Florida Rep. Anna Paulina Luna said concerns about foreign influence online pushed her to pursue new disclosure legislation. She pointed to bot farms, foreign funding mechanisms and influencers’ growing role as sources of political information. Luna said Congress must update its laws to account for how foreign actors can influence online political discourse.
Luna discussed the proposal during a Politico interview about why she had made foreign influence a legislative priority. She said she first heard about the issue through people in the right-wing influencer space. Her concerns grew after noticing bot-farm activity online and receiving briefings on the issue.
Luna pointed to large account purges on X and said the dynamics of online conversations changed afterward. She argued that foreign countries could exploit America’s protections for free speech.
“It’s naive to think that other countries aren’t going to use that against us,” Luna said.
She also raised concerns about how foreign actors move money through different organizations. Luna described funding mechanisms that could be used to “wash the money” before influencing political discourse.
That concern overlaps with changes in how people get political information. Luna said influencers have increasingly replaced legacy media as trusted news sources.
She specifically pointed to younger generations and their reliance on online personalities. Luna said her experience as a younger millennial helped shape her view of that shift. Congress, she argued, has been slow to keep pace. Luna said lawmakers need to account for the growing political influence of online personalities.
Luna said she raised the issue with fellow Republicans, House leadership and Democratic lawmakers, adding that those conversations ultimately convinced members of Congress legislation was needed. “And so hence the bill,” she said.
The proposal would require social media influencers to disclose when they are being paid by foreign governments to produce content, expanding existing transparency rules under the Foreign Agents Registration Act.
Anna Paulina Luna Faces AIPAC Questions Over Foreign Influence Bill
The proposal also prompted users to turn questions about foreign influence and political funding back on Luna.
“She should stop taking AIPAC money first,” one user wrote. Another questioned, “So are you saying your going to give back the 27k plus that AIPAC has given you.”
A separate response widened the criticism beyond influencers: “How abt we start w/Congress – specifically her.” Another asked, “Will this include AIPAC?”
Other users supported the broader push for disclosure. One wrote, “Exposing foreign-funded grifters buying off our online commentators is long overdue. Total transparency will clean up the political influencer swamp real fast!”
Another stated, “Yes, this is the way. Don’t censor, but do demand greater transparency.”
Luna’s interview did not specify which foreign governments, organizations or influencers would ultimately fall under the proposed disclosure requirements. Despite those unanswered questions, the proposal quickly sparked debate online, with supporters arguing greater transparency is needed while critics questioned both the scope of the legislation and Luna’s own record.
