Gov. Kristi Noem sued for allegedly ‘deceptive’ social media ad

[LAUREN TAYLOR]

SOUTH DAKOTA GOVERNOR KRISTI NOEM IS FACING LEGAL CHALLENGES OVER  SO-CALLED “DECEPTIVE ADVERTISING PRACTICES” FOR THIS POST ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

TRAVELERS UNITED, A CONSUMER ADVOCACY GROUP, IS SUING NOEM FOR HER APPARENT ADVERTISEMENT OF SMILE TEXAS, A COSMETIC DENTISTRY FIRM. THE GROUP USING THE CONSUMER PROTECTION PROCEDURES ACT TO ACCUSE HER OF DECEPTIVE AND MISLEADING ADVERTISING.

THE MORE THAN 5-MINUTE VIDEO WAS POSTED ACROSS THE GOVERNOR’S SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS WITHOUT A CLEAR DECLARATION IT WAS AN ADVERTISEMENT.

NOEM HAS MORE THAN 485-THOUSAND FOLLOWERS ON X.

250-THOUSAND ON INSTAGRAM.

AND MORE THAN 960-THOUSAND FOLLOWERS ON TRUTH SOCIAL.

THE ADVOCACY GROUP SAYS NOEM’S BEHAVIOR UNDERLINES THE CRUCIAL NEED FOR POLITICIANS TO FOLLOW ADVERTISING LAWS TO KEEP PUBLIC TRUST INTACT.

THEY SAY HER ACTIONS ALSO ENCOURAGE MEDICAL TOURISM – WHEN PEOPLE TRAVEL TO ANOTHER STATE OR COUNTRY FOR MEDICAL CARE. SMILE TEXAS PROMOTES THEIR SERVICES AS MEDICAL TOURISM ON THEIR WEBSITES. THEY ALSO ASSERT THAT NOEM WAS LIKELY COMPENSATED FOR HER VIDEO.

LEGAL DOCUMENTS CLAIM —

“Someone with a very busy job does not take time off of that job to make a free advertisement for medical services in another state.”

“She likely either received free dental care in exchange for this advertisement,discounted dental care in exchange for this advertisement or she was paid and received free dental care for the advertisement.”

AMIDST THIS CONTROVERSY, NOEM HASN’T STEPPED BACK BUT INSTEAD HIGHLIGHTED ANOTHER PRIVATE ENDORSEMENT.

THIS TIME, SHE’S PROMOTING  A SOUTH DAKOTA COMPANY CALLED “FIT MY FEET” ON SOCIAL MEDIA PRAISING THEIR CUSTOM INSOLES FOR ENHANCING HER LIFESTYLE, EVEN REFERRING TO HERSELF AS A “BIONIC WOMAN.”

THIS SERIES OF ENDORSEMENTS BY NOEM RAISES QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BLENDING OF PERSONAL ENDORSEMENTS WITH POLITICAL INFLUENCE. THE LAWSUIT ASKS THAT NOEM CLEARLY LABEL ANY ADS SHE POSTS IN THE FUTURE AND PAY DAMAGES FOR EACH VIOLATION OF THE  CONSUMER PROTECTION PROCEDURES ACT.