City and County of San Francisco
Ethics Commission

• “Ad paid for by [committee’s name]” (on file with Form 410 or 461) (Note: a printed letter ad may use “Paid for by” instead of “Ad paid for by”) followed by:
• For Recipient Committees: “Ad Committee’s Top Funder(s) [name(s) and dollar amount contributed of top three contributors of $5,000 or more]” additionally, if any of the top contributors are committees, [list the committees’ top two (2) contributors of $5,000 or more] (see example disclaimer) – each listed on a separate horizontal line, in descending order, beginning with the largest contributor (Note: a printed letter ad may use “Committee Top Funder(s)” instead of “Ad Committee’s Top Funder(s)”) 
  • Newspaper, magazine or other print advertisements that are 25 square inches or less are not required to disclose the top two major contributors of $5,000 or more to committees that are major contributors
  • The disclosure of a top contributor’s name shall not include terms such as “incorporated,” “committee,” “political action committee,” or “corporation,” or abbreviations of these terms, unless the term is part of the contributor’s name in common usage.
• Below the top contributor information (if any), a statement that the advertisement was not authorized by a candidate or a committee controlled by a candidate.
• “Financial disclosures are available at sfethics.org.”
  
• This advertisement was not authorized by a candidate or a committee controlled by a candidate”
• Disclosure Format:All text must be in standard Arial Regular font, in at least 14 point size, bolded, in a contrasting color, centered horizontally and, except for the names of top contributors, underlined. The names of top contributors may not be underlined and the text may not be condensed. If there are no top contributors, the “Ad paid for by” need not be underlined. All text must appear in a printed or drawn box with a solid white background at the bottom of at least one page and set apart from other printed matter. The disclosure area must not contain any other text or image that is not required by law to be included.
  • “Committee major funding from”and “Not authorized by” disclosure may not appear in all capital letters.
• Artificial Intelligence: If a committee creates, originally publishes, or originally distributes an ad that contains any image that is generated or substantially altered using artificial intelligence, a disclosure stating: “Ad generated or substantially altered using artificial intelligence.” is required in the same manner as the other disclosures and in a clear and conspicuous format at the top of the disclosure area before the “Ad paid for by” and “Ad Committee’s Top Funder(s)” disclosures, separated from the other disclosures by a blank line. An image is generated or substantially altered using artificial intelligence if:
  1. The ad is entirely created using artificial intelligence and would falsely appear to a reasonable person to be authentic; or
  2. The media used in the ad is materially altered by artificial intelligence such that the alteration would cause a reasonable person to have a fundamentally different understanding of the altered media when comparing it to an unaltered version.
     • An image is not generated or substantially altered using artificial intelligence if the media is immaterially altered by artificial intelligence, including a cosmetic adjustment, color edit, cropped image, or resized image.

• “Ad paid for by [committee’s name]” (on file with Form 410 or 461) followed by:
• “Ad Committee’s Top Funder(s) [name(s) and dollar amount contributed of top three contributors of $5,000 or more]” additionally, if any of the top contributors are committees, [list the committees’ top two (2) contributors of $5,000 or more] (see example disclaimer) – each listed either on separate horizontal lines, centered horizontally, or adjusted so it does not appear on separate horizontal lines with top contributors separated by commas. The top contributors must be listed in descending order, beginning with the largest contributor (not applicable to non-recipient committees).
  • The disclosure of a top contributor’s name shall not include terms such as “incorporated,” “committee,” “political action committee,” or “corporation,” or abbreviations of these terms, unless the term is part of the contributor’s name in common usage.
• Below the top contributor information (if any), a statement that the advertisement was not authorized by a candidate or a committee controlled by a candidate
• “Financial disclosures are available at sfethics.org.”
• Disclosure Format: All text must be in contrasting color with sufficient contrast that is easily readable by the average viewer and centered horizontally in the disclosure box. Except for the names of top contributors, the text must be underlined. The names of top contributors may not be underlined. If there are no top contributors, the “Ad paid for by” need not be underlined. The text must be in standard Arial Regular font. The font must be a height of at least five percent of the advertisement, meaning that each line must be at least five percent of the advertisement, in a printed or drawn box with a solid white background on the bottom of the advertisement that is set apart from any other printed matter and shall not be condensed to be narrower than a normal non-condensed standard Arial Regular type. The text in the disclosure area may be adjusted so it does not appear on separate lines, but top contributors’ names must be separated by commas. The disclosure area must not contain any other text or image that is not required by law to be included.
  • “Ad Committee’s Top Funders” and “Not authorized by” disclaimers may not appear in all capital letters
• Committee Name: the text for the name of the committee may be shortened by either of the following:
  1. Displaying only enough of the first part of the committee name to uniquely identify the committee. If the committee is a sponsored committee, then the name displayed must include the portion of the committee name that identifies the sponsor or sponsors, unless all of the sponsors are disclosed on the ad as top contributors.
  2. Committee name may be replaced by displaying the words “Committee ID” followed by the committee’s identification number if the committee has top funders to disclose.
• Artificial Intelligence: If a committee creates, originally publishes, or originally distributes an ad that contains any image that is generated or substantially altered using artificial intelligence, a disclosure stating: “Ad generated or substantially altered using artificial intelligence.” is required in the same manner as the other disclosures and in a clear and conspicuous format at the top of the disclosure area before the “Ad paid for by” and “Ad Committee’s Top Funder(s)” disclosures, separated from the other disclosures by a blank line. An image is generated or substantially altered using artificial intelligence if:
  1. The ad is entirely created using artificial intelligence and would falsely appear to a reasonable person to be authentic; or
  2. The media used in the ad is materially altered by artificial intelligence such that the alteration would cause a reasonable person to have a fundamentally different understanding of the altered media when comparing it to an unaltered version.
     • An image is not generated or substantially altered using artificial intelligence if the media is immaterially altered by artificial intelligence, including a cosmetic adjustment, color edit, cropped image, or resized image.

• “Ad paid for by [committee’s name]” (on file with Form 410 or 461)
• “Ad Committee’s Top Funder(s) [name(s) and dollar amount contributed of top three (3) contributors of $5,000 or more]” additionally, if any of the top contributors are committees, list the committees top two (2) contributors of $5,000 or more (see example disclaimer)” – in descending order, beginning with the largest contributor (not applicable to non-recipient committees)
  • The disclosure of a top contributor’s name shall not include terms such as “incorporated,” “committee,” “political action committee,” or “corporation,” or abbreviations of these terms, unless the term is part of the contributor’s name in common usage.
• A statement that the advertisement was not authorized by a candidate or a committee controlled by a candidate
• “Financial disclosures are available at sfethics.org.”
• Disclosure Format: Must be spoken clearly for at least three (3) seconds at the beginning of the ad or call, in a pitch and tone substantially similar to the rest of the advertisement
  • Exception: The disclosure does not need to speak the dollar amount of contributions. Additionally, radio and prerecorded telephone ads must disclose only the top two contributors of $5,000 or more unless the ad lasts 15 seconds or less or the disclosure statement would last more than eight seconds, in which case only the single top contributor must be disclosed.
• Artificial Intelligence: If a committee creates, originally publishes, or originally distributes an ad that contains any audio that is generated or substantially altered using artificial intelligence, a disclosure stating: “Ad generated or substantially altered using artificial intelligence.” is required in the same manner as the other disclosures and in a clear and conspicuous format. Audio is generated or substantially altered using artificial intelligence if:
  1. The ad is entirely created using artificial intelligence and would falsely appear to a reasonable person to be authentic; or
  2. The media used in the ad is materially altered by artificial intelligence such that the alteration would cause a reasonable person to have a fundamentally different understanding of the altered media when comparing it to an unaltered version.
     • Audio is not generated or substantially altered using artificial intelligence if the media is immaterially altered by artificial intelligence, including a cosmetic adjustment.

*Television ads include those distributed via streaming technology or viewed via connected TV.

• “Ad paid for by [committee’s name]” (on file with Form 410 or 461). This text shall be in white.
• For Recipient Committees: “Ad Committee’s Top Funder(s) [name(s) and dollar amount contributed of top three (3) contributors of $5,000 or more]” additionally, if any of the top contributors are committees, list the committees top two (2) contributors of $5,000 or more (see example disclaimer)” – in descending order, beginning with the largest contributor. This text shall be in yellow.
  • The disclosure of a top contributor’s name shall not include terms such as “incorporated,” “committee,” “political action committee,” or “corporation,” or abbreviations of these terms, unless the term is part of the contributor’s name in common usage.
• “Financial disclosures are available at sfethics.org.”
• The “Ad paid for by [committee’s name]” and “Ad Committee’s Top Funders” disclosures must be separated by a blank horizontal space at least 2 percent of the height of the television or video display screen.
• A statement that the advertisement was not authorized by a candidate or a committee controlled by a candidate
• The disclosure must be spoken at the beginning of the ad (The spoken disclosure is not required to disclose the dollar amount of contributions)
• Disclosure Format: All text must be centered horizontally in the disclosure area, in a contrasting color if not otherwise specified, in standard Arial regular type and, if there are top contributors, must be underlined except as specified below.
• The size for the capital letters must be four (4)  percent of the height or width of the display screen, whichever is less, and must be displayed at the beginning of the ad for at least five (5) seconds of a broadcast of 30 seconds or less or for at least 10 seconds of a broadcast longer than 30 seconds. If a video is distributed as an electronic media advertisement and is longer than 30 seconds, the disclosures must be displayed at the beginning of the advertisement. If the television or video ad is shorter than the required disclosure display time, the disclosure may be displayed for the length of the advertisement.
  • Disclosure must appear on a solid black background on the entire bottom one third of the display screen, or bottom one-fourth (1/4) if no top contributors.
  • Each top contributor must be disclosed on a separate horizontal line separate from other text in descending order of amount contributed, may not be underlined and may not be condensed or have the spacing between characters reduced to be narrower than a normal non-condensed standard Arial regular type.
  • If the name of one or more top contributor exceeds the width of the screen and is required to wrap onto a second line, then the names of contributors shall be clearly marked to indicate where one top contributor name ends and the next begins using one or both of the following:
    • A common grammatical symbol, such as a comma, semi-colon or dash
    • Sufficient vertical separation between each top contributor such that the text is easily legible and each contributor distinguishable
• The “Not authorized by” disclosure must appear immediately above the disclosure area background with sufficient contrast that is easily readable and is not required to be underlined.
• The “Ad Committee’s Top Funders” and “Not authorized by” disclosures may not appear in all capital letters.
• Artificial Intelligence: If a committee creates, originally publishes, or originally distributes an ad that contains any image, audio, or video that is generated or substantially altered using artificial intelligence, a disclosure stating: “Ad generated or substantially altered using artificial intelligence.” is required in white and to be displayed in the same manner as the other disclosures in a clear and conspicuous format at the top of the disclosure area separated from the other disclosures by a blank horizontal space at least 2 percent of the height of the television display screen. The “Ad paid for by” disclosure should follow this disclosure. An image, audio or video is generated or substantially altered using artificial intelligence if:
  1. The ad is entirely created using artificial intelligence and would falsely appear to a reasonable person to be authentic; or
  2. The media used in the ad is materially altered by artificial intelligence such that the alteration would cause a reasonable person to have a fundamentally different understanding of the altered media when comparing it to an unaltered version.
     • • An image, audio or video is not generated or substantially altered using artificial intelligence if the media is immaterially altered by artificial intelligence, including a cosmetic adjustment, color edit, cropped image, or resized image.
• Any text or image not required in this section shall not appear in the disclosure area, except as otherwise authorized or required by applicable law.
•  

• Include for the duration of the advertisement, “Ad paid for by [committee name],” and “Ad Committee’s Top Funder(s) [top funder(s) names]” disclosures in a box with a solid white or black background at the bottom of the advertisement. Text shall be in a contrasting color, in at least 11-point, non condensed standard Arial Regular type.
  • Note: This text is not required if including it or the abbreviated “Who funded this ad?”, would take up more than 10 percent of the graphic. In such circumstances the ad need only include a hyperlink to a website containing the website disclosures.
• Committee Name: the text for the name of the committee may be shortened by either of the following:
  • Displaying only enough of the first part of the committee name to uniquely identify the committee. If the committee is a sponsored committee, then the name displayed must include the portion of the committee name that identifies the sponsor or sponsors, unless all of the sponsors are disclosed on the ad as top contributors.
  • Committee name may be replaced by displaying the words “Committee ID” followed by the committee’s identification number if committee has top funders to disclose.
• May disclose only the largest contributor; may also use “Top Funder(s)” instead of “Ad Committee’s Top Funder(s)”
• “Not authorized by” disclosure shall be displayed at the bottom of the box, separated from previous disclosures by a blank horizontal line.
• NOTE: If the image takes up fewer than 65,000 square pixels (smaller than a standard 728 x 90 pixel leaderboard image advertisement), then the advertisement may instead include “Who funded this ad?” in at least 8-point standard Arial Regular type with a hyperlink to a website containing the required disclosures.
• Unless the disclosure area includes full “Ad Paid for by,” “Ad Committee’s Top Funder(s),” “Artificial Intelligence” and “Not authorized by” disclosures, the advertisement must also link to a website containing the full disclosures in a contrasting color and in no less than 11-point font.
• “Ad Committee’s Top Funder(s)”and “Not authorized by” disclosures may not appear in all capital letters
• An internet website that is hyperlinked to the ad shall remain online and available to the public until 30 days after the date of the election
• Artificial Intelligence: If a committee creates, originally publishes, or originally distributes an ad that contains any image, audio, or video that is generated or substantially altered using artificial intelligence, a disclosure stating: “Ad generated or substantially altered using artificial intelligence.” is required in the same manner as the other disclosures and in a clear and conspicuous format at the top of the disclosure area before the “Ad paid for by” and “Ad Committee’s Top Funder(s)” disclosures separated from the other disclosures by a blank line. An image, audio or video is generated or substantially altered using artificial intelligence if:
  1. The ad is entirely created using artificial intelligence and would falsely appear to a reasonable person to be authentic; or
  2. The media used in the ad is materially altered by artificial intelligence such that the alteration would cause a reasonable person to have a fundamentally different understanding of the altered media when comparing it to an unaltered version.
     • An image, audio or video is not generated or substantially altered using artificial intelligence if the media is immaterially altered by artificial intelligence, including a cosmetic adjustment, color edit, cropped image, or resized image.
• Any text or image not required shall not appear in the disclosure area, except as otherwise authorized or required by applicable law.

• Advertisements in the form of posts, comments or other communications made via social media and posted directly by the social media page or account of the committee paying for the advertisement must include “Artificial Intelligence,” “Ad paid for by,” “Ad Committee’s Top Funder(s),” and “Not authorized by” disclosures if applicable in a contrasting color that is easily readable by the average viewer and in no less than 10-point font on the cover or header photo of the committee’s profile, landing page, or similar location; or on each individual post that is an advertisement.
• The disclosures must be visible on the cover or header photo when the profile, landing page, or similar location is viewed from any electronic device that is commonly used to view this form of electronic media including, but not limited to, a computer screen, laptop, tablet or smart phone. If this is impracticable, only a hyperlink, icon, button, or tab to an internet website containing the required “Artificial Intelligence.” “Ad paid for by,” “Ad Committee’s Top Funder(s),” and “Not authorized by” disclosures is permissible
• “Ad Committee’s Top Funder(s)” and “Not authorized by” disclosures may not appear in all capital letters.
• “Artificial Intelligence” disclosure must appear at the top of the disclosure area before the “Ad paid for by” and “Committee’s Top Funder(s)” disclosures, separated from the other disclosures by a blank line.
• Not required when the only expense or cost of the communication is compensated staff time unless the account was created only for the purpose of ads under the Political Reform Act.

• “Paid for by,” “Committee’s Top Funder(s),” “Financial disclosures are available at sfethics.org,” “Not authorized by” and “Artificial Intelligence” disclosures if applicable printed clearly and legibly in a contrasting color and in no less than 8-point font at the top or bottom of the email, top or bottom of every publicly accessible page of the website, or when posted on a non-social media website that is not the committee’s website, at the top or bottom of each individual post.
• “Committee’s Top Funder(s)” and “Not authorized by” disclosure may not appear in all capital letters.
• “Artificial Intelligence” disclosure must appear at the top of the disclosure area before the “Ad paid for by” and “Committee’s Top Funder(s)” disclosures, separated from the other disclosures by a blank line.

• See disclosure requirements for radio ads above (NOTE: The “Ad Committee’s Top Funder(s)” disclosure requirement is not applicable to non-recipient committees.

• For the visual/image portion of the advertisement, follow the electronic media advertisement disclosure requirements for a graphic, image, animated graphic, or animated image above.
• For the audio portion of the advertisement, follow the audio only disclosure requirements above. If the ad is in video format, instead follow the television and video ad disclosure requirements above in addition to the spoken disclosure requirements for radio, telephone and audio only disclosures above.

• Advertisements posted on a website, web application, or digital application and posted by a page or account of a paid third-party influencer and not of the committee paying for the advertisement must include a disclosure that is substantially similar to “The author was paid by [name of committee and committee identification number] in connection with this posting.”
  • If the content is written, the disclaimer shall be readily legible to an average viewer; if it is in audio format, it shall be clearly audible.
  • Not required when the content is posted on a committee’s own website, profile, or landing page by a person compensated by the committee to post such content, or where the only expense or cost is compensated staff time, unless the compensated employee of the committee’s principal duties are to post content on their own social media page or account.
  • NOTE: The committee paying for the advertisement must notify the paid third party posting the ad of the requirement to include the disclaimer.

• “Paid for by” or “With”, followed by the name of the committee, or followed by a hyperlink or URL for an internet website containing the following disclosures:
  • “Paid for by” or “With” [committee’s name]“ (on file with Form 410 or 461).
  • “Committee’s Top Funder(s) [name(s) and dollar amount contributed of top three (3) donors of $5,000 or more]” additionally, if any of the top contributors are committees, list the committees top two (2) contributors of $5,000 or more (see example disclaimer)” (not applicable to non-recipient committees)
  • The disclosure of a top contributor’s name shall not include terms such as “incorporated,” “committee,” “political action committee,” or “corporation,” or abbreviations of these terms, unless the term is part of the contributor’s name in common usage.
  • A statement that the advertisement was not authorized by a candidate or a committee controlled by a candidate.
  • “Financial disclosures are available at sfethics.org”
  • The text of the disclosures on the internet website shall be in a color that reasonably contrasts with the background on which it appears and in no less than 8-point font
• If “With” is used:
  • The individual sending the text shall identify themselves by including: “(name of the individual) with (name of committee or hyperlink or URL)”
  • A disclosure using “With” may appear anywhere in the text message, including conversational content, and need not appear as a separate statement apart from the content of the message
• Top Contributors: A committee that has top contributors must comply with the following:
  • Immediately following the name of the committee or the hyperlink or URL, the text message shall also include the text “Top funders:” followed by the names of the top two contributors of $5,000 or more to the committee paying for the advertisement, separated by “&” or “and.”
  • The names of the top two contributors may be spelled using acronyms, abbreviations, or other shorthand in common usage or parlance. If the contributor is an individual their first and last name shall both be used.
  • If the disclosure would exceed 35 characters, the text should disclose only the single top contributor of $5,000 or more to the committee paying for the advertisement.
  • The text message is not required to include the name of a top contributor after the text “Top funders:” if the text message includes the name of the committee paying for the advertisement and the committee’s name includes the name of that top contributor
  • The text shall be in a color that reasonably contrasts with the background on which it appears and in a font size that is readable by the average viewer.
  • For a committee that has top contributors and uses individuals who are unpaid volunteers to send text messages with the assistance of mass distribution technology, the text message sent by these individuals are not required to disclose the top two contributors, but the text message shall include a disclosure stating that the text message is being sent by a volunteer
• An internet website that is hyperlinked shall remain online and available to the public until 30 days after the election
• For text message exchanges consisting of a sequence of multiple text messages sent on the same day the disclosure is only required on the first text message in the sequence that supports or opposes a candidate or measure.
• Text required to be included in a text message must be in a color that reasonably contrasts with the background on which it appears and in a font size that is readable by the average viewer.
  • The text for the name of the committee may be shortened by either of the following:
  • Displaying only enough of the first part of the committee name to uniquely identify the committee. If the committee is a sponsored committee, then the name displayed must include the portion of the committee name that identifies the sponsor or sponsors, unless all of the sponsors are disclosed on the ad as top contributors

• “Ad paid for by [committee’s name]” (on file with Form 410 or 461).
• “Ad Committee’s Top Funder(s) [names of top three contributors of $5,000 or more]” additionally, if any of the top contributors are committees, list the committees top two (2) contributors of $5,000 or more (see example disclaimer)” (not applicable to non-recipient committees)
  • The disclosure of a top contributor’s name shall not include terms such as “incorporated,” “committee,” “political action committee,” or “corporation,” or abbreviations of these terms, unless the term is part of the contributor’s name in common usage.
• “Financial disclosures are available at sfethics.org”
• A statement that the advertisement was not authorized by a candidate or a committee controlled by a candidate.
• Disclosure Format: All text must be in a size and color contrasting the background that is readily legible to an average viewer.
• “Ad Committee’s Top Funder(s)” and “Not authorized by” disclosures may not appear in all capital letters.