Business

NEW DELHI: The income-tax department has launched a probe against certain social media influencers and content creators on platforms like YouTube ans Instagram for allegedly not showing their income and profits commensurate with their earnings, official sources said on Thursday.

The Department initiated the action last week after it searched about 10 YouTubers and other social media influencers - mostly young artists and actors - in Kerala.

The sources said a “data analytics” investigation undertaken by the department found out that these social media influencers and online content creators are making “substantial” earning but either not showung or underreporting it in their income tax returns (ITRs) or filings, largely due to ignorance of tax laws.

Social media influencers and online content creators are those who have the power to address online and affect their audiences purchasing decisions or opinions about a product, service, brand or experience because of their authority, knowledge, position or relationship with their audience.