Institute For Free Speech

Disclaimers: Crowding Out Political Speech
January 1, 2018  •  By IFS Staff  •    •  

Disclaimers are the fine print on political ads that provide viewers and listeners with information about the purchaser of the ad. The most common disclaimer text is a simple “paid for by…”, but disclaimer rules vary radically from ad to ad and state to state. Some disclaimers require lengthy set scripts or information about donors to groups that created the…

Analysis of H.R. 1 (Part One)
February 22, 2021   •  By Eric Wang   •  , , , ,

This analysis examines Title IV, Subtitles B (“DISCLOSE Act”), C (“Strengthening Oversight of Online Political Advertising”; formerly known as “Honest Ads”), and D (“Stand ...

H.R. 1 and S. 1’s “Honest Ads Act” Would Pad Facebook’s Pockets, Harm Competitors
February 10, 2021   •  By Nathan Maxwell   •  , , ,

Facebook is aiming to woo the Biden administration by increasing its efforts to police speech on its platform while expressing support for government regulation ...

Nine Former FEC Commissioners Warn of “Ruinous Effect” of H.R. 1 and S. 1
February 9, 2021   •  By Luke Wachob   •  , , , ,

Nine former FEC commissioners fiercely criticized both H.R. 1 and S. 1 in a letter to Congressional leaders. The deceptively named “For the People ...

H.R. 1 and S. 1 Resource Guide (2021)
January 25, 2021   •  By IFS Staff   •  , , , , , , , ,

H.R. 1 and S. 1 would impose sweeping new restrictions on speech about campaigns and public affairs. The Institute for Free Speech has created ...

New ad disclaimers silence activists
September 16, 2020   •  By Tiffany Donnelly   •  , , , ,

This piece originally appeared in the The Hill on September 16, 2020.   Can the government put words in your mouth? The Constitution says no, ...

2020 shows money can’t buy elections, so let’s remove restrictive contribution limits
July 14, 2020   •  By Nathan Maxwell   •  , , ,

This piece originally appeared in the Washington Examiner on July 13, 2020.   We should have learned our lesson by now. In elections, it’s not ...

“Paid For By”: Principles for Accurate and Effective Political Ad Disclaimers in the 21st Century
July 13, 2020   •  By Alex Baiocco   •  ,

Policymakers should consider the following key principles for crafting requirements that promote accurate and effective disclaimers while minimizing costs to speech, privacy, and associational ...

Yes on Prop B v. San Francisco
April 22, 2020   •  By Scott Blackburn   •  , , ,

Disclaimers must be simple and straightforward so that viewers can remember them and speakers are not forced to read lengthy government scripts. Yet San ...

Analysis of Connecticut H.B. 7329 (2019)
May 7, 2019   •  By Eric Wang   •  , , , ,

H.B. 7329 would impose unclear reporting burdens on Connecticut residents speaking about issues of public importance in the state. The bill would also worsen ...

Comments to FEC on Notice 2018–05
April 15, 2019   •  By Allen Dickerson   •  , ,

On behalf of the Institute for Free Speech, we respectfully submit the following in response to the Federal Election Commission’s request for comments on ...

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