Dilemmas Faced by Micro-influencers in Commercial Collaborations: Ethical Responsibility and Personal Gain

Abstract

Influencer marketing continues to expand, intensifying debates about compliance with advertising regulations and the distribution of responsibility among influencers, brands, and other stakeholders. This qualitative study draws on 30 in-depth interviews with micro-influencers in Spain to examine how they interpret and manage legal requirements and ethical considerations in the context of commercial collaborations. The findings indicate a high level of awareness of disclosure obligations, with most participants reporting regular identification of sponsored content. While interviewees generally attribute primary responsibility for product-related information to brands, they also acknowledge shared accountability and describe practices aimed at ensuring accuracy and maintaining credibility. Although participants recognize significant pressure to increase follower numbers, they largely reject the practice of purchasing followers. Instead, they emphasize authenticity, thematic coherence, and trust as central to sustaining their professional legitimacy. Overall, micro-influencers conceptualize ethical responsibility less as strict adherence to formal rules and more as an ongoing communicative practice oriented toward credibility, audience expectations, and long-term professional sustainability.