Gifts count. Almost every regulator treats free products, trips and event invites as payment in kind. That includes the FTC, ASA/CMA, ACCC, Ad Standards Canada, the German media authorities, Autocontrol and the Portuguese DGC. If you post about something you got free, label it.
How to label gifts
- UK: "Ad – gifted". "Gifted" alone has been found inadequate.
- Canada: #Gifted or #GiftedProduct, even if you weren't obliged to post.
- US: "Thanks @brand for the free product" or "ad".
- Portugal: #OFERTA. Germany: "Werbung" or "Anzeige".
- Brands sometimes gift "with no obligation." You still disclose if you post.
How to label affiliate links and codes
- Say you earn from it, near the link: "Ad – I earn commission from this link."
- Germany: asterisk the link and add an explanation (e.g. "* affiliate link: I earn a commission, no extra cost to you").
- Canada: #affiliate, #AffiliateLink or #CommissionEarned on every post with a link, not just your bio.
- A personal discount code alone is not a disclosure (ASA).
Tax note (general). Several tax authorities say gifts received for promotion can be taxable income:
- Canada: the CRA explicitly includes free trips and products at their value.
- UK: LITRG (a tax charity) says gifts for promotion are "probably" taxable.
- Australia: the ATO has published content-creator tips covering non-cash income.
Keep a simple log: item, date, brand, estimated value, and whether you were asked to post. See article 19 for official tax links by country.