CESRO is writing Social Media's Rulebook — before it's too late
CESRO brings users, creators, platforms, and companies together to set enforceable standards across the social media ecosystem.
Why the Creator Economy needs to regulate itself
Millions of people now earn a living creating content, and the platforms and brands they work with move faster than any single law can keep up with. The result is a patchwork: a sponsorship disclosure rule that exists on one platform and not another, payment terms that differ deal to deal, and no shared standard for how a minor's content is protected or how a creator disputes a wrongful takedown.
CESRO is a coalition-built framework — not a government agency — that lets the industry set its own enforceable floor before that floor gets set by regulators who don't work in this industry. Member platforms, agencies, and creators commit to the standards below, and CESRO reviews complaints and certifies compliance.
CESRO is built on 3 principles
Rules only work if the body enforcing them can't be quietly captured by the industry it oversees. These are the structural commitments CESRO operates under.
Preserve creative expression and free speech
Standards target deception, harm, and exploitation — never the content, opinions, or style of what creators choose to make.
Promote transparency, safety, and accountability
Disclosure, algorithmic transparency, and enforceable safeguards give audiences, creators, and brands a shared, trustworthy baseline.
Foster economic vibrancy and innovation for the Creator Economy ecosystem
Fair payment terms, portable data, and clear rules of the road let creators, platforms, and brands build and invest with confidence.
Designed by the Community and Industry Leaders, open for public comment
These are the rules CESRO is proposing as the baseline for member platforms, agencies, and creators. Each is in draft form — read them, then tell us where they fall short.
Sponsorship & disclosure standards
Paid partnerships, gifted products, and affiliate links are flagged the same way everywhere — a single, machine-readable disclosure tag — instead of a different toggle on every platform.
Payment & contract protections
A 30-day maximum payment term after deliverables are approved, plain-language contract summaries, and a ban on retroactive scope changes without added pay.
Algorithmic transparency
Platforms disclose, in general terms, why a video was demonetized, shadow-limited, or removed from recommendations — and give creators a specific reason, not a form letter.
Minors & vulnerable-audience safeguards
Extra review for brand deals involving creators under 18, mandatory trust accounts for minors' earnings, and stricter limits on targeted advertising to child-audience channels.
Data & portability rights
Creators can export their audience analytics, message history, and monetization records in a standard format if they leave a platform or agency.
Dispute resolution & enforcement
A shared arbitration panel for creator–brand and creator–platform disputes, with public findings and a certification mark that can be suspended for repeat violations.
Three ways to make CESRO a reality
CESRO only works if the people advocating for the Creator Economy help build the rules. Here's where you fit in.
Sign the Petition
- Add your voice to the public list of individuals backing CESRO
- Join a rule-drafting working group in your content category
- Get early access to the dispute resolution pilot
Add Comments and suggest Rule Proposals
- Pilot the disclosure tag and payment-term rules with your teams
- Apply for CESRO certification once compliant
- Send a delegate to the quarterly standards review
Contact your Congressional Members
- Comment on the current draft rules before they're finalized
- Subscribe to quarterly updates on where the initiative stands
- Share the proposal with a creator, agency, or lawmaker
What's happening in the Creator Economy
A running list of developments relevant to the standards CESRO is proposing.
FTC tightens enforcement on undisclosed sponsorships
Regulators in several countries introduced new disclosure and platform-accountability rules through 2025 and 2026, with the FTC stepping up enforcement against creators and brands that skip sponsorship disclosures.
EU AI Act reaches full enforcement in August
AI-generated or manipulated content used in branded and influencer campaigns must be clearly identifiable under the EU AI Act, shifting transparency obligations from preparatory to enforceable this year.
New York extends child-actor-style protections to young creators
A new state law gives minors working as influencers protections similar to child actors, including mandatory written contracts and payment guarantees on deals over $5,000.
Platforms face pressure over creator revenue sharing
Major platforms are under growing scrutiny over how much of ad and subscription revenue reaches creators, with at least one government signaling it will legislate if platforms don't adopt fairer terms voluntarily.
The Comment Period on the Proposed Rules is Live.
Read the full draft, then tell us what a creator-built regulator should get right.