GFK-2018年社交媒体广告行为调查报告（英文）-2018.6-102页-3mb

报告摘要

Summary of the Behavioural Study on Advertising and Marketing Practices in Online Social Media (Final Report)

Core Content

This final report presents a comprehensive behavioural study on advertising and marketing practices in online social media (OSM) across the European Union (EU), focusing on consumer behaviour, consumer protection, and potential policy remedies. The study was conducted under the EU Consumer Programme (2014-2020) and aimed to identify, assess, and address potentially unfair or misleading commercial practices on OSM platforms.

Main Objectives

To investigate the landscape of OSM providers in the EU and their business models.
To examine commercial practices on OSM from the perspective of consumer behaviour and protection.
To identify the drivers behind the effectiveness and spread of these practices.
To assess the level of involvement and responsibility of OSM providers and other stakeholders.
To suggest policy and enforcement remedies based on findings from qualitative research and behavioural experiments.

Key Findings and Practices

1. Online Social Media Landscape in the EU

OSM Usage: In 2016, 63% of individuals aged 16–74 used OSM in the EU. Participation rates varied significantly across Member States, with Hungary (83%), Malta (82%), and Belgium (80%) having the highest rates, while the 65–74 age group had the lowest at 32%.
Business Use: 47% of EU businesses used at least one OSM platform in 2017, with social networks (e.g., Facebook, LinkedIn) being more commonly used than content-sharing sites (e.g., YouTube, Flickr).
Top Platforms:
- International: Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, Reddit, Tumblr, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Twitch, Imgur, WhatsApp, Ok.ru, VK.
- Regional/National: Cda.pl, Gutefrage.net, Hotukdeals.com, Xing.com, Vbox7.com, Gyakorikerdesek.hu, Draugiem.lv, Flashback.org, Skyrock.com, Suomi24.fi.
- Mobile Apps: Facebook Messenger, SoundCloud, Snapchat, Viber, Skype.
Traffic and User Metrics:
- Facebook and YouTube dominate with 43.6% and 28.6% of EU traffic respectively.
- The top ten OSM providers account for 87.4% of all EU traffic.
- Mobile usage is growing, with platforms like Snapchat and WhatsApp gaining significant traction.

Problematic Practices Identified

1. Disguised Advertising Practices

Native Advertising: Advertisements that blend in with organic content, often making it difficult for users to distinguish between ads and regular posts.
Influencer Marketing: Leveraging social media influencers to promote products, which can be misleading if not clearly disclosed.
Advertorials: Paid content that mimics editorial content, often used to mislead consumers about the nature of the content.

Consumer Issues:

Users often fail to recognize native ads as such.
Influencers may not clearly disclose their affiliations.
Advertorials can be deceptive due to their similarity with news or reviews.

Legal Assessment:

Regulatory, enforcement, and self-regulatory options were proposed.
The study emphasized the need for transparency and clear labeling of advertisements.

2. Social Proof Practices

Artificial Boosting of Likes: Platforms may manipulate like counts to create false impressions of popularity.
Extrapolation of Social Endorsements: Using aggregated or fabricated social data to suggest widespread approval or interest in a product.

Consumer Issues:

Users are influenced by perceived popularity and social validation.
Misleading social proof can distort consumer decision-making.

Legal Assessment:

Options for regulatory and enforcement action were explored.
The study recommended stronger transparency requirements and clearer rules on social proof manipulation.

3. Data Gathering and Targeting Practices

User Tracking: OSM platforms collect extensive data on users, including socio-demographic profiles, interests, and preferences.
Audience Targeting: Highly granular targeting based on user data is used to deliver personalized marketing content.
Social Media Logins: These allow for the integration of user data across platforms, enhancing the effectiveness of targeted advertising.

Consumer Issues:

Users may not be fully aware of how their data is used.
Personalized marketing can lead to increased exposure to targeted ads, which may be more persuasive.

Legal Assessment:

Regulatory and enforcement options were suggested, including stricter data protection laws and enhanced consumer rights.
The study highlighted the importance of GDPR compliance and the need for more oversight in data usage for marketing purposes.

Conclusion and Policy Implications

OSM Landscape: The OSM market in the EU is dominated by a few large platforms, with significant regional and age-based differences in usage.
Disguised Advertising: Requires greater transparency and clear labeling to protect consumers from being misled.
Social Proof: Needs regulation to prevent artificial manipulation of social validation signals.
Data Gathering: Should be subject to stricter controls to ensure consumer privacy and informed consent.
Policy Recommendations: The report suggests regulatory, enforcement, and self-regulatory options to address the identified issues, including:
- Clearer rules on advertising disclosure.
- Enhanced transparency in social proof indicators.
- Stronger data protection and user consent mechanisms.

Methodology Overview

Qualitative Research: Included online communities and stakeholder interviews in six EU Member States.
Behavioural Experiments: Conducted in six EU countries to assess consumer responses to different marketing practices.
Desk Research: Analyzed OSM content and commercial practices across platforms.
Mystery Shopping: Tested marketing practices through simulated campaigns with OSM providers and intermediaries.

Limitations and Future Research

The study was limited by the scope of available data and the time frame of the research.
Future research should focus on:
- Longitudinal studies to track changes in consumer behaviour.
- Broader geographical coverage.
- The impact of new technologies and platforms on marketing practices.
- The effectiveness of proposed legal remedies.

Key Takeaways

OSM platforms have become a critical channel for advertising and marketing.
Consumers are increasingly vulnerable to misleading practices due to the integration of social interaction and personalized targeting.
A multi-faceted approach involving regulation, enforcement, and self-regulation is necessary to protect consumers from these practices.
The findings provide a foundation for future policy and legal interventions in the OSM advertising space.

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