--- title: "California proposes fines for influencers who hide paid political posts" publication: "MediaBias News" url: "https://mediabias.news/politics/california-proposes-fines-for-influencers-who-hide-paid-political-posts" api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/california-proposes-fines-for-influencers-who-hide-paid-political-posts" markdown: "https://mediabias.news/politics/california-proposes-fines-for-influencers-who-hide-paid-political-posts.md" audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/california-proposes-fines-for-influencers-who-hide-paid-political-posts" category: "Politics" area: "United States" published: "2026-08-08T14:25:32.534Z" source_reported: "2026-08-08T06:40:33.000Z" updated: "2026-08-08T14:25:32.534Z" trust_score: 64 critic_score: 95 hype_score: 15 assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis" fact_check_status: "not-performed" coverage_measured: "2026-08-08T14:15:11.526018+00:00" --- # California proposes fines for influencers who hide paid political posts *A new bill would allow the state to penalise content creators and campaigns up to $5,000 per violation for undisclosed payments* **Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): - Trust 64 of 100, higher is better. Trust 64: includes named strategist, specific $215 million figure, and Sacramento location, but only one independent report. - Craft 95 of 100, higher is better. Critic 95: explains relevance, quotes sources, provides figures, outlines next steps, and is clearly written. - Hype 15 of 100, lower is better. Hype 15: headline matches article content without sensational language. Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology. **The short version** - California and Texas have passed policies requiring influencers to disclose paid political content, but enforcement has been limited. - A proposed California bill would allow fines of up to $5,000 per violation for undisclosed paid political posts by influencers or campaigns. - Influencer Shaka Smith disclosed he was paid by Tom Steyer’s campaign in a 2022 video supporting the candidate for governor. - No federal disclosure rules exist, though legislation has been introduced in Congress and the Federal Election Commission is under pressure to act. California is considering legislation that would fine social media influencers and political campaigns up to $5,000 if they do not disclose when a post has been paid for. The state already requires such disclosures, but enforcement has relied on court orders, which can take months. The new bill, introduced by Democratic Assemblymember Marc Berman, would give the state’s Fair Political Practices Commission the power to impose fines directly. The proposal follows a 2022 case involving Los Angeles-based influencer Shaka Smith, who posted a video endorsing Tom Steyer for governor. Smith disclosed in the video and its caption that he had been paid by Steyer’s campaign. Steyer, a billionaire who spent over $215 million of his own money on his unsuccessful gubernatorial bid, faced criticism for paying influencers, though other candidates in the race also used them. Texas passed a similar rule in 2024, requiring content creators to include disclaimers when paid for political advertisements. New York is considering comparable legislation, while bills in Utah and Georgia failed in recent years. At the federal level, California Senator Adam Schiff introduced a bill last month, but it has not been voted on. Advocacy groups are also pressing the Federal Election Commission to create its own disclosure rules. ## What the coverage left out None of the right-rated digests mentioned the $215 million Tom Steyer spent on his 2022 gubernatorial campaign. The centre-rated digests also omitted this figure, except for the Washington Top News report, which carried the AP article in full. The left-rated digests and reports included the figure. The right-rated digests did not mention the cases of Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi or the influencers paid to defend Ken Paxton. The centre-rated digests also left these out, except for the Washington Top News report. The left-rated digests and reports included both cases. ## Who covered it Shares of the 17 covering outlets with a published leaning rating: - Left: 35% (6) - Centre: 53% (9) - Right: 12% (2) 1 of 18 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-08-08T14:15:11.526018+00:00. **Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 1 time; 0 checks found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-08-08T14:30:28.464Z. ## How the sides framed it ### Left - The six left-rated digests and the Associated Press report led on the proposed fines and the broader debate over transparency in political advertising. The AP report quoted Democratic strategist Mike Nellis, who said campaigns that do not engage influencers risk falling behind. It also detailed the case of Shaka Smith, including his disclosure and the impact he believed his posts had on his audience. - The AP report named Dustin Torreverde, a content creator who has not been paid for political posts, and quoted his concern that the bill could burden small creators. It also mentioned high-profile cases where influencers were paid without clear disclosures, including a 2022 video by Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi supporting John Fetterman and a 2023 campaign defending Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. ### Centre - The nine centre-rated digests focused on the proposed fines and the role of influencers in political campaigns. Most led with the case of Shaka Smith and his disclosure, as well as the broader trend of campaigns paying smaller creators to reach niche audiences. The digests noted that California and Texas have passed disclosure policies, while other states are considering similar measures. - None of the centre-rated digests mentioned the specific figure of $215 million that Tom Steyer spent on his campaign, nor did they quote Mike Nellis or Dustin Torreverde. The Washington Top News report, which carried the AP article in full, included all these details. ### Right - The two right-rated digests led on the proposed fines and the potential burden on content creators. The Times of India digest noted the $5,000 fine and framed the story as a crackdown on influencers who hide payments. The Washington Times digest focused on the case of Shaka Smith but did not mention the amount Steyer spent on his campaign or the broader debate over federal disclosure rules. ## Factuality profile of the covering outlets These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true. - mixed: 2 - high: 9 - unknown: 1 - veryHigh: 6 ## Verification scope This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true. ## Original reporting this was written from - [Courthouse News Service](https://courthousenews.com) — California may fine content creators who don't disclose they were paid to post about politics - [Amar Ujala](https://amarujala.com/world/california-may-fine-content-creators-who-don-t-disclose-they-were-paid-to-post-about-politics-2026-08-08) — US: Why Has California Tightened Its Grip on Content Creators? Paying for Political Posts Could Lead to Fines. - [Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/paid-to-persuade-california-may-fine-influencers-who-hide-political-campaign-payments/articleshow/133046802.cms) — Paid to persuade? California may fine influencers who hide political campaign payments - [The Washington Post](https://washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/08/08/california-influencers-content-creators-paid-political-ads/5ccf14ec-92de-11f1-9fdc-0a725c989a7b_story.html) — California may fine content creators who don't disclose they were paid to post about politics - [The Seattle Times](https://seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/california-may-fine-content-creators-who-dont-disclose-they-were-paid-to-post-about-politics) — California may fine content creators who don’t disclose they were paid to post about politics - [Winnipeg Free Press](https://winnipegfreepress.com/world/2026/08/07/california-may-fine-content-creators-who-dont-disclose-they-were-paid-to-post-about-politics) — California may fine content creators who don't disclose they were paid to post about politics - [The Toronto Star](https://thestar.com/news/world/united-states/california-may-fine-content-creators-who-dont-disclose-they-were-paid-to-post-about-politics/article_7e89c4f8-fce4-50a9-9eb4-33c9df16042c.html) — California may fine content creators who don’t disclose they were paid to post about politics - [City News](https://toronto.citynews.ca/2026/08/08/california-may-fine-content-creators-who-dont-disclose-they-were-paid-to-post-about-politics) — California may fine content creators who don't disclose they were paid to post about politics - [Wral News](https://wral.com/news/ap/531fc-california-may-fine-content-creators-who-dont-disclose-they-were-paid-to-post-about-politics) — California may fine content creators who don't disclose they were paid to post about politics - [Associated Press News](https://apnews.com/article/california-influencers-content-creators-paid-political-ads-531fced44944908eba1dbbef0c00fdc4) — California may fine content creators who don't disclose they were paid to post about politics - [Washington Times](https://washingtontimes.com/news/2026/aug/8/political-social-posts-face-fines-california-content-creators-dont) — California may fine content creators who don’t disclose they were paid to post about politics - [WKMG](https://clickorlando.com/news/politics/2026/08/08/california-may-fine-content-creators-who-dont-disclose-they-were-paid-to-post-about-politics) — California may fine content creators who don't disclose they were paid to post about politics - [Click on Detroit](https://clickondetroit.com/news/politics/2026/08/08/california-may-fine-content-creators-who-dont-disclose-they-were-paid-to-post-about-politics) — California may fine content creators who don't disclose they were paid to post about politics - [Bangor Daily News](https://bangordailynews.com/2026/08/08/nation/california-may-fine-content-creators-who-dont-disclose-they-were-paid-to-post-about-politics) — California may fine content creators who don't disclose they were paid to post about politics - [Times Union](https://timesunion.com/news/politics/article/california-may-fine-content-creators-who-don-t-22379844.php) — California may fine content creators who don't disclose they were paid to post about politics - [KSAT 12](https://ksat.com/news/politics/2026/08/08/california-may-fine-content-creators-who-dont-disclose-they-were-paid-to-post-about-politics) — California may fine content creators who don't disclose they were paid to post about politics - [Houston Chronicle](https://chron.com/news/politics/article/california-may-fine-content-creators-who-don-t-22379844.php) — California may fine content creators who don't disclose they were paid to post about politics - [Washington Top News](https://wtop.com/national/2026/08/california-may-fine-content-creators-who-dont-disclose-they-were-paid-to-post-about-politics) — California may fine content creators who don’t disclose they were paid to post about politics ## Questions **What is California proposing for influencers who post political content?** California is considering a bill that would fine influencers and political campaigns up to $5,000 per violation if they fail to disclose paid political posts. The state already requires disclosures, but enforcement has been slow, relying on court orders. The new bill would allow direct fines by the Fair Political Practices Commission. **How much did Tom Steyer spend on his 2022 gubernatorial campaign?** Tom Steyer spent more than $215 million of his own money on his unsuccessful bid for governor of California in 2022. The figure was reported by the Associated Press and included in left-rated outlets but omitted by most centre-rated and all right-rated digests. **Which states have passed rules requiring influencers to disclose paid political content?** California and Texas have passed policies requiring content creators to disclose if they were paid by a political campaign to post. California’s law, passed in 2023, is difficult to enforce, while Texas passed a similar rule in 2024. New York is considering comparable legislation. **What happens if an influencer does not disclose a paid political post?** Under California’s current law, the state’s campaign watchdog can seek a court order to compel disclosure, which can take months. The proposed bill would allow the Fair Political Practices Commission to fine influencers and campaigns up to $5,000 per violation without going to court. --- MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. Reproduced from https://mediabias.news/politics/california-proposes-fines-for-influencers-who-hide-paid-political-posts. Please cite as: MediaBias News, "California proposes fines for influencers who hide paid political posts", https://mediabias.news/politics/california-proposes-fines-for-influencers-who-hide-paid-political-posts