Sponsor
Adam Schiff
Senator · D-CA
Senator · D-CA
The bill improves transparency of paid political online content and sets enforceable timelines for regulators, but it imposes compliance costs and risks legal and practical uncertainty until clearer FEC rules are in place.
Internet users and voters will see clearer disclosures identifying when online political posts were paid for by a political committee, making it easier to recognize sponsored political content.
Political committees, paid posters, and regulators get clearer statutory responsibilities and a firm FEC rulemaking deadline, improving compliance clarity and giving regulators an enforceable timeline to oversee online political ads.
Paid social media posters and small vendors will face higher compliance costs to add and verify disclaimers on content.
Ambiguities in terms like 'readily legible' or 'principal duties' could create legal uncertainty and enforcement disputes for political committees, employees, and paid posters.
Making the statute effective before the FEC issues implementing regulations could force committees and paid posters to comply under inconsistent or interim standards, creating practical burdens and increased risk of noncompliance.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Requires political committees to disclose when they pay persons to post political content online and defines format-specific "clear and conspicuous" standards.
Official title: Amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to require a disclaimer for certain communications paid for by a political committee, and for other purposes.
Introduced July 27, 2026 by Adam Schiff · Last progress July 27, 2026
Requires political committees to include a clear, conspicuous disclosure whenever they pay a person to post political content on an internet website, web app, or digital app. It defines what counts as "clear and conspicuous," creates limited exemptions for content on a committee’s own website and certain employee posts, requires committees to notify payees about the requirement, directs the FEC to issue implementing regulations by January 1, 2027, and makes the rule effective for communications on or after January 1, 2027.