Legal Protection for Influencers & Content Creators

You’re building a brand, not just posting content. Protect your work, stay compliant, and get paid fairly — without the legal headaches.

What We Can Help You With

FTC Compliance & Disclosures

If you promote a product or service and you have a “material connection” with the brand — such as being paid, receiving free products, or getting other benefits — you must tell your audience in a way they can easily see and understand.

This requirement comes from the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) Endorsement Guides, which are based on federal law that prohibits deceptive advertising. Simply tagging a product or using vague terms isn’t enough — disclosures should be clear (for example, using “#ad” or “Paid partnership”) and placed where followers can quickly notice them, especially in videos, captions, and livestreams.

The goal is to make sure your audience understands you have a relationship with the brand so they can fairly evaluate your content.

Intellectual Property & Content Protection

As a creator, the original content you make — like videos, photos, blogs, music, or software — is automatically protected under U.S. copyright law as soon as it’s fixed in a tangible form (for example, saved on your device or posted online). The United States Copyright Office administers the federal copyright system, and registering your work with the Copyright Office can strengthen your legal protection and make it possible to enforce your rights in court.

If you want to include someone else’s copyrighted material in your content — like music, clips, photos, or written text — you typically need permission from the copyright owner.

The Copyright Office explains that only the owner has the right to authorize others to use their work; if you use it without permission, you could be subject to legal claims for copyright infringement.

Influencer & Brand Agreements

As your reputation grows and you start working with brands, having a clear influencer contract is essential. A solid agreement defines the scope of your work, payment terms, deadlines, ownership or licensing of content, and how intellectual property can be used.

It also helps ensure that both you and the brand understand your responsibilities, including FTC disclosure requirements and how third‑party content can be used legally. Well‑drafted contracts protect your rights, help you monetize your content, and reduce the risk of misunderstandings or legal disputes.

Working as a micro influencer, niche influencer, blogger, lifestyle expert, streamer, YouTuber, gamer, nano influencer, media personality, or creator in the broader creator economy can be a rewarding way to earn a living while building community and sharing your ideas, expertise, and creative expression. However, in addition to producing engaging videos, social posts, blogs, and other digital content, there are important legal considerations that every creator should understand to protect their business and monetize their work effectively.

One of the most critical legal areas for influencers involves endorsements and sponsored content. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) enforces truth‑in‑advertising laws under the FTC Act, and its Endorsement Guides explain when and how paid relationships and material connections with brands must be clearly and conspicuously disclosed so followers understand the nature of a recommendation or review. For example, if a creator receives money, products, discounts, affiliate commissions, or other value in connection with a post, that relationship must generally be disclosed in a way that followers can easily notice and understand. This applies to all formats, including videos, photos, and text posts.

Creators also need thoughtfully drafted contract agreements when entering paid partnerships or licensing their content. A clear contract protects both the influencer and the brand by defining scope of work, compensation terms, disclosures, deliverables, timelines, and intellectual property usage rights. These agreements should address who owns the rights to content, where and how it can be used, and compliance with applicable laws — including the FTC’s disclosure requirements — so creators can monetize their work without exposing themselves to legal risk.

In addition to endorsements and contracts, influencers must be mindful of intellectual property rights, both in protecting their own original content and in avoiding unauthorized use of others’ work. Original content — including photos, videos, music, blogs, and designs — is often protected by copyright the moment it’s fixed in a tangible form, but registering copyright with the U.S. Copyright Office enhances legal enforceability and can help when enforcing rights against unauthorized use or infringement.