Italy’s influencer code and 2026 ad rules
Italy now regulates large influencers almost like broadcasters. In July 2025 AGCOM adopted guidelines and a code of conduct for influencers, with stricter rules on disguised advertising, more protection for minors, fines of up to €600,000 and an official register of relevant influencers. Brands working with Italian creators need contracts that reflect these duties. EU rules on political advertising and AI-generated content apply as well.
Executive findings
- 1
AGCOM adopted guidelines and a code of conduct for influencers by resolution 197/25/CONS.
Documented: official source. Scope: Italy; AGCOM, as of . [1]
- 2
The code targets disguised advertising, adds protection for minors, introduces an official register of relevant influencers and allows fines of up to €600,000.
Secondary source. Scope: Italy; Il Sole 24 Ore, as of . [3]
- 3
The guidelines keep a technical table chaired by AGCOM to monitor influencer marketing and review the thresholds and metrics.
Documented: official source. Scope: Italy; AGCOM guidelines, as of . [2]
- 4
Regulation (EU) 2024/900 on political advertising has applied since 10 October 2025, including a ban on political ads from non-EU sponsors in the three months before an election or referendum.
Documented: official source. Scope: European Union; EUR-Lex summary, as of . [4]
- 5
AI Act transparency duties under Article 50 have applied since 2 August 2026; deepfakes and AI-generated public-interest text must be labelled unless a person has reviewed it and holds editorial responsibility.
Documented: official source. Scope: European Union; European Commission FAQ, as of . [6]
Method and limitations
- Question
- Which Italian and EU rules change influencer and paid media campaigns in Italy in 2026?
- Written for
- Marketing leads and agencies buying media in Italy.
- Decision at stake
- What to change in Italy media plans, creative and data set-up in 2026.
- Sources
- AGCOM’s guidelines and code of conduct for influencers and Il Sole 24 Ore’s report on their adoption. EU sources: EUR-Lex summary of Regulation (EU) 2024/900, Meta’s announcement on EU political ads, and European Commission material on Article 50 of the AI Act.
- Period
- Official and legal sources as published and opened on 18 October 2026.
- Markets
- Italy, within the EU framework.
- Definitions
- Relevant influencer: an influencer who meets AGCOM’s audience thresholds and falls under the code of conduct.
- Limitations
- We did not reproduce AGCOM’s numeric thresholds; check them in the guidelines.
- This is not legal or tax advice. Confirm obligations for your business with qualified counsel in the market.
AGCOM’s influencer framework
Documented: official source
AGCOM, Italy’s communications authority and Digital Services Coordinator, adopted the guidelines (Annex A) and code of conduct (Annex B) under resolution 197/25/CONS. The code applies to relevant influencers who meet AGCOM’s thresholds, and existing law on child labour applies to influencers who are minors.
According to Il Sole 24 Ore, the code sets out clearer rules against disguised advertising, more protection for minors, fines of up to €600,000 and an official register of relevant influencers.
- Check whether each creator you hire is on AGCOM’s register.
- Require clear disclosure of every paid or gifted partnership.
- Keep content involving minors within the applicable child labour rules.
Political and social issue ads: EU rules and platform exits
Documented: official source
Regulation (EU) 2024/900 on the transparency and targeting of political advertising has applied since 10 October 2025 and covers Italy. It also bars political advertising from sponsors outside the EU in the three months before an election or referendum.
Meta responded by ending political, electoral and social issue ads in the EU. Its newsroom update says these ads stopped being delivered on 6 October 2025. Social issue ads are a wider category than election ads, so charities, campaign groups and brands running cause-led messages in Italy need a route that does not depend on Meta's political ad products.
AI-generated creative: labelling from 2 August 2026
Documented: official source
Article 50 of the EU AI Act has applied since 2 August 2026. Deepfakes, and AI-generated or AI-manipulated text published to inform the public on matters of public interest, must be labelled unless a person has reviewed the text and holds editorial responsibility. Providers of generative AI systems that were already on the market have until 2 December 2026 for the machine-readable marking duty.
The Commission published a voluntary Code of Practice on marking and labelling AI-generated content on 10 June 2026, including optional icons that deployers can use. For advertisers the practical step is a creative log: which assets were generated or altered with AI, who reviewed them, and where a label appears.
Where we see opportunity
FOCUSADS view
Registered influencers come with clearer obligations, which lowers the compliance risk for brands. Combining creator content with paid amplification through platform partnership ads gives disclosure and reporting in one place.
How FOCUSADS applies this
FOCUSADS view
Italy plans run a policy screen per channel before budget is allocated: political and social issue messaging, regulated categories and AI-generated creative are checked first, and channels that cannot carry the message are removed with the reason shown.
How this connects to our method: How FOCUSADS screens channels by market
References
- Codice di condotta per gli influencer (Allegato B, delibera 197/25/CONS), AGCOM, accessed
- Linee guida per gli influencer (Allegato A, delibera 197/25/CONS), AGCOM, accessed
- Influencers: Agcom code of conduct tightened, fines of up to 600,000 euro, Il Sole 24 Ore, accessed
- Summary of Regulation (EU) 2024/900 on the transparency and targeting of political advertising, EUR-Lex (European Union), accessed
- Ending political, electoral and social issue advertising in the EU in response to incoming European regulation, Meta Newsroom, accessed
- Transparency obligations under Article 50 of the AI Act, European Commission, Shaping Europe’s digital future, accessed
- Commission publishes Code of Practice on marking and labelling AI-generated content, European Commission press corner, accessed