Lord & Taylor fashion store chain paid 50 Instagramers between $1,000 and $4,000 each to wear certain dresses without disclosing the fact. Uh-oh.

What exactly is an influencer and when exactly must a paid relationship be divulged is at the heart of the latest FTC interpretation.

Here’s a side-by-side comparison (from the chair of the PR Council and global chair of Ogilvy Public Relations ) of what earned influence is… and isn’t:

Is:                                                                              Is Not:

Attraction                                                                 Coercion

Mutual interest                                                       Inducements

Freely-chosen                                                         Bullying

Honest & respectful                                               Manipulative

Intrinsic                                                                   Extrinsic

Demands credibility & competence                   Cynical exploitation

Long-term, sustaining                                           Fleeting

>>> Best idea is to read up on the matter, seen in more detail here.