Travelers United has filed a lawsuit against South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, accusing her of violating Washington, D.C.'s consumer protection laws, The Hill reported.
The traveler advocacy group alleges that Noem's nearly five-minute video, which promotes the cosmetic dentistry company Smile Texas, constitutes an undisclosed advertisement.
The video includes before-and-after footage of Noem's dental work and a testimonial recorded in the company's Houston office.
Noem, a Republican recognized as a potential vice-presidential pick for former President Donald Trump, did not label the video as an advertisement.
The lawsuit claims Noem benefited physically from the dental services and potentially financially, either through payment or reduced-cost services in exchange for the promotion. Travelers United asks that Noem be required to clearly label any future promotional content and also seeks undisclosed damages.
In a statement, Travelers United counsel Lauren Wolfe told Newsmax, "Travelers United is committed to transparency of travel influencers on social media. We believe consumers have a right to know when a post is an advertisement and when a post is an influencer's genuine thoughts.
"This is not just our belief, it is the law. We know that medical tourism is big business but if an influencer promotes medical tourism in exchange for free or reduced price services or if she is being paid to post an advertisement, that needs to be properly disclosed on social media."
Newsmax reached out to Noem's office for comment.
Nick Koutsobinas ✉
Nick Koutsobinas, a Newsmax writer, has years of news reporting experience. A graduate from Missouri State University’s philosophy program, he focuses on exposing corruption and censorship.
© 2024 Newsmax. All rights reserved.