CICP Code of Ethics and Conduct

Published December 8, 2025

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 content creators and influencers (“CI”) 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, where applicable.

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, including, but not limited to the following laws and their respective implementing rules:

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. If the Member does not hold Filipino nationality, and/or is residing offshore, 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 in order to preserve and promote the reputation of the industry and of the Association.
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, and 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
1.6.2. Where a resulting criminal, civil or administrative case has been filed or is warranted is involved, 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 for any position or in any way who has violated any of the laws provided in Section 1 of this Chapter, or committed an illegal, dishonest, fraudulent, deceitful act that could reflect adversely on the Association, or a crime involving moral turpitude.
1.8. Members shall not implement policies or engage in acts or omissions that facilitate the commission of any of the laws, rules or regulations mentioned in the preceding sections, or the avoidance of regulatory compliance. The prohibition extends to the concealment, aiding or abetting of any act which violates the said laws, rules and regulations.
1.9. Members shall prevent the use of their facilities or properties in furtherance of any criminal and other improper or illegal activities, including fraud, bribery or corruption.
1.10. Members shall promptly adopt policies and programs to ensure that they are compliant with the new laws, rules, regulations and other government or regulatory issuances that may be issued.
1.11. Any other act or omission by a Member that impairs the integrity, trustworthiness, credence and competence of the Association shall result in the imposition of the appropriate sanctions as provided in Chapter 8 of this Code.

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, transactions, and contracts with customers and suppliers. Members must also act fairly and objectively, promoting a culture of integrity, professionalism and honesty.
2.2. Where Members engaged in transactions with (1) the Association, (2) other Members, or (3) related entities to the Member (such as subsidiaries and affiliates), Members shall ensure that said transactions are dealt with in arm’s length, providing fair commercial terms and transfer pricing, as well as complying with other legal requirements.
2.3. Members must comply with the obligations for specific transactions as described in Sections 5 to 7.
2.4. Members that handle the collection, storage, use and other forms of processing of personal and sensitive personal information (“personal data”), as defined under the Data Privacy Act of 2012 (Rep. Act No. 10173 or the “DPA”), shall comply with all their obligations under the said law, including the implementation of physical, organizational and technical measures to protect the personal data under their custody and prevent system breach.

3. Conduct Relating to Internal Governance of the Members

3.1. The Members’ respective Board of Directors or Board of Trustees and officers shall exercise active control and supervision in the formulation and implementation of policies, procedures and controls designed to comply with the Member’s obligations under all applicable laws and regulations, including the resulting issuances of regulatory bodies such as the Department of Trade and Industry, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the Department of Information Communication Technology.

3.1.1. If the Member is a corporate entity, the Members shall train and equip its Board of Directors, or Board of Trustees, officers, employees and personnel with sufficient knowledge and understanding of these applicable laws, rules and regulations to ensure that its entity is fully compliant with the standards set forth in the said laws, rules and regulations.

3.2. The Members shall be conscious that their individual reputations extend as well to the reputation of the Association. They shall protect the Association’s reputation by avoiding any situation involving themselves that may be inconsistent with or that could disrupt or impair the Member’s relationship with its shareholders, employees, customers, other stakeholders and the Association.
3.3. The Members shall encourage responsible disclosure of acts or omissions of any illegal activity within their respective organizations. The Members shall ensure that any such “whistleblower” shall be protected from any retaliatory action within the organization on account of the said disclosure.

4. Conduct Relating to the Association

4.1. Members and their Representatives shall not use their membership or affiliation in the Association, or the name of the Association:

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 itself or their affiliation therein to mislead the public or any person for the Member’s own financial gain.
4.3. Members shall not use their reputation as an expert in the industry, or that of the Association, to issue statements or otherwise make representations that tend to create financial panic, market instability, or confuse the public on matters concerning marketing, advertising, influencer business, or the industry.
4.4. Any activity, transaction, deal or contract undertaken in the name of the Association must go through the appropriate approval channels and must be made consistent with the principles of transparency, integrity and verifiability.
4.5. Members shall strive to maintain and promote a professional environment within the Association, treating each other with respect, dignity and cooperation in order that the Association shall achieve the goals set out and to promote and uplift the CI industry.
4.6. Members shall, in its use of social media and other online channels, either as a means of advertising, marketing, information dissemination, public communication or to comply with the law, rules and regulations, ensure that ethical practices are observed.

4.6.1. Members shall ensure that any social media account under its control, or with each it participates, shall observe respectful, dignified, courteous, and responsible conduct in its content, comments, or opinions.
4.6.2. Members shall ensure that social media is not used in any way or form to mislead the public through false, fraudulent, inaccurate or incomplete information.
4.6.3. Members, (if the member is a juridical entity, the obligation shall extend to its directors, shareholders, officers, and employees), through any personal account (or corporate account) shall not post any disrespectful, offensive, discriminatory, defamatory, obscene, pornographic, or any content promoting dangerous drugs, firearms, illegal gambling, or violence.

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 brand) 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. In the conduct of their business and operations related to Endorsements, a Member must disclose any financial, employment, personal or family relationships pursuant to the following:

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. Generally, the disclosure should be in clear and simple language, and should be 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 and not just the description.
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, vulgar, or is inappropriate with respect to race, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, or other intrinsic characteristic, or any statement that is clearly false or misleading.

6.2. Use of AI-Generated or Synthetic Content.

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.

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 content that is false or misleading.
6.3.2. If a Creator becomes aware that they have posted inaccurate or misleading content, they 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. Community Safety and Anti-Harassment Responsibility.

6.4.1. They should not encourage, tolerate, or remain silent in the face of harassment, bullying, or hate directed at others through their platform.
6.4.2. Creators should moderate or issue public disclaimers against abusive comments within their controlled channels.

6.5. Protection Against Harassment.

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 the minimum standards in this Code.
7.2. The Brand or Advertiser shall not instruct or induce a Content Creator through economic or monetary incentives to violate laws, regulations, or this Code.

7.3. Creator Labor Rights and Compensation Principles.

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, including delayed or unpaid compensation, coercive exclusivity clauses, or unfair ownership transfers, are discouraged.

7.4. Environmental and Social Responsibility in Endorsements.

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

7.4.1. Where feasible, Creators should avoid promoting products or practices that are harmful to the environment or society (e.g. greenwashing, exploitative labor).
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. Upon receipt of a complaint, the Committee shall either (1) investigate itself the allegations in the complaint, or (2) constitute an Investigating Panel to conduct the investigation. The Committee may appoint external counsel as the Investigating Panel if the Committee deems such referral necessary to ensure an impartial investigation.
8.4. During the investigation, 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. Following investigation, the Committee shall decide whether there is substantial evidence to support the allegations of the complaint.
8.6. Upon a positive determination that the allegations of the Complaint have been substantiated, 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. The Board of Trustees shall be allowed to impose the following sanctions, in its discretion, taking into account the violation committed, the effect thereof to the Association or to the public, and other factors it deems important:

8.7.1. Formal Warning
8.7.2. Suspension for a period longer than six (6) months;
8.7.3. Imposition of fines;
8.7.4. Expulsion from membership in the Association.

8.8. In the case of expulsion, the Association shall further make a statement publicly disassociating itself from the expelled Member.