OLYMPIA, Wash. – Facebook’s parent company Meta has been hit with a fine from the Washington state Attorney General for repeatedly and intentionally violating campaign finance disclosure law.
The $25 million penalty issued by King County Superior Court was the maximum allowed for more than 800 violations of Washington’s Fair Campaign Practices Act.
It’s believed to be the largest campaign finance penalty in U.S. history.
State AG Bob Ferguson argued that the maximum was appropriate considering his office previously sued Facebook in 2018 for violating the same law.
Washington’s transparency law requires ad sellers such as Meta to keep and make public the names and addresses of those who buy political ads, among other data.
Television stations and newspapers have complied with the law for decades.
But Meta has repeatedly objected to the requirements, arguing unsuccessfully in court that the law is unconstitutional because it burdens political speech.