In 1927 radio had to disclose records; AI disclosure rules will follow the same fate
joshgans · x · 2026-10-21
Economist Justin Bocowgill draws a parallel between AI disclosure mandates and 1927 US radio regulation:
- The Federal Radio Commission required broadcasters to disclose recorded music, treating failure as "fraud upon the listening public"
- As recordings became ubiquitous, regulators dropped the rule, calling it a "needless burden" that detracted from enjoyment
- Broadcasters argued it made more sense to label live programs, since everyone already knew radio played recordings by default
His prediction: AI disclosure follows the same path — once AI content is the default, mandates may flip to labeling non-AI content.
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