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

Sun, Sep 20, 2026 4:30 PM

In Brief

Posted:

9:30 AM PDT · September 20, 2026

female influencer filming content using phone in a bedroom — **Image Credits:**Kilito Chan / Getty Images

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.

Newsom signed the legislation as part of a broader package of bills that his office said will protect against potential election interference from President Donald Trump. The bill’s sponsor, Democratic Assemblyman Marc Berman, said that he introduced the bill after realizing there was “a bit of ambiguity about the [existing] law and how it’s enforced,”