No, Creators Don't Deserve to Be Paid for This

Campaign disclosures show California Gov candidate Tom Steyer paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to influencers for promotional content, with many posts initially lacking proper disclosure. A progressive YouTuber received $400,000, an Instagram viral-clip page with 3.3 million followers received $50,000, and an Instagram tea page received $25,000. A separate report found the campaign also used a user-generated-content platform that paid regular people, including some living out of state, $10 to post support for Steyer on TikTok and Instagram. After Kamala Harris’ 2024 loss, Democratic insiders pursued new media initiatives to “win back the internet,” including a creator program funded by a liberal dark money group that operated without disclosure. When disclosures surfaced, creators defended the payments as compensation for their work, and the Steyer campaign stated it compensates influencers for time and work and does not pay for endorsements.

"Over the past several weeks, campaign disclosures have revealed that California Gov candidate Tom Steyer has been paying hundreds of thousands of dollars to influencers, almost none of whom initially included proper disclosure on their posts."

"Progressive YouTuber Carlos Eduardo Espina received $400,000 from the Steyer campaign. FOOS GONE WILD, an Instagram page with 3.3 million followers that posts viral clips received $50,000. Instagram tea page The Shade Room received another $25,000."

"Earlier this month, a report from The Sacramento Bee revealed that, in addition to Steyer's direct influencer marketing, the campaign is also utilizing a UGC platform, paying regular people, some of whom live out of state, $10 to post in support of Steyer on TikTok and Instagram."

"“We compensate [influencers] for their work and their time, just like campaigns pay staff, consultants, media firms, strategists, and vendors across every part of politics,” the campaign posted after their disclosures were made public. “We've never paid for an endorsement, and we never will.”"

Read at Usermag