Facebook’s advertising practices have been the subject of numerous controversies and lawsuits over the years. Many of these issues have been raised regarding Facebook’s political ads. It is common for Facebook to display money protocol regarding both local and national elections. However, Facebook has been criticized for its lack of transparency regarding these political ads. In Washington state, this issue led to a lawsuit filed by the State against Facebook in 2020.
Washington State requires advertisers to disclose information about political ads
Washington state has some of the country’s most restrictive laws regarding political advertisements. One of the most controversial regulations is that advertisers have to disclose information about political ads to people who ask. The advertisers must reveal a great deal of information, such as who purchased the ad space, and they are required to disclose it in a timely fashion. Facebook disputed this regulation and claimed that it would stop serving political ads in the state of Washington. However, the Washington Attorney General claims that this did not happen.
Washington Attorney General filed suit against Facebook in 2020
The Washington Attorney General filed suit against Facebook in 2020 for failing to follow these state’s laws regarding political ads. The lawsuit alleges that Facebook continued to serve political ads in this state after agreeing with the Attorney General’s office that they would no longer display political ads in Washington. The lawsuit has been ongoing for years now, and little progress had been made until recently.
Facebook sought to have the law declared unconstitutional
Facebook tried to have Washington State’s law regarding political ads declared unconstitutional. They claimed the law violated the First Amendment right to freedom of speech. However, the judge presiding over the case recently dismissed Facebook’s claim that Washington State’s law was unconstitutional. While the outcome of your lawsuit has got to be decided, this is undoubtedly a significant setback for Facebook. The basis of their legal argument has been rejected. It is very likely that Facebook will now look to settle the lawsuit. Their prospects for victory are slim, and the case has undoubtedly already caused Facebook a massive amount in legal fees.
