Consistent Labeling for Political Ads Act
Bill: H.R.989 | Sponsor: Rep. Golden, Jared F. (D-ME)
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics

Summary:
Consistent Labeling for Political Ads Act
This bill requires an online platform that displays a qualified political advertisement to (1) display with the advertisement a visible notice that identifies the sponsor of the advertisement, and (2) ensure that the notice continues to display if a viewer of the advertisement shares it with others on the platform. Online platform refers to any public-facing website, web application, or digital application that sells qualified political advertisements and has a certain number of unique monthly U.S. visitors or users.

To amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to require certain 
online platforms which display political advertisements to display with 
the advertisement a notice identifying the sponsor of the advertisement 
  and to ensure that the notice will continue to be presented in the 
advertisement if a viewer of the advertisement shares the advertisement 
                     with others on that platform.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Consistent Labeling for Political 
Ads Act''.

SEC. 2. REQUIRING ONLINE PLATFORMS TO DISPLAY NOTICES IDENTIFYING 
              SPONSORS OF POLITICAL ADVERTISEMENTS AND TO ENSURE 
              NOTICES CONTINUE TO BE PRESENT WHEN ADVERTISEMENTS ARE 
              SHARED.

    (a) Requirement.--Section 304 of the Federal Election Campaign Act 
of 1971 (52 U.S.C. 30104) is amended by adding at the end the following 
new subsection:
    ``(j) Ensuring Display and Sharing of Sponsor Identification in 
Online Political Advertisements.--
            ``(1) Requirement.-- An online platform displaying a 
        qualified political advertisement shall--
                    ``(A) display with the advertisement a visible 
                notice identifying the sponsor of the advertisement 
                (or, if it is not practical for the platform to display 
                such a notice, a notice that the advertisement is 
                sponsored by a person other than the platform); and
                    ``(B) ensure that the notice will continue to be 
                displayed if a viewer of the advertisement shares the 
                advertisement with others on that platform.
            ``(2) Definitions.--
                    ``(A) Online platform.--For purposes of this 
                subsection, the term `online platform' means any 
                public-facing website, web application, or digital 
                application (including a social network, ad network, or 
                search engine) which--
                            ``(i) sells qualified political 
                        advertisements; and
                            ``(ii) has 50,000,000 or more unique 
                        monthly United States visitors or users for a 
                        majority of months during the preceding 12 
                        months.
                    ``(B) Qualified political advertisement.--For 
                purposes of this subsection, the term `qualified 
                political advertisement' means any advertisement 
                (including search engine marketing, display 
                advertisements, video advertisements, native 
                advertisements, and sponsorships) that--
                            ``(i) is made by or on behalf of a 
                        candidate; or
                            ``(ii) communicates a message relating to 
                        any political matter of national importance, 
                        including--
                                    ``(I) a candidate;
                                    ``(II) any election to Federal 
                                office; or
                                    ``(III) a national legislative 
                                issue of public importance.''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) shall 
apply with respect to advertisements displayed on or after the 120-day 
period which begins on the date of the enactment of this Act.
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