Victorian Auditor-General finds social media disclosure failures

The Victorian Auditor-General’s Office (VAGO) has released a report finding that social media influencers and Members of Parliament have failed to properly disclose paid partnerships and taxpayer-funded content. The audit revealed that state communication laws have not been updated since 2017, failing to keep pace with the rise of digital advertising, which accounted for approximately $40 million in Victorian government expenditure during 2024-25.

Specific findings included influencers promoting state initiatives, such as the Metro Tunnel, without declaring paid involvement. Additionally, the report noted that politicians, including Premier Ben Carroll and former transport minister Gabrielle Williams, shared departmental videos on their personal social media feeds without clearly attributing the content to the respective government agencies. VAGO highlighted a lack of consistent rules across departments regarding when influencers must disclose government involvement in their posts.