OLYMPIA, Wash. (Legal Newsline) — Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced June 4 that his office has filed lawsuits against Facebook an Google for their alleged failure to maintain legally required information for Washington state political advertising placed on their online platforms since 2013.
Under the state’s finance laws, advertisers must make available the sources of its political advertising. The information includes name of the candidate or measure supported or opposed, dates of advertising, name and address of whoever sponsored the advertising; and total cost of the advertising, who paid for it and how they paid.
According to Ferguson, Facebook and Google failed to obtain or maintain all the required information. Ferguson seeks penalties against the companies, as well as injunctive relief.
“Washington’s political advertising disclosure laws apply to everyone, whether you are a small-town newspaper or a large corporation,” Ferguson said in a statement. “Washingtonians have a right to know who’s paying for the political advertising they see."
Handling the case for Washington are senior assistant attorney general Linda Dalton and assistant attorney general Todd Sipe.