Tech industry outlines proposals for online ad disclosure legislation

The Internet Association, a trade group representing internet platforms like Facebook and Google, outlined principles for what the industry would like to see in online ad disclosure legislation.

The wish list includes oversight from the Federal Election Commission and a set of uniform rules applied to all websites equally.

“Internet Association members are committed to working with policymakers and other stakeholders on legislation that will improve transparency and stop bad actors while protecting privacy, free speech, and internet-enabled political debate,” Michael Beckerman, the group’s CEO, said in a statement.

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The trade association wants any new law to put the burden on advertisers to disclose information about political ads to the platforms on which they’re published.

The Internet Association doesn’t want platforms to be held liable for advertising content run by their advertisers, saying it could threaten online political speech.

Earlier this month, Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Mark Warner (D-Va.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.) introduced a bill that would subject online political ads to disclosure requirements similar to ones applied to traditional media outlets.

Executives from Facebook, Twitter and Google will be grilled by lawmakers this week over how they’re combatting foreign attempts to use their platforms to influence U.S. politics.