The Washington State Supreme Court affirmed a $35.2 million penalty against Meta Platforms. The court on Thursday upheld a lower court's finding that Meta intentionally violated state campaign finance laws. Meta repeatedly failed to disclose required information about political advertisements on its platforms.
Washington's Fair Campaign Practices Act requires ad sellers to make details about the cost, sponsorship, and targeting of political ads publicly available. A King County Superior Court judge found Meta committed 822 violations in 2022. The judge determined these violations were intentional, leading to a tripled penalty. Meta argued the law was unconstitutional and burdensome, but the court rejected that defense.
A Meta spokesperson stated the company was disappointed with the ruling and is evaluating the decision. Washington's Attorney General called the ruling a "major win for election transparency." The Attorney General affirmed the state's strong disclosure laws apply to all advertisers, regardless of size.