It’s usually easy to identify paid political ads on TV with their flashy photos and dramatic text overlays, often punctuated with the phrase “I’m [candidate name], and I approve this message.” But when paid political content is posted by influencers in a more casual and seemingly organic way, it can be difficult to tell which posts are backed by someone seeking office.
Rep. Mark Takano (D-California) is shining a bright light on this issue with the Promoting Authenticity with the Influencer Disclaimer (PAID) Act he introduced last week.
The PAID Act would amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, adding a section that would require any person who is paid by a federal political committee or candidate to include a disclaimer that they were paid to post the content.