California may fine content creators who don’t disclose paid political posts

California is considering fines for content creators who fail to disclose paid political posts, a move that could affect influencers like Shaka Smith, who has over 700,000 Instagram followers and recently endorsed a candidate in the state's gubernatorial primary. The proposed rules aim to increase transparency in political advertising on social media.

Weeks before voting ended in California’s primary for governor, Los Angeles-based influencer Shaka Smith took to Instagram to tell his more than 700,000 followers whom he was voting for and why. “Healthcare shouldn’t bankrupt you, housing should not feel impossible, polluters shouldn’t pass their bill to us and artists should not be replaced by AI,” Smith … The post California may fine content creators who don’t disclose paid political posts https://localnewsmatters.org/2026/08/13/california-political-influencer-disclosure-rules/ appeared first on Local News Matters https://localnewsmatters.org .