New California law will penalize influencers don’t disclose political ads

New legislation signed by California Governor Gavin Newsom adds teeth to disclosure requirements for online influencers who are paid to post about politics.

The New York Times reports that California already required disclosure for influencers who post about state or local races — but when someone failed to disclose, there were no fines or criminal penalties. (Texas also requires disclosure for paid political content, and other states are considering similar regulations.)

Under the new bill, AB 1130, regulators can fine influencers up to $5,000 for each violation, and they can also refer them to law enforcement for potential misdemeanors.

According to the NYT, billionaire Tom Steyer, who unsuccessfully campaigned for the Democratic nomination for California governor earlier this year, paid dozens of influencers to post about his campaign online, and many of them did not initially disclose the payments.