Paid Political Posts Face New Penalties in California

California is putting real consequences behind political ad disclosures by influencers. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed AB1130 on Saturday. The law lets authorities pursue civil and criminal penalties when creators fail to say they were paid for political posts. The Political Reform Act of 1974 can now be used to enforce the rule, including through a misdemeanor charge. The point is to help voters spot the difference between an independent opinion and paid campaign messaging.

Disclosure was already required, but the old rule lacked a clear penalty that officials could apply. That gap matters because influencers now play a larger role in elections. Candidates and political groups use them to reach audiences that get news and information on social media. Some creators receive payment; others speak without compensation. Assembly member Marc Berman, who proposed the bill, argued that this fast-growing industry has reshaped how candidates talk with voters. His concern was whether people can identify paid support as paid support.

The issue became more visible during billionaire climate activist Tom Steyer's unsuccessful campaign for California governor earlier this year. His more than $200 million campaign paid influencers to share positive posts, yet many did not reveal the payment, according to a May report by the Los Angeles Times. That led to a complaint with California's Fair Political Practices Commission alleging a breach of paid-content disclosure rules. A campaign spokesperson said the hiring process followed every rule and called the complaint baseless. The commission's website says the matter is still open.

In a report published last month, researchers at the Information Integrity Institute at the University of Tennessee's College of Communication and Information surveyed about 1,000 U.S. social media users through Prolific. People who cared more about authenticity were more likely to favor disclosure for paid political content. Associate professor Benjamin Horne said the concern is not limited to posts that are clearly true or false. Inauthentic, propaganda-like views can also steer public opinion. Institute director Catherine Luther said more openness about online information can only help democratic societies.