	1,800,000	3.3%	£12,200
Matteo Berrettini	matberrettini	1,600,000	7.1%	£11,100
Iga Swiatek	iga.swiatek	1,300,000	9%	£9,300
Ons Jabeur	onsjabeur	913,100	5.1%	£7,100
Coco Gauff	cocogauff	890,500	0.2%	£7,000
Jannik Sinner	janniksin	841,000	5.8%	£6,700
Aryna Sabalenka	sablenka_aryna	661,600	9.7%	£5,600

Business Gateway partners with the UK’s first ‘Dr of Social Media’ to uncover the power of social listening for businesses

Business Gateway has announced a free online DigitalBoost event with Dr Jillian Ney, the UK’s first ‘Dr of Social Media’, which will equip Scottish businesses with the knowledge to harness their internet data.

Taking place on Monday, 27th February at 1pm, the hour-long webinar ‘Social Media Listening with Dr Jillian Ney’ will explore social listening – defining what it is, how it can benefit business owners, and offer tips on how to achieve impact in cost-effective ways.

Award-winning digital anthropologist Dr Jillian Ney is the founder of Glasgow-based The Social Intelligence Lab, a global community for professionals working with social and internet data.

She has worked in the industry for over a decade as a researcher, consultant, spokesperson, and author. She has been voted as one of the most influential women under 30 in digital marketing, has given two TED Talks: “Connectedness and the Digital Self” and “Social Media: The Value Lies in the Data”, and has presented her work at SXSW, Social Media Week, NATO, and 10 Downing Street.

Dr Ney began her PhD in social media and consumer behaviour in 2007 at the University of Strathclyde.

She discovered that by analysing how people present themselves and interact online, you can gather valuable insights about their behaviour in the real world. Since then, she has been creating methodologies to help businesses understand what is driving customer behaviour by applying behavioural science to social data and other online data sources.

‘Social Media Listening with Dr Jillian Ney’ will be hosted as a Q&A with Business Gateway’s Chief Officer, Hugh Lightbody. Dr Ney will offer expert guidance on how businesses can use online data to identify insights on their target audience and stay competitive, as well as explore the changing impact of the internet on the business landscape.

Dr Jillian Ney said: “Social listening is a powerful tool that can help businesses of all sizes gain a deeper understanding of their audience and stay ahead of their competition, but it is easy to get swept up in the hype of what the technology and data can offer.

“During the webinar, I will demystify this hype to help businesses concentrate on what’s important. I’m delighted to partner with Business Gateway on this session, hopefully encouraging more businesses to discover the untapped potential that lies in their social data.”

Hugh Lightbody, Chief Officer at Business Gateway, added: “We are thrilled to have Dr Jillian Ney join us for this webinar.

“She has led the field in social and internet data and her insights on how technology is changing people’s behaviour online and offline will help equip businesses with the tools and knowledge they need to succeed.

“Digital know-how is a fundamental skillset for business owners, as the opportunities the online world presents are huge. We hope this webinar, delivered as part of our DigitalBoost programme, provides a valuable resource as businesses navigate the ever-changing digital landscape.”

For further information and to book a place on the webinar, visit:

www.bgateway.com/events/social-media-listening-with-dr-jillian-ney-25615

Business Gateway is Scotland’s national business advisory service, offering free advice and support to anyone starting a new business, as well as to thousands of existing businesses with the ambition and potential to grow. Its DigitalBoost programme focuses on digital upskilling through free online resources and webinars from expert consultants.

For further information, visit: https://www.bgateway.com/

Boosting the social care workforce

Campaign aims to help fill vacant posts across Edinburgh

A marketing campaign to support the recruitment of more adult social care workers in Edinburgh has launched this week, to help address the high level of vacancies in the sector.

The campaign – titled ‘there is more to care than caring’ – will raise awareness of the career opportunities available in adult social care and encourage people to apply. Activity includes radio, outdoor and digital advertising, highlighting the important work done by adult social care workers.

It is part of the Scottish Government’s commitment to attract more people to work in adult social care, retain existing staff and raise its status as a profession. This builds on a pay uplift for all adult social care staff which guarantees them a minimum of at least £10.90 an hour from this April.

Social Care Minister Kevin Stewart visited Leuchie House in North Berwick yesterday to see the work it does to support people affected by stroke, multiple sclerosis and neurological conditions.

Mr Stewart said: “Working in adult social care can be challenging but offers the opportunity to have a hugely positive impact on people’s lives on a daily basis.

“We are increasing pay, improving terms and conditions in the sector, and developing clear career pathways for the workforce, ahead of the introduction of the National Care Service. This will lead to more rewarding roles for the existing adult social care workforce, and for new entrants to the profession.

“This campaign highlights that while relevant experience can help, it is core interpersonal skills such as communication, compassion, empathy and respect that are most highly valued.

“If these are skills you possess then adult social care could be the career for you.”

Top of the League: Rashford is most influential member of England squad

Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford is the most influential member of the England squad, earning up to £37,950 per sponsored Instagram post
Team captain, Harry Kane is the second most influential member of the squad whilst Raheem Sterling is the third most influential.
Midfielder Conor Gallagher has the most dedicated fanbase, with the highest engagement rate on Instagram among the team at 18.92%

A new study has revealed the most influential members of the England squad for the Qatar World Cup, with Marcus Rashford taking the top spot.

The research, conducted by online casino comparison experts KingCasinoBonus.uk, analysed marketing tools and the social media profiles of the England team to determine which England player is the most influential.

Marcus Rashford took first place earning up to a whopping £37,950 per sponsored Instagram post. This is thanks to his follower count of almost 13 million and an engagement rate of 3.28%. The Manchester United forward has been praised on social media for his work around providing free school meals for children across the UK, creating a dedicated fanbase ahead of the World Cup.

The England captain, Harry Kane, is the second most influential member of the England team. Kane, who boasts 13.3 million followers, can charge up to £36,997 per sponsored Instagram post. Interestingly, Kane has the lowest engagement rate of any member in the England squad at just 0.36%.

The third most influential member of the England team is Raheem Sterling. The Chelsea forward can charge up to £27,661 for a single post on social media. Sterling has 10 million followers on Instagram and an engagement rate of 1.27%.

Trent Alexander Arnold is the fourth most influential player in the England team, earning £22,308 per sponsored post on social media, whilst Phil Foden is the fifth most influential player, earning £15,565 per Instagram sponsored post.

Jack Grealish ranks sixth thanks to his follower count of 5.4 million and an engagement rate of 4.69%. Grealish can charge up to £14,971 per sponsored post on Instagram.

Midfielder Conor Gallagher has the highest engagement rate with fans at 18.92% whilst Jude Bellingham receives the most average likes per Instagram post at 481,008 likes.

Those who play up front also top the leader board with forwards occupying five of the top ten spots – Marcus Rashford, Harry Kane, Raheem Sterling, Phil Foden and Jack Grealish. Manchester United produces the most influential players with three of the top ten coming from the club – Marcus Rashford, Luke Shaw and Harry Maguire.

England’s most influential players
Rank	Player	Instagram Username	Follower count	Potential Instagram earnings	Engagement rate	Average likes per post
1	Marcus Rashford	marcusrashford	12,975,093	£37,950	3.28%	422,632
2	Harry Kane	harrykane	13,306,943	£36,997	0.36%	47,879
3	Raheem Sterling	sterling7	10,030,643	£27,661	1.27%	126,421
4	Trent Alexander Arnold	trentarnold66	8,148,889	£22,308	4.19%	334,731
5	Phil Foden	philfoden	5,765,258	£15,565	7.17%	400,271
6	Jack Grealish	jackgrealish	5,405,916	£14,971	4.69%	251,745
7	Mason Mount	masonmount	5,215,031	£14,514	7.17%	372,925
8	Jordan Henderson	jhenderson	5,104,144	£14,172	2.09%	105,905
9	Luke Shaw	lukeshaw23	4,308,064	£11,978	4.89%	209,536
10	Harry Maguire	harrymaguire93	3,889,842	£10,380	2.58%	99,737

Commenting on the study, a spokesperson from KingCasinoBonus.uk said: “The past success of the England team at the 2018 World Cup and the Euros last year brought the country together and catapulted many of the players to a bigger level of stardom.

“It will be interesting to see who gains the most followers throughout the World Cup tournament, particularly if England go on to do well.”

Keep your child safe online during the summer holidays

During the summer holidays, children will inevitably have more access to screen time, especially in the form of the internet. Internet safety has become an increasingly worrying problem amongst parents.

Internet expert Allison Troutner from VPNOverview.com has listed the best ways to keep your child safe online:

1. Consider a family ‘tech agreement’

One way to set ground rules with your child is to create a Family Tech Agreement. A family tech agreement answers as many questions as possible about internet and device use so boundaries are clear to all family members. It’s a good way for the whole family to talk about safe and responsible online behaviours.

To create a family agreement, discuss topics like:

What apps, games, or sites does the family use most?
What rules do we want to include in our agreement?
How long should we spend on our devices?
What information is safe to share (or not)?
What do we do if we see something inappropriate?
What email address do we use to sign up for accounts?
Do we know how to use in-app safety features like blocking and reporting?
Who can we talk to if we feel uncomfortable with something online?
Who is safe to talk to?
What happens when someone breaks the agreement?
When might parents be forced to break the agreement for safety?

This is a starting point: your family may discuss more topics on internet safety for kids depending on the ages of your child or teens and what devices you use.

2. Report any harmful content that you see

Flag or report all harmful content or contact you or your child experiences using social media apps using in-app reporting features. For cybercrimes, cyberbullying, or harmful content, use in-app features like Twitter’s safe mode to report it. Most social media companies have their own safety and privacy policies and will investigate and block content or users. Apps geared towards kids, like Facebook Messenger Kids, have clear guidelines and safety features so that users can block content or contacts and have a safer experience in the app.

3. Balance safety with independence

Technical controls can be a useful way to protect your children online but they can’t solve all your problems. Children need a certain amount of freedom and privacy to develop healthily. They need their own free space to learn by trial and error what works and what doesn’t. So keep balancing, it’s part of it. Having open and honest conversations with your children can be the best way to balance this safety.

4. Keep the computer in a common space

If possible, keep computers and devices in a common space so you can keep an eye on activity. It prevents children from doing things that might be risky. Also, if harmful or inappropriate content appears through messages, you can address it with your child straight away.

5. Password-protect all accounts and devices

From phones to computers to apps, put a password on it. That way, no one without the password can access you or your child’s device. Keep track of passwords by using a password manager.

6. Update your operating systems regularly

All of your devices from mobile phones or tablets to computers and smartwatches receive important updates in response to security issues on a regular basis. Be sure to install them regularly so you have the most up-to-date security fixes and remain safe online. Our recommendation is to set updates to install automatically so your device is less vulnerable to known attacks. Usually, you can find this feature in Settings, then select Automatic Updates, but it varies between devices.

7. Install security or antivirus software programs and a VPN on your computer

Additionally, cybersecurity or antivirus software programs prevent spyware or viruses that may harm your computer if your child visits a malicious site. Using these programs, parents can also set up regular virus checks and deep system scans to make sure there is no harmful activity happening under your nose.

A VPN hides users’ internet activity from snoops and spoofs your location. This protects your kids by making sure hackers or predators can’t detect their actual location. You can install a VPN on your router so that the location is spoofed on all connected devices.

8. Set parental controls

It may seem obvious, but parental controls are crucial to your child’s safety online. Parent controls are built-in features included on devices and apps. With these features, parents customise their child’s online experience. What parental controls are available on each device or app varies, but in general, they limit screen time, restrict content, and enhance user privacy.

Features of parental controls:

Limit screen time.
Turn off in-app purchasing.
Prevent inappropriate or mature content.
Limit website access.
Play, message, or send/receive content with approved contacts only.
Monitor device location through GPS.

Take time to look at what parental controls are available on your child’s commonly used apps. Then, set them to reflect the type of experience you think is best for your child or teen’s online safety.

New poll finds 7 in 10 adults want social media firms to do more to tackle harmful content

Ipsos study finds over 4 in 5 adults are concerned about harmful content online

68 per cent want more action from social media firms on racism, homophobia and misogyny on their platforms
Comes as the Online Safety Bill moves to Report Stage in the House of Commons this week

A clear majority of the public want social media companies to do more to protect their users from harmful content, according to new research published today.

Polling by Ipsos shows over four in five (84 per cent) adults in the UK are concerned about seeing harmful content – such as racism, misogyny, homophobia and content that encourages self-harm – with two in five (38 per cent) reporting having seen it in the last month. This comes as the Online Safety Bill moves to Report Stage in Parliament this week.

The government commissioned study found strong public support for the measures contained in the Bill. For instance, seven in ten adults (68 per cent) believe social media companies should do more to protect people online.

Four in five adults (78 per cent) want social media companies to be clear about what sort of content is and isn’t allowed on their platform.

In a stark warning to social media companies, 45 per cent of respondents also said they will leave or reduce the amount of time they spend on their platforms if they see no action.

Digital Secretary Nadine Dorries said: “Online abuse has a devastating impact on people’s lives, and these findings definitively show the public back our plans which will force social media companies to step up in keeping their users safe.

“It is clear people across the UK are worried about this issue, and as our landmark Online Safety Bill reaches the next crucial stage in Parliament we’re a big step closer to holding tech giants to account and making the internet safer for everyone in our country.”

The survey also found that women have high levels of concern about legal but harmful content, with 45 per cent feeling unsafe when talking to people on dating or messaging apps.

Most women (65 per cent) agree there should be limits to the types of content people can post online. Nearly half (47 per cent) of those living in households with at least one child report having seen abusive content in the last month.

The safety of women and girls across the country is a top priority. The measures we’re introducing through the Online Safety Bill will mean tech companies have to tackle illegal content and activity on their services, women will have more control over who can communicate with them and what kind of content they see on major platforms, and they will be better able to report abuse.

In addition, we are continuing to implement our Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) strategy to bring about real and lasting change offline as well as online.

The Online Safety Bill was introduced to Parliament in March and is a major milestone in the government’s mission to make the UK the safest place in the world to be online. The new laws will protect children, tackle illegal content and protect free speech, as well as requiring social media platforms to uphold their stated terms and conditions.

If they don’t, the regulator Ofcom will work with platforms to ensure they comply and will have the power to fine companies up to ten per cent of their annual global turnover – which could reach billions of pounds – to force them to fulfil their responsibilities or even block non-compliant sites.

When the Bill comes into force, firms will be required to identify and implement solutions to protect their users. Firms hosting content that is harmful to children such as pornography, will have to prevent them from accessing it, for example by using age verification.

Social media platforms will also be required to safeguard people’s free speech, and their access to journalism and content that is democratically important. The poll follows the announcement of a series of amendments to the Bill last week to strengthen protections for freedom of speech, including tougher protections to guard against the arbitrary removal of articles from recognised news outlets shared on social media.

Last week the government published the list of legal but harmful content social media companies will need to address under the Online Safety Bill.

The categories consist of types of online abuse and harassment which can fall below the threshold of a criminal offence, but which still cause significant harm to adults online such as misogyny, homophobia and content that encourages self-harm.

This threshold is important to ensure that the online safety framework focuses on content and activity which poses the most significant risk of harm to UK users online.

Free speech within the law can involve the expression of views that some may find offensive, but a line is crossed when disagreement mutates into abuse or harassment, which refuses to tolerate other opinions and seeks to deprive others from exercising their free speech and freedom of association.

Social media sites rife with scam car insurance ‘ghost brokers’, says Which?

Social media sites are rife with dodgy companies offering car insurance that is either non-existent or missing key details, resulting in tens of thousands of drivers being potentially left uninsured on the roads, Which? research has found.

‘Ghost broking’ is a scam that cost its average victim £1,950 last year. It involves ‘brokers’ forging insurance paperwork completely or more commonly selling victims a ‘real’ policy at a reduced price, by changing some of the victim’s details in the application, such as their address or claims record. It leaves those affected potentially liable for fraud and at risk of penalties for driving uninsured.

Ghost brokers mainly operate online, particularly on social media. In May, Which? searched on social media platforms for profiles and pages that showed signs of being run by scammers.

Which? analysed the first 50 pages returned from a search for ‘cheap car insurance’ on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Of the 47 profiles that matched Which?’s search on Instagram, more than half, 25, appeared to be offering quotes or cover to UK drivers, while showing no signs of being authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

In a separate search, Which? found one Instagram profile that boasted it could save customers ‘up to 50%’ on their premium – it also offered ‘NCB (no-claims bonus) Documents’ and ‘Speeding Ticket Removal’. It had 45,900 followers – more than the five biggest insurers combined – and claimed to have ‘over six years experience in [its] field’. It also had a sister profile with an additional 15,200 followers. Which? flagged these to Instagram, and both have since been taken down.

On Facebook, seven pages of the 50 profiles were dubious. On video-sharing site TikTok, two of the 50 profiles analysed were suspect.

Experts Which? spoke with in the police and insurance industry seem to agree that ghost brokers generally operate most prolifically on Facebook and Instagram.

According to the Insurance Fraud Bureau, last year insurers collectively reported more than 21,000 policies that could be connected to the scam.

Some victims will not report being scammed because they are too embarrassed. Others might be aware their quotes have been manipulated, but ghost brokers can be persuasive in downplaying the significance of this.

Some ghost brokers also put real effort into creating a positive word-of-mouth buzz, which helps them seem trustworthy.

Some 517 cases of ghost broking – with losses totalling £1 million – were reported to Action Fraud in 2021. However, this will only be people who make a report to Action Fraud and actually know that they have bought a fraudulent policy. The true numbers are likely to be much higher.

Many of these losses, unsurprisingly, were from young drivers, who face the steepest premiums. Ghost brokers also heavily target non-native English speakers.

People who have not even bought a policy can also be affected by the scam through having their address or other details used as part of forged insurance paperwork.

To test how social media platforms are vetting unregulated insurance middlemen, Which? set up six accounts of its own on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, claiming to be car insurance brokers.

Which? promised cheap quotes and asked interested drivers to contact via a mobile phone number or directly message through the website.

The two profiles Which? set up on Facebook were taken down by the site within a few days, as was an Instagram profile linked to an email address containing the word ‘ghostbrokerscammer’. However, a second Instagram profile, connected to a less conspicuous email with a ‘normal’ name (e.g. ‘johnsmith’), stayed up for 35 days until Which? took it down.

The two TikTok profiles, one linked to a ‘ghostbrokerscammer’ email, also stayed up for the same period.

Which? believes social media companies should have stronger processes in place to protect consumers from fraudulent pages offering financial services.

When the Online Safety Bill comes into force, platforms should be required to prevent this kind of activity. To ensure this is the case, Which? is calling on the government to amend the Bill to ensure its definition of fraud does not allow some scammers to slip through the net and to guarantee that Ofcom has appropriate powers to adequately enforce the Bill when it becomes law.

Meanwhile, consumers should be wary of insurance brokers selling their services on social media and carry out other basic background checks to ensure they are not buying a fraudulent or misleading insurance policy – and are dealing with a company that is actually authorised by the FCA.

Jenny Ross, Which? Money Editor, said: “Ghost broking is a really nasty kind of fraud, where scammers operate by stealth and typically take advantage of those who feel locked out of, or bewildered by, the car insurance market.

“Social media sites must do much more to crack down on car insurance scammers that are infiltrating their sites and harming consumers, and should address these problems now, ahead of the Online Safety Bill becoming law.

“The Online Safety Bill should require platforms to tackle this type of fraudulent content. The government must ensure this happens by amending the Bill so that its definition of fraud does not allow some scammers to slip through the net and guaranteeing Ofcom is ready to enforce these new laws when they come into force.”