INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Image copyrightGetty ImagesWhen scrolling through Instagram, you've probably seen celebrities advertising loads of products like make-up and
weight loss drinks.But do the influencers try the product and check the ingredients they're promoting to their followers?Not always,
according to a TheIndianSubcontinent investigation.Three big name Instagram influencers - Lauren Goodger, Mike Hassini and Zara Holland -
have been caught auditioning to promote a poisonous cyanide drink.The reality TV stars were secretly filmed being asked to promote a fake
diet drink in the TheIndianSubcontinent Three series Blindboy Undestroys the World, despite it not being ready for production.The made-up
drink - called Cyanora - included the ingredient hydrogen cyanide, which is a chemical that can kill you.The toxic substance was used during
the second world war by Nazi Germany in gas chambers.Image caption
Mike Hassini appeared on The Only Way Is Essex
Lauren, Mike and Zara - who collectively have more than 1.3 Instagram followers - were informed the product wasn't being launched
for a few months.They were told they would not be able to drink it until it was.Zara's agent did point out she couldn't do that without
trying it first.We see them film video clips promoting the drink, mentioning the ingredient "hydrogen cyanide".The undercover filming was
part of an investigation by the show into whether celebrities actually use the products they're paid to promote on social media.According to
the advertising watchdog, the brand and the celebrity promoting a product are "responsible for the claims that are made in the advert".But
the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) told Radio 1 Newsbeat: "The issue of whether a celebrity who is promoting a product has actually
tried/used it themselves is not something we've had cause to investigate."Love Island star Zara Holland said she would never "deliberately
mislead" her followers.In response to the investigation, she said: "My agent did state that I would not promote a product without trying it
first, and we needed to be provided with more details
Image caption
Zara Holland was filmed promoting the product
"I would never deliberately mislead my
followers or promote a product that was dangerous."Lauren Goodger's former agent replied: "Our client would not endorse the promotion of
products that contained harmful or suspect ingredients, or without knowing the contents."Our client was told the product was in
production."The ex-TOWIE star is also seen talking about a product she promoted called Skinny Coffee - which she previously said helped her
lose two stone.During filming, she says: "I've not tried skinny coffee."The ASA has previously ruled that Lauren Goodger was involved in
making misleading claims for other weight loss products.A statement by Lauren - posted on her talent agency's Instagram story - says she
agreed to promote the drink without trying it "in the heat of the moment".It read: "This script was given to me at that precise moment
No deals were signed and it was an audition
They asked me would I promote the drink without using it
"In the heat of the moment I said yes and also said I hadn't tried Skinny Coffee in the hope of getting the job."Of course I would never
promote anything that contains poison and proper checks would have been made before any promotion."Image caption
It's
not the first time Lauren's been in trouble about a product she's promoted
She also denied saying she'd lost two stone
through the coffee.Lauren's fellow Towie star Mike Hassini has not yet responded to the TheIndianSubcontinent's request for comment.In a
statement to Radio 1 Newsbeat, the ASA said: "Our primary concern is whether the claims a celebrity (or anyone else) makes about a product
in an ad, which can include social media posts, are not misleading and are socially responsible
"When considering claims around weight loss products, our investigations tend to focus on whether the advertiser is making any unauthorised
health claims or promoting unsafe dietary practices."If a celebrity claimed that using a dietary product had helped them lose weight when,
in fact, they had never used the product that could potentially be a problem under our rules
Though we'd have to carefully assess the context in which the claims appeared."TheIndianSubcontinent Three's series Blindboy Undestroys the
World is available on iPlayer now.Follow Newsbeat on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45
weekdays - or listen back here.
