California is cracking down on influencers who don’t disclose they were paid to post about politics — and could levy a $5,000 fine per violation
“A lot of us are very small creators. So if we were to get penalized and we have to get lawyers, stuff like that, it’s going to be very difficult for us.”
California is taking action against influencers who fail to disclose if they are paid by political campaigns to post about issues. Los Angeles-based influencer Shaka Smith was fined for a campaign video supporting Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tom Steyer. Smith included a disclaimer stating the video was an ad and that he was paid by Steyer’s campaign.
The state is considering stricter penalties for those who do not disclose their compensation, potentially levying fines of up to $5,000 per violation. This comes as campaigns increasingly team up with smaller creators to win over more tailored audiences. However, there are concerns about the feasibility of enforcing the disclosure rules and the potential burden on small content creators.
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