Overview
- Following Wednesday reports, the Bundestag’s legal panel backed the administration’s view that pre‑roll ads on MPs’ social media channels are not allowed under the Abgeordnetengesetz.
- The Bundestag administration has prohibited the practice and says any improper income from parliamentary content must be paid into the federal budget.
- The AfD now says all known cases are closed, no monetization is ongoing, and it is advising its members not to monetize political videos.
- AfD whip Stephan Brandner said he earned about €15,000 over roughly a year and a half since 2024, ended monetization, and told the administration he will return the money.
- AfD circles say only two or three deputies were involved, with others earning only a few hundred euros, highlighting how YouTube’s channel-level ad settings can place ads on uploaded speech clips once a channel meets platform thresholds.