Insta ‘celebs’ slapped with social media ban

SOCIAL media “stars” have been banned from all federal government marketing campaigns after a ­series of exposes by The Daily Telegraph which ­revealed thousands of taxpayer dollars wasted on so-called influencers.

SOCIAL media “stars” have been banned from all federal government marketing campaigns after a ­series of exposes by The Daily Telegraph which ­revealed thousands of taxpayer dollars wasted on so-called influencers.

Assistant Minister for Finance David Coleman last night said every single department has been told to ditch influencers.

“The government has recently reviewed the use of social media influencers and determined that they will not be used in future campaigns,” Mr Coleman said.

Tomikah Jenkins was one of the influencers

hired by the Federal government. Source: @tomikahjenkins

The review followed an investigation by The Daily Telegraph which ­revealed Health had spent more than $600,000 of taxpayer money in just 18 months hiring “influencers” to post fitness shots to Instagram.

Those hired included women who also had sponsorship deals with booze companies and others who promoted extreme “fasting” diets. Others had made racist and homophobic comments.

The users were hired to promote the government’s “Girls make your move” campaign.

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The influencers were tagging the government account @GirlsMakeYourMove

Health Minister Greg Hunt ordered his department to cancel all influencer marketing following The Telegraph’s story.

Earlier this year, The Telegraph also published new research compiled by analysis company Lumio which revealed some of Australia’s top Instagram “influencers” actually have almost no clout at all.

It comes amid revelations in today’s Daily Telegraph that thousands of taxpayer dollars have been spent by the Australian Defence Force hiring two “professional videogamers” to make Youtube videos spruiking air force ­recruitment to teenagers.

An investigation by The Daily Telegraph can today reveal that Defence forked out $52,500 hiring Sydney “video game Youtubers” Alen Catak, known online by the handle @ChampChong, and Elliott Watkins, known as @Muselk, to make video blogs at Townsville air force base as part of an “influencer” marketing strategy.

Instagram posts by Alen Catak aka Champ and mrmuselk aka Elliott Watkins.

A furious Defence Minister Marise Payne last night blasted ­Defence’s decision to hire the two YouTubers “inadequate due diligence” and an insult “to the men and women of the ADF”.

“Any such arrangements will cease immediately,” she said.