Skincare Reviews by Medical Doctors: Economic Incentives, Consumer Protection, and Ethical Regulation in Digital Markets

Abstract

Social media enables individuals, including medical doctors, to exchange information. These platforms allow doctors to disseminate health education and raise public awareness of medical conditions. This study examines the legal position of doctors as social media influencers and analyses the consumer protection implications of their skincare product reviews. Using a normative legal research method with statutory and conceptual approaches, this study analyses the regulatory framework, medical ethics, and legal consequences of doctors' product reviews on social media. The findings show that doctors must ensure that their reviews are objective, fair, and based on scientific evidence. Misleading product reviews may violate consumers' rights to accurate and reliable information as guaranteed under the Indonesian Consumer Protection Law and the Indonesian Electronic Information and Transactions Law. Doctors who publish such reviews on social media may be subject to civil liability and criminal sanctions. The study contributes to the growing discourse at the intersection of medical professionalism, medical ethics, and consumer protection law by highlighting the importance of evidence-based medical communication in safeguarding public health in the digital market.

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