Senate duo plan sunshine bill for social media ads

WASHINGTON — Legislation floated by two Democratic senators would enhance transparency for online political ads, requiring social media companies like Facebook and Twitter to keep a public file of election ads and communications.

The bill, by Sens. Mark Warner of Virginia and Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, would try to fill what they call a “major gap” in election advertising transparency. The legislation would also require companies to “make reasonable efforts” to ensure that election ads are not purchased directly or indirectly by a foreign national.

The legislation would require digital platforms with 1 million or more users to maintain the file of electioneering communications purchased by a group or person spending more than $10,000 on online political ads. The file would also include copies of the ads, a description of the audience targeted, the number of views generated and other relevant information.

The bill would also apply to other popular social media outlets like Twitter, which is meeting with the Senate intelligence committee next week.

Congress has so far been reluctant to regulate social media companies. But Warner and others have called for better transparency laws since Facebook acknowledged earlier this month that hundreds of phony Facebook accounts, likely run from Russia, spent about $100,000 on ads aimed at stirring up divisive issues such as gun control and race relations during the 2016 campaign.

Clint Watts, a counterterrorism expert who tracks social media accounts pushing Russian talking points, said Twitter may have even more to answer for than Facebook. The company may not even know the identities behind some Russian-operated accounts on its platform.