Washington sues Facebook & Google for ad opacity

The state of Washington announced Monday that it has filed a lawsuit against Facebook and Google for violating the transparency law in state-owned advertising campaigns, as both companies do not appear to have kept track of who bought ads during the election.

Attorney General Bob Ferguson, who published copies of the lawsuits (you can find them here and here ) on its website, stated that it would seek sanctions and a ban on non-disclosure of advertising spending in the 2013 elections.

Facebook, on the other hand, announced that it is looking forward to a speedy settlement of the lawsuit, after it recently provided the appropriate tools that allow control over who buys political ads from the social network. Like Facebook, Google is committed to maintaining an electronic file for those who use its services.

Facebook and Google have been criticized by lawmakers, users and various activists for their role in selling political ads, as Russians allegedly used fake profiles to advertise to influence US voters in the US presidential election. USA in 2016.

Unlike most U.S. districts, both Washington and Seattle have laws since the 1970s that require advertising companies (such as radio stations, for example) to disclose who buys political ads.

Bob Ferguson said his office received a complaint from a citizen in April alleging that Facebook and Google had not provided the legally required information about their political ads.

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