Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) has introduced legislation that would require social media influencers to post a clear disclaimer when a political committee or candidate pays them to create content, aimed at closing a gap in federal campaign finance law that has persisted for more than a decade.
The bill, called the “Promoting Authenticity with Influencer Disclaimers (PAID) Act,” amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to require that any communication a political committee pays a person to post on a website, web application, or digital application include a “clear and conspicuous” statement disclosing the payment. Political committees would also be required to notify the person they are paying of the disclosure requirement at the time payment is made. The text exempts content posted on a committee’s own website and posts made by a compensated staffer on their personal accounts, unless posting content is that staffer’s principal job duty.
Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) introduced the House companion version in June, with Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Calif.) co-sponsoring. The Federal Election Commission (FEC) would have until January 1, 2027, to write implementing regulations, and the new disclosure rule would apply to communications made on or after that date regardless of whether the FEC has finalized those regulations.
“An influencer can reach far more than a billboard or even a broadcast ad in 2026, but people deserve the same understanding of who is behind that post and if they are paid for it,” Schiff said in a statement.
Takano framed the bill as a response to a regulatory system that has not kept pace with how campaigns now reach voters. “Current campaign disclosure laws have not kept up with this new Creator Economy, and voters deserve to know who is financing their feeds before heading to the polling booths,” he said.
The bill arrives after questions about undisclosed influencer payments surfaced in California’s gubernatorial primary, where the campaigns of Democratic candidates Tom Steyer and Xavier Becerra both faced accusations over paid influencer content that lacked the required disclosures. California already requires such disclaimers for state and legislative races, though the state’s Fair Political Practices Commission has limited enforcement power beyond seeking a court order. State lawmakers have since proposed adding fines for both influencers and the committees that pay them, a liability question the federal bill leaves to the FEC to sort out.
The PAID Act has drawn endorsements from Common Cause, End Citizens United, Public Citizen, and Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. “Content creators hold immense trust with their audiences, so when influencers are paid to shape our elections, the public has a right to know who is footing the bill,” Common Cause Senior Policy Director Abigail Bellows said.
Dragomir is a Serbian freelance blog writer and translator. He is passionate about covering insightful stories and exploring topics such as influencer marketing, the creator economy, technology, business, and cyber fraud.
Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) has introduced legislation that would require social media influencers to post a clear disclaimer when a political committee or candidate pays them to create content, aimed at closing a gap in federal campaign finance law that has persisted for more than a decade.
The bill, called the “Promoting Authenticity with Influencer Disclaimers (PAID) Act,” amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to require that any communication a political committee pays a person to post on a website, web application, or digital application include a “clear and conspicuous” statement disclosing the payment. Political committees would also be required to notify the person they are paying of the disclosure requirement at the time payment is made. The text exempts content posted on a committee’s own website and posts made by a compensated staffer on their personal accounts, unless posting content is that staffer’s principal job duty.
Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) introduced the House companion version in June, with Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Calif.) co-sponsoring. The Federal Election Commission (FEC) would have until January 1, 2027, to write implementing regulations, and the new disclosure rule would apply to communications made on or after that date regardless of whether the FEC has finalized those regulations.
“An influencer can reach far more than a billboard or even a broadcast ad in 2026, but people deserve the same understanding of who is behind that post and if they are paid for it,” Schiff said in a statement.
Takano framed the bill as a response to a regulatory system that has not kept pace with how campaigns now reach voters. “Current campaign disclosure laws have not kept up with this new Creator Economy, and voters deserve to know who is financing their feeds before heading to the polling booths,” he said.
The bill arrives after questions about undisclosed influencer payments surfaced in California’s gubernatorial primary, where the campaigns of Democratic candidates Tom Steyer and Xavier Becerra both faced accusations over paid influencer content that lacked the required disclosures. California already requires such disclaimers for state and legislative races, though the state’s Fair Political Practices Commission has limited enforcement power beyond seeking a court order. State lawmakers have since proposed adding fines for both influencers and the committees that pay them, a liability question the federal bill leaves to the FEC to sort out.
The PAID Act has drawn endorsements from Common Cause, End Citizens United, Public Citizen, and Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. “Content creators hold immense trust with their audiences, so when influencers are paid to shape our elections, the public has a right to know who is footing the bill,” Common Cause Senior Policy Director Abigail Bellows said.
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