CREATOR AND INFLUENCER COUNCIL OF THE PHILIPPINES

CODE OF ETHICS AND CONDUCT

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1. Statement of Purpose

This Code sets forth the ethical principles and rules governing the conduct of its members (each a “Member”, collectively “Members”). The members of the Association commit to adopt and adhere to this Code and its highest standards of transparency, fairness and integrity, in order to bolster public confidence in the content creators and influencers industry and in the Association.

In their actions and conduct, the Members shall keep in mind the objectives of the Association to (1) establish education standards that serve as the foundation for the CI community; (2) enable and empower members to successfully implement and scale CI industry standards; and (3) engage regulators and stakeholders by abiding to the highest standards for governance and conduct.

The Members, by joining the Association, publicly represent themselves as carrying and embodying the values and principles promoted by the Association. The directors, trustees, shareholders, officers and employees of Members must embody integrity and must abide by the obligations set forth in this Code.

Unless otherwise indicated in this Code, the term “Member” or “Members” shall mean the individual who is a member of the Association, the organization represented by the individual, and the Board of Directors, Board of Trustees, officers, shareholders, employees and personnel of the organization.

Conduct Relating to Integrity

The Members affirm that the CI industry is imbued with public interest, and it becomes necessary for the industry players to promote the principles of transparency, integrity and verifiability. Ethical practices instill to the public trust and confidence in the fairness and integrity of the industry which the Association strives to build and promote.

1.1 Members shall adhere to, strictly comply, and promote compliance with all relevant laws and regulations governing or applicable to the advertising industry.

1.1.1. Consumer Act (R.A. No. 7394)

1.1.2. Data Privacy Act (R.A. No. 10173)

1.1.3. Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines (R.A. No. 8293, as amended)

1.1.4. Cybercrime Prevention Act (R.A. No. 10175)

1.1.5. Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act (R.A. No. 3019)

1.1.6. Omnibus Election Code (B.P. Blg. 881)

1.2 The equivalent laws, rules and regulations in the Member’s respective jurisdiction shall apply, in addition to the Member’s obligations to comply with Philippine law whenever applicable.

1.3 Members are the most visible representatives of the CI industry, and are thus expected to maintain the highest levels of ethical conduct.

1.4 Members must exhibit integrity and probity, avoid any appearance of impropriety, possess a level of skill, knowledge and competence relevant to their job and the industry in which they work. They shall champion the desired values and conduct promoted by the Association.

1.4.1 The Members are expected to conduct themselves ethically at all times. They shall perform their jobs with skill, due care, prudence and diligence, in addition to complying with laws, regulations, and company policies. They shall keep in mind that material consequences they shall face for breaching this Code.

1.4.2 Members shall ensure that their directors, shareholders, officers, employees, personnel, and other representatives shall not engage in any act involving dishonesty, fraud, or deceit. any act that may be deemed illegal, commission of a crime involving moral turpitude, or commit any act that reflects adversely on the reputations of the Member and of the Association. They shall refrain from any act that would be deemed contrary to the valued principles of transparency, integrity and verifiability.

1.5 Members shall be honest in their dealings and representations to the public. including their representations as to professional affiliations, qualifications, and credentials of its representatives, personnel, industry experience, business achievements, and contributions to the community.

1.6. Where a Member’s directors, shareholders, officers, employees and personnel engage in or commit any of the prohibited acts above, violate the laws provided in Section 1 of this Code, or otherwise violate the provisions of this Code, the Members shall have the duty to:

1.6.1 Sever legal ties/employment and publicly disassociate its entity with the violating director, shareholder, officer, employee or personnel. and

Where a resulting criminal, civil or administrative case has been filed or is warranted is involved, 1.6.2 Cooperate with the Association and the lawful authorities. in its investigation or prosecution of the violating Member, trustee, shareholder, officer, employee or personnel.

1.7 Members shall not employ or contract the services of any person who has violated the laws identified in this Code.

1.8 Members shall not implement policies or engage in acts or omissions that facilitate violations of law or avoidance of regulatory compliance.

1.9 Members shall prevent the use of their facilities or properties in furtherance of any criminal or illegal activities.

1.10 Members shall promptly adopt policies and programs to ensure compliance with new laws and regulations.

1.11 Any act or omission by a Member that impairs the integrity, trustworthiness, credence and competence of the Association shall result in appropriate sanctions.

1.12. Engagement Integrity.

Members must not participate in, promote, or tolerate the use of fraudulent tactics to manipulate platform algorithms or public perception.

This includes:

1.12.1 Buying fake followers, likes, comments, or engagement.

1.12.2 Using engagement pods, bot networks, or click farms.

1.12.3 Misrepresenting reach or audience demographics to secure brand deals.

1.12.4 Brands and agencies must likewise avoid incentivizing such practices.

2. Conduct Relating to Transactions; General

2.1 Members must act with reasonable care and prudence in their dealings.

2.2 Transactions shall be dealt with at arm’s length.

2.3 Members must comply with the obligations for specific transactions.

2.4 Members handling personal data shall comply with all obligations under the Data Privacy Act.

3. Conduct Relating to Internal Governance of the Members

3.1 The Board of Directors or Board of Trustees and officers shall exercise active control and supervision.

3.1.1 Members shall train and equip their Board, officers, employees and personnel.

3.2 Members shall protect the Association’s reputation.

3.3 Members shall encourage responsible disclosure of illegal activity and protect whistleblowers.

4. Conduct Relating to the Association

4.1 Members shall not use their membership or affiliation in the Association to mislead others.

4.1.1. as a means of conveying a misleading level of competency, or to perpetuate fraud, deceit or misrepresentation as to its qualifications, competence, credentials, expertise, and industry experience; and

4.1.2. as a means of intimidating, harassing, or threatening any person or group.

4.2 Members shall not take advantage of the Association for financial gain.

4.3 Members shall not issue statements that create financial panic, market instability, or confuse the public.

4.4 Activities undertaken in the name of the Association must go through the appropriate approval channels.

4.5 Members shall maintain and promote a professional environment.

4.6 Members shall ensure that ethical practices are observed in social media and online channels.

4.6.1 Members shall ensure respectful, dignified, courteous, and responsible conduct.

4.6.2 Members shall ensure that social media is not used to mislead the public.

4.6.3 Members shall not post disrespectful, offensive, discriminatory, defamatory, obscene, pornographic, or illegal content.

5. Guidelines for CI Endorsements

5.1. General

5.1.1. The guidelines in this section shall apply to all Members in its conduct regarding marketing and content creation. This includes endorsements in whatever form or media, whether existing or not at the time that this document is approved, and includes any advertising message (including verbal statements, demonstrations, or depictions of the name, signature, likeness, or other identifying personal characteristics of an individual or the name or seal of an organization or bran) that consumers are likely to believe reflects the opinions, beliefs, findings, or experiences of a party other than the sponsoring advertiser, even if the views expressed by that party are identical to those of the sponsoring advertiser (the “Endorsement”).

5.2. Disclosure

5.2.1 A Member must disclose any financial, employment, personal or family relationships.

5.2.1.1. in the case of Member-Content Creators: it must disclose its financial relationships with a brand or advertiser; and

5.2.1.2. in the case of a Member-Brand: it must disclose its financial relationships with a content creator.

5.2.1.3. Financial relationships include arrangements where the Member receives, gives, or offers to give monetary value, discounts, trips, services, and other benefits, including the potential of receiving such benefits, such as through the conduct of affiliate marketing.

5.2.2. Manner of Disclosure.

5.2.2.1 The disclosure should be in clear and simple language and apparent in the endorsement message. The disclosure should be in the same language as the endorsement message.

5.2.2.2 If it’s a video, the disclosure should be made in the video itself.

5.2.2.3 If it’s a livestream, the disclosure should be repeated periodically.

6. Special Provisions for Content Creators and Influencers

6.1. Factual Statements.

6.1.1 All reviews and statements made should be factual. Statements regarding health effects should be based on scientific evidence.

6.1.2 An endorsement should not contain libelous, harassing, abusive, or misleading statements.

6.2. Use of AI-Generated or Synthetic Content.

6.2 Content Creators must disclose the use of any AI-generated or synthetic content. (including deepfakes, voice clones, avatars, or digitally altered visuals) in their work, especially when such content could be perceived as real.

6.2.1 Disclosures must be clear, timely, and included in the content itself.

6.2.2 Deepfakes that impersonate real individuals must not be used in any misleading way.

6.2.3 Misuse of AI-generated content to deceive, defame, or fabricate endorsements or opinions is strictly prohibited.

6.3. Responsibility to Prevent the Spread of Misinformation.

6.3 Content Creators must exercise due diligence in verifying the accuracy of any public statement. whether sponsored or personal, especially where such statements could impact public health, safety, social harmony, or democratic processes.

6.3.1 Creators must not knowingly share or amplify false or misleading content.

6.3.2 Creators should promptly issue a correction or clarification. rather than simply deleting the original content.

6.3.3 Brands must not engage Creators to propagate false claims. especially in regulated sectors like health, finance, or politics.

6.4 Content Creators are encouraged to foster respectful, inclusive communities.

6.4.1 Creators should not encourage, tolerate, or remain silent in the face of harassment.

6.4.2 Creators should moderate or issue public disclaimers against abusive comments.

6.5 The Association condemns any form of online harassment or bullying directed at its Members.

6.5.1. Members experiencing sustained harassment should report it to platform moderators and, if needed, local authorities.

6.5.2. The Association may offer support channels for Members facing such attacks, particularly when the harassment stems from ethical stances or compliance with the Code.

7. Special Provisions for Brands, Advertisers, and other Clients of Content Creators and Influencers

7.1 The Brand or Advertiser shall actively promote the engagement and use of Content Creators that adhere to this Code.

7.2 The Brand or Advertiser shall not instruct or induce a Content Creator to violate laws, regulations, or this Code.

7.3 Brands and agencies must engage Content Creators in a manner that respects their rights as independent professionals.

7.3.1 Contracts should clearly state the scope of work, compensation, timelines, ownership rights, and grounds for termination.

7.3.2 Creators should be compensated fairly. taking into account prevailing industry standards, market reach, and content value.

7.3.3 Exploitative arrangements are discouraged.

7.4 Members must consider the ethical, environmental, and social impact of the brands and products they endorse.

7.4.1 Creators should avoid promoting products or practices that are harmful to the environment or society.

7.4.2 Brands are encouraged to disclose their sustainability claims clearly and accurately.

8. Enforcement

8.1 The Board of Trustees shall constitute a Committee on Ethics. composed of three (3) members who shall hear complaints brought before it for violations of this Code.

8.2. A member of the Committee on Ethics shall inhibit himself or herself from hearing a complaint or from being involved in any matter where his or her integrity may be called into question by virtue of a conflict of interest with the complainant, the respondent, or any party to the complaint. Should such case arise, the Board of Trustees shall appoint one of its members to take the place of the inhibiting member.

8.3 The Committee shall investigate complaints.

8.4 The respondent-Member shall be afforded the opportunity to respond. to the allegations of the complaint. The complainant and the respondent-Member may be directed to submit evidence on their behalf.

8.5 The Committee shall decide whether there is substantial evidence. to support the allegations of the complaint.

8.6 The Committee shall have jurisdiction to impose a penalty. on the erring Member of suspension of not more than six (6) months. Where the Committee believes that a higher penalty is warranted, including expulsion from membership in the Association, the Committee shall recommend the same to the Board of Trustees for due imposition.

8.7. Formal Warning; Suspension for a period longer than six (6) months; Imposition of fines; Expulsion from membership

8.8 The Association shall publicly disassociate itself from the expelled Member.