Representative Anna Paulina Luna has introduced legislation aimed at curbing foreign influence on social media by requiring influencers to disclose payments from foreign entities. The bill, introduced Thursday, seeks to amend the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) of 1938 to close a loophole that Luna argues is exploited by foreign influence operations.
Luna, a Republican from Florida, stated that the online political conversation has become less organic due to undisclosed foreign funding. "Not everyone's doing this but there are absolutely some people that are and they have big funds that they are going to have to disclose," Luna said in an interview. She indicated that evidence of foreign-funded projects has been traced.
The proposed legislation defines a "social media influencer" as anyone with a monetized social media account. Under the bill, influencers would be required to self-identify if they are paid by a foreign government or a limited liability company funded by one. The burden of confirmation would fall on the influencer, with potential punitive and monetary action from the Department of Justice for non-compliance.
Luna emphasized the importance of these disclosures for younger audiences who may trust social media personalities more than traditional news outlets. "Some of the influencers are good but not all of them, in fact some of them are very nefarious," she noted.
The bill has garnered bipartisan support, with Republican Congressman Derrick Van Orden and Democratic Congressmen Vicente Gonzalez of Texas and Jared Moskowitz set to co-lead the legislation in the House. Several other Republican representatives are also listed as co-sponsors, including Kat Cammack, Mike Haridopolos, Tony Wied, Paul Gosar, John Joyce, Randy Weber, Russ Fulcher, Chris Smith, Brad Finstad, Addison McDowell, Clay Fuller, and Rich McCormick.
Discussions are also underway for a Senate version of the bill. Senator Jim Banks of Indiana and Senator Ted Cruz of Texas have expressed interest in sponsoring a Senate companion bill, with ongoing conversations to build bipartisan support among senators.
"We understand the importance and significance of this. But the good news is that people are all seeing it on all sides and so that is why you're seeing the support that you are," Luna said. The White House is reportedly monitoring the issue and Luna's legislative efforts. Luna expressed confidence in support from Speaker Mike Johnson and indicated she would consider using a discharge petition if necessary to advance the bill.