Over the past decade, influence marketing has changed the way advertising is handled by companies. Influencers have entered the marketing world by leveraging massive followings on social media platforms, and brands have recognized the value of the new category of advertising professionals.

Even though the use of influencers has become a mainstay of advertising, French legislation has yet to meet this evolution, resulting in an often opaque legal framework.

The broad spread-out provisions applicable to influencers also generate difficulties in understanding influencers legal status, in particular when they are underage. This notably raises the question whether influencers are employees of the brands they advertise for—and therefore subject to labor law—or if they should be considered independent contractors, with their relationship with brands subject to commercial legislation.

Such opaque legal framework raises questions about the applicable regime, as well as the legal status of influencers. Even though there is no specific regime for influencers, recent legislation was adopted in order to protect children influencers (see our alert here).

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‘Specialist in new technologies’, K&L Gates LLP‘s team has an outstanding reputation for legal advice on innovative technologies and data-related concerns. Claude-Etienne Armingaud and Raphael Bloch are recognised as ‘exceptional lawyers who miss no details and who know their fields to perfection’. Claude-Etienne Armingaud has developed particular knowledge of multijurisdictional transactional matters dealing with IT outsourcing and data protection for blockchain and fintech, connected cars, and big data services.

Leading individuals: Claude-Etienne Armingaud – K&L Gates LLP

Practice head(s): Claude-Etienne Armingaud

Other key lawyers: Raphael Bloch

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Quoted by Global Data Review:

Claude-Étienne Armingaud, a partner at K&L Gates in Paris, said the decision would have little impact in practice.

“The new sections adopted in July 2021 are implementing specific and targeted data retention requirements which should therefore comply with both the ECJ decisions and the Constitutional Council decision of today,” he said.

“So, if anything, it’s a tardy decision that was expected and confirmation that the Government did well to anticipate this.”

Read full article here.

During his January 2022 hearing before France’s National Assembly, the newly appointed chairman of the French competition authority (AdlC), Benoit Coeuré, stated that the digital sector would be one of the principal subject matters of his chairmanship (see press release here in English). 

His intention is to focus on “the emergence of new essential infrastructures such as cloud-computing” and that, in consequence, “it would be important and justified for the AdlC to rapidly undertake in-depth work on the consequences of cloud-computing in all sectors in conjunction with the relevant sectoral authorities.”

Pursuant to Article L. 462-4 of the French Commercial Code, the AdlC has therefore decided to conduct a wide analysis of the matter in order to assess the competitive situation of the cloud-computing ecosystem.

A BOOMING SECTOR

This opinion comes at a time when the cloud-computing market is booming at both the European and French level, with an average annual growth expected to exceed 25% over the next few years, with strong value-creation challenges for the economy, and allowing for a 2030 market prediction 10 times larger than in 2020.

Over the last few years, cloud computing has become a complex ecosystem of technologies, products, and services, giving rise to a wealthy economy where several cloud-computing service providers compete for an ever-increasing share of the service market. This peaking sector allows for more efficient ways of working, which has ended up being especially valuable during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This “cloud boom” also serves as the backbone of a widespread digitalization of the economy, which is supported by the French government with its new national plan to support the French cloud industry.

THE NECESSITY FOR GLOBAL ANALYSIS 

The AdlC’s purpose to conduct a broad analysis of the cloud-computing sector is pushed by both a European and international dynamic.

In this regard, the AdlC intends to provide for a definition of the relevant markets in the sector. 

This commitment can be traced back to the European Commission’s (EU Commission) early analysis of the “IT outsourcing services” market encompassing the “public cloud computing services” as one of its sub-segments.1  Concurrently and from a transatlantic perspective, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission is also pushing forward with an antitrust scrutiny in the cloud-computing business. 

The AdlC intends to study the competitive dynamics of the sector and the presence of operators in the various segments of the value chain (including their contractual relations) in a context where multiple alliances and partnerships are concluded for the provision of cloud services. 

Should the AdlC identify potential improvements, proposals may be issued for the competitive functioning of the sector.
Taking into account the variety and complexity of the cloud-computing technologies involved, the AdlC announced that, for the first time, the investigation unit will comprise lawyers, economists, and data scientists notably from the newly created Digital Economy Department.

THE NEXT STEPS

A broad public consultation will be taking place in the next few months to gather comments and suggestions from the stakeholders. Comments are to be sent to the AdlC through the following email address: avis.cloud@autoritedelaconcurrence.fr

The final opinion is expected to be issued by the beginning of 2023.

The firm’s global competition and data protection team (including the competition team and data protection team in each of our European offices) remains available to assist you in achieving the compliance of your data and antitrust matters at global levels.

First publication: K&L Gates Hub with Camille Scarparo

Claude-Etienne Armingaud from K&L Gates ranked among the Best Lawyers France 2021 for Privacy and Data Security Law

Algo Avocats - Sandra Tubert
Altana - Pierre Lubet
Artemont - Farid Bouguettaya
August Debouzy - Florence Chaffiol
Baker McKenzie - Magalie Dansac Le Clerc
Bid & Bird - Merav Griguer, Ariane Mole
Bouchara & Avocat - Navessa Bouchara
Vercken & Gaullier - Florence Gaullier
Cohen & Gresser - Guillaume Seligmann
Cornet Vincent Ségurel - François Herpe
De Gaulle Fleurance & Associés - Georges Courtois, Jean-Marie Job
Delcade - Olivier Hayat
Delsol Avocat - Jeanne Bossi Malafosse
Derrienic Associés - Alexandre Fiévée, Fran_ois-Pierre Lani, Pierre-Yves Margnous
DLA Piper - Denis Lebeau-Marianna, Carol Umhoefer
Eversheds Sutherlands - Vincent Denoyelle
EY - Yaël Cohen-Hadria
Fréal Schiul Sainte Marie Willemant - Christinae Feral-Schulh, Bruno Grégoire Sainte Marie, Justine Sinibaldi
Franklin - Valérie Aumage
Gibson Dunn & Crutcher - Ahmed Baladi, Vera Lukic
Herald Avocats - Anne Cousin
Hogan Lovells - Etienne Drouard
K&L Gates - Claude-Etienne Armingaud
Latham & Watkins - Jean-Luc Juhan, Myria Saaarinen
Latournerie Wolfrom - Marie-Hélène Tonnelier
Lxing - Chloé Torres
Luzi Avocats - Olivia Luzi
McDermott Will & Emery - Romain Perray
Mulliez Avocats - Florence Mulliez
Next Avocat - Etienne Papin
Osborne Clarke - Claire Bouchenard, Béatrice Delmas-Linel
Racine - Hélène Cournarie
Reinhart Marville Torre - Laurent Marville
Squire Patton Boggs - Catherine Muyl
Taj - Hérvé Gabadou
White & Case - Clara Hasindork, Bertrand LIard

Source: Best Lawyers

The French data protection Supervisory Authority (The CNIL) has issued a fine totaling EUR 400,000 against Monsanto for failing to inform individuals whose personal data was collected and processed  for lobbying purposes.

Further to the revelation by several media outlets, in May 2019, that Monsanto kept records on more than 200 political and civil society figures (e.g. journalists, environmental activists, scientists or farmers) likely to influence the debate or public opinion on the renewal of the authorization of glyphosate in Europe, the CNIL received seven complaints from individuals whose personal data was included in those records. The personal data included in those records included professional details (e.g. company name, position, business address, business phone number, mobile phone number, business email address and Twitter account), along with a score of 1 to 5, aiming at evaluating  their influence, credibility and support for Monsanto on various topics such as pesticides or genetically modified organisms.

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The French Law n°2016-1691 of 9 December 2016 relating to transparency, the fight against corruption, and the modernization of economic life, known as the “Sapin II” Act 1)Sapin II entered into force on 10 December 2016 (JORF n°0287 of Dec. 10, 2016) introduced to legal entities additional compliance requirements to address corruption in order for France to meet the highest European and international standards.

Sapin II has established a general principle of prevention and detection of corruption risks under the control of a national anticorruption structure, the French Anti-Corruption Agency (AFA),  whose main mission is to help economic and public players in the process.

The AFA noted in its 2019 annual activity report 2)French Anti-Corruption Agencyn Annual Activity Report 2019 (7 July 2020) (in French).that anticorruption measures implemented by economic and public players were still incomplete.

On 12 January 2021, the AFA published new recommendations entered into force on 13 January 2021 (Recommendations, here in French).

The AFA specifies the practical procedures for implementing an anticorruption system structured around three foundational principles, namely:

  • Governing body’s commitment;
  • Understanding the entity’s exposure to probity risks; and
  • Risk management.
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References

References
1 Sapin II entered into force on 10 December 2016 (JORF n°0287 of Dec. 10, 2016)
2 French Anti-Corruption Agencyn Annual Activity Report 2019 (7 July 2020) (in French).

The French Supervisory Authority (CNIL) wrapped up 2020 with a EUR 20,000 fine against NESTOR, a French food preparation and delivery company catering to office employees (see full Decision SAN-2020-018 in French).

The CNIL highlighted various breaches of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the ePrivacy Directive regarding the processing of prospects and clients’ personal data by the CNIL, most notably:

While the fine is rather limited in view of the maximum potential amount of EUR 20 million or four percent of the turnover (whichever the greater), this decision presents an opportunity to examine web scraping and direct marketing practices, which are rapidly developing.

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The French Supervisory Authority has set 31 March 2021 as the end of the “reasonable period” to bring websites and mobile applications into compliance.

Following the adoption and publication of its updated guidelines along with practical recommendations on the use of cookies on 1 October 2020 (see our alert on the subject here), the French Supervisory Authority (CNIL) reaffirmed on 4 February 2021 the need for private and public players to comply with the new obligations regarding cookies and other tracers (together, CookiesSee the CNIL press release of 4 February 2021 (in French)).

To make its action plan on online advertising effective and in view targeting of the deficiencies witnessed in both the public and private sectors, the CNIL set a specific deadline for the implementation of its recommendation: 31 March 2021.

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Through its Act no.2020-1266 dated 19 October 2020 (the Act), the French legislator elected to regulate the commercial exploitation of the images of children aged 16 and under on online platforms (Kidfluencers).

Despite the potentially lucrative consequences of these emerging practices, Kidfluencers operated in a legal vacuum which could have resulted in parents exploiting their children, without the latter reaping any financial benefits or regaining any control of their images upon coming of age.

First and foremost, the Act extends the existing legal framework of child models, under Article L7124-1 of the French Labor Code (FLC). As such, Kidfluencers will require a written authorization from the French Administration prior to being engaged or broadcasted, inter alia:

  • By any entertainment provider, regardless of the medium or broadcast type;
  • In order to perform “modeling activities,” broadly defined under Article L7123-2 FLC as presenting oneself, directly or indirectly through the reproduction of one’s image, either through photographs or video, notably by presenting a product, service of commercial message;
  • By eSport competition organizers; and
  • By “Employer whose activities consist in creating audiovisual recording whose main subject is a child aged 16 or under, for the purpose of for-profit broadcasting on an online video sharing platform”.

The latter category was notably introduced to characterize the parents or legal guardians of the influencers as the “employer” of the Kidfluencer. As they may not be as aware of the legal undertakings as the other providers and organizers mentioned, the Administration will provide them with specific information relating to the Kidfluencers’ rights and the risks associated with exhibiting their image online.

Moreover, a portion of the revenue gained by Kidfluencers would be placed in escrow on a French public bank account until their majority.

Secondly, in situation when the broadcast would not be performed for profit, the Act introduces additional protective measures for Kidfluencers: instead of a prior authorization, a simple declaration of the activity will be required, when the published content exceeds certain thresholds in terms of (i) duration or individual items; or (ii) direct or indirect revenues. Such thresholds will be addressed in a supplemental decree to be adopted shortly.

Failing to obtain the authorization or to proceed with the notification would entitle the Administration to seize a court in order to take down the related content.

Finally, the Act also implements a collaborative framework for the online video sharing platforms, and enjoin them to publish dedicated policies to aiming at

  • Informing users of the applicable Kidfluencers’ regulatory framework;
  • Informing Kidfluencers directly of the consequences on their private life of the broadcasting of their image, of the legal and psychological consequences and of the means they have to protect their rights and dignity;
  • Encouraging users to report any content involving Kidfluencers that could affect their dignity, psychological or physical integrity;
  • Preventing the processing of personal data relating to minors for commercial purposes, such as targeted advertisement, further to the broadcasting a Kidfluencers video;
  • Detecting situations where the recording or broadcasting of Kidfluencers’ videos could impact their dignity, psychological or physical integrity; and
  • Helping Kidfluencers to easily exercise their right to be forgotten on the video-sharing platforms.

While a welcomed step to protect children online, sometimes from their own families, the Act will need to be completed with regard to the thresholds triggering its applicability. In addition, by mainly addressing online video sharing platforms, the Act could have benefited from a more homogenous framework for online platform allowing the sharing of both still and moving pictures. Indeed, while still images could be included in the modeling provision, it remains to be seen how extensively it will be enforced.

Amidst the current discussions surrounding the Digital Services Act at the European level, this France-specific framework creates yet another undertaking for online platforms to implement additional measures to support public policies. And by encouraging users to report any content involving Kidfluencers that could affect their dignity, psychological or physical integrity, the Act could generate extra-territorial consequences, forcing the platforms to deploy such reporting mechanism at a global scale.

K&L Gates IP/IT team in Paris remains available to assist you in assessing the changes triggered by this Act. Please get in touch if you would like to discuss the steps that your organization might want to consider to prepare now for this new Kidfluencer framework.

First publication: K&L Gates Fashion Law Watch