Kim Kardashian and clan regularly post opinions that are actually paid ads, says not for profit

Kim Kardashian and her family spend more time on Instagram than most of us do at the office, opining on everything from entertainment to products.

But Kim Kardashian and members of her family regularly ignore federal law that requires the reality show family (and the rest of us too) to label social posts that are paid promotions, and has done so repeatedly, says the not for profit Truth in Advertising Inc.

Now, the group is threatening to file a formal report with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

The mission of Truth of Advertising is to empower “consumers to protect themselves and one another against deceptive marketing.” To that end, Truth in Advertising, Inc. looked into the Instagram accounts of Kim Kardashian and the rests of the Kardashian/Jenner clan (Khloé, and Kourtney Kardashian and their sisters Kylie and Kendall Jenner) and have concluded that it is clear that the family has deliberately tried to conceal paid relationships, with companies that include Puma, Calvin Klein, JetSmarter, Fit Tea, Estée Lauder and Karl Lagerfeld, according to The Fashion Law.

After reviewing the accounts, the organization noted that “a plethora of posts do not clearly or conspicuously disclose their relationships with the companies being promoted in the posts as is required by federal law” and sent a letter to Kris Jenner, who manages all the Kardashian/Jenner children’s careers and her lawyer, saying, “We have found that members of the Kardashian/Jenner family are engaged in deceptive marketing campaigns,” Page Six reports.

“Consumers have the right to know when they’re looking at paid advertising,” Jessica Rich, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, tells Page 6.

So, if true, how might this impact the reputations of Kim Kardashian and the others?

“Since no one in this group is revered as a “do-gooder”–they are reality TV stars–I would not expect their fans to be outraged or even care,” says Glenn Selig, a crisis management expert who’s the founder and chief strategist at national PR firm The Publicity Agency. “Those who don’t like them will have another reason why.”