The New York Times and Philadelphia Inquirer have published identical stories noting that what they call "social media stars" are publishing vlogs and podcasts that promote candidates for public office without bothering to tell their followers that they are being paid. Wouldn't this be disclosed in campaign finance reports that candidates are required to file periodically? Not necessarily. As the Times article observes, these payments can be funneled through middlemen.
I wonder whatever happened to ethics.
Only four states require social media influencers (which would include bloggers) to disclose paid political messaging. I am unaware whether any legislation is pending in Pennsylvania, but hopefully, someone who at least has a scintilla of an interest in preserving our democracy will take note.
Federally, one Congressman is promoting legislation that would require social media influencers to disclose payments from foreign countries. I think all paid influence should be disclosed.
I do not know how someone in good conscience could take money to promote a campaign while holding himself out as an independent voice. Failure to disclose a payment tells me the person is deceiving his followers.
We live in a day and age when trust in our media is at an all-time low. This just makes us less credible.
I can tell you I have never accepted nor have I ever been offered a dime for what I write. I know no local bloggers who have ever done this sort of thing. But it's hard to believe us when there are people out there who are selling themselves like hookers, although we all aim to please.
23 comments:
For you male Bloggers........if you "really aim to please", make sure you stand close enough to the urine bowl. SORRY BERNIE, I just couldn't resist the sic humor.
I agree, all payments should be disclosed for political influence, either domestic or foreign and it seems some so called independent podcast and bloggers are being paid by Israel for one. I also believe that congressional candidates should only be able to accept donations from in their districts. and all state wide candidates should only be able to take donations from within their state.
Candidates for congress and the Senate should represent the people in their districts and all other donations should be banned, it would cut the cost of running and be a step in right the direction.
It should be disclosed.
"I do not know how someone in good conscience could take money to promote a campaign while holding himself out as an independent voice."
Seriously Bernie?!?! That's your argument? Faux News used the slogan "fair and balanced" for years.
"Good Conscience"? You must still believe in the tooth fairy.
These so-called influencers have found that telling people what they want to hear pays well.
They have all the integrity of TV preachers, raking in money while secretly laughing at their audience.
The problem isn't what influencers should disclose. The problem is that anyone believes them. Our education system has jettisoned common sense and discernment for nonsense. Don't hate the players. Hate the game and the morons who readily believe what they see online.
Oh please. If some people here didn’t have “FOX NEWS FOX NEWS FOX NEWS” on auto loop in their brains they would be able to write nothing at all. Maybe even BO has reconsidered after being blindsided by “reporting” from The Guardian a few days ago.
But the subject is disclosure and paying for “media.”
Do we hear a disclaimer every time NPR reports on politics even though they’ve taken millions of dollars from the Soros organization? How many people know that AP reporting on climate is funded by special interest groups specifically interested at impacting the politics around Climate Change? Fact checkers such as Politifact happen to be at the end of money trails emanating for Soros funding sources. The list can go on and on. Some prominent “mainstream journalists” are on boards of “progressive” organizations, but all assure us that there’s a “robust firewall” between such activities and objective reporting. (See NPR’s hand wringing editor below.)
Why just pick on bloggers and vloggers?
https://www.npr.org/sections/publiceditor/2011/05/24/136216017/worthy-cause-controversial-funding-source
Sorry, off topic but what is the status at Gracedale? No one seems to be talking.
Correct..MAGA radio used “fair and balanced” even though they were ” lying” and “ off the chain” …
1:35- Shut your bullshit MAGA TDS mouth up. FAUX NEWS paid Dominion $878 million (settled for that amount) for lying about the election and paif million to Smatmatic, too. Yet, you have the chutzpah to defend your echo chamber nonsense. Drink more Kool-Aid, sheep. Bah.
https://firstamendment.mtsu.edu/post/defamation-case-against-fox-news-highlights-role-of-its-hosts-in-promoting-2020-election-falsehoods/
Very sound suggestions, Ray. Money rules politics anymore instead of well-intentioned platforms. Unfortunately, the very people who could legislate this are the ones who benefit from being purchased by deep pockets.
Hope you cover the election commission meeting especially the disgraceful remarks from Margie DeRenzis. Did they use Tara’s room? She stood outside arms folded tapping her shoe. Uh oh!
No one does. Wonder why?
@7:03 now do the other nitwits, you know who. Nobody is more fair abd balanced than MSNBC or whatever they call themselves these days.
Half of them are probably paid by funneling money through proxies of the CCP and PLA, but as long as they continue to regurgitating the agitprop of the progressive left, the media won't bother following the money.
Fox, NBC, CBS, MSN, ABC, CNN, they’re all biased. Fox is biased right, the rest are biased left. I read a little of all them and come to my own conclusions.
Yes.
4:13 is definitely DSA. Over educated under achieving and angry is no way to go through lol.
9:35- Thoughts and prayers. Thoughts and prayers.
Nevermind, Fuck your feelings, snowflake.
9:35 Not sure why BO lets this nutjob go off everyday with his unhinged ranks and insults. He adds nothing to the conversation except name calling, etc and then calla others MAGA. Make it make sense 😆.
7:53 Right back at you. Grow up and use your big boy words basement 👦.
9:31 AM Be kind, he's just showing his "compassionate liberal" credentials, not to mention his love for free speech. Maybe he's a plant and part of some MAGA psyop---you know, how can we make our opponents look as stupid as possible.
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