State of Washington sues Facebook and Google over failure to disclose spending
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Re: State of Washington sues Facebook and Google over failure to disclose spending
#2The "failure to disclose" part in the article's title on the source website seems very relevant to me. The title on HN implies that the state is suing the companies solely because of their political ad spending.
The source title: "Washington sues Facebook and Google over failure to disclose political ad spending"
Re: State of Washington sues Facebook and Google over failure to disclose spending
#3The "failure to disclose" part in the article's title on the source website seems very relevant to me. The title on HN implies that the state is suing the companies solely because of their political ad spending. The source title: "Washington sues Facebook and Google over failure to disclose political ad spending"
updated the title. Thanks
Re: State of Washington sues Facebook and Google over failure to disclose spending
#4Out of curiosity, how does political ad spending work in the US?
It seems that TFA hints at the fact that political ad funding is public and requires proper recordkeeping. Does that mean that when someone sees "This message paid by friends of Mr. Foo", one can write to the TV/radio/website and request more information about "friends of Mr. Foo?"
Re: State of Washington sues Facebook and Google over failure to disclose spending
#5Out of curiosity, how does political ad spending work in the US? It seems that TFA hints at the fact that political ad funding is public and requires proper recordkeeping. Does that mean that when someone sees "This message paid by friends of Mr. Foo", one can write to the TV/radio/website and request more information about "friends of Mr. Foo?"
Kinda sorta. Political campaigns and some large organizations are required to report their spending and donations, and, as a separate thing, advertisements may be required to identify themselves.
The State of Washington, though, as well as the City of Seattle, have somewhat unusual laws that requires substantially more. They have a law on the books aimed at TV channels and newspapers requiring that all political ad spending be disclosed in full by the companies that sold the advertising. Like, totally. And the records basically need to be available for immediate public inspection. So in theory you should be able to walk into a newspapers office and ask to see the big book of political advertising purchases and see exactly who spent how much and exactly what they bought.
What does that mean for companies like Facebook? It's hard to say! I live in Seattle and there's been a fun bit of ongoing drama when a reporter for our local paper, "The Stranger," thought to try it out and simply walked into the Facebook and Google offices and asked to see the books. It's been a fun bit of local political news drama for a while now, and it's just escalated a bit.
Here's a link to all of the recent pieces by the original investigator of all this: https://www.thestranger.com/authors/12168/eli-sanders
Here's Seattle's law: https://library.municode.com/WA/seattle/codes/municipal_code...
The important bit that everybody's gonna fight over what it means is this: "Each commercial advertiser that has accepted or provided political advertising during the election campaign shall maintain open for public inspection...The exact nature and extent of the advertising services rendered."
Re: State of Washington sues Facebook and Google over failure to disclose spending
#6I thought campaign contributions could run afoul of Sarbanes Oxley regulation rules, and other incorrect accounting of donations, if they cant even track what they gave, how can they certify the books.
Re: State of Washington sues Facebook and Google over failure to disclose spending
#7How many of the funders breached federal or state mandated limits on spending? I ask, because in the "brexit" circumstances it becomes clear the "leave" campaign eggregiously breached the declared public advertising spending limits through use of indirect/third-party funding channels who did placement in social media.
Re: State of Washington sues Facebook and Google over failure to disclose spending
#8... in the latest chapter of scapegoating internet firms for Trump's election.
Re: State of Washington sues Facebook and Google over failure to disclose spending
#9... in the latest chapter of scapegoating internet firms for Trump's election.
Mmm, this is Washington State, not DC