# Plain Language Summary: The Honest Ads Act

The Honest Ads Act is designed to bring transparency to political advertising on the internet, similar to rules that already exist for TV and radio ads. Right now, when you see a political ad on Facebook, Google, or other online platforms, there's often little information about who paid for it or how the platform decided to show it to you. This bill would change that by requiring online platforms to disclose who's behind political ads and keep a public record that anyone can search.

Here's what would actually happen if this bill became law: Political advertisers would have to clearly identify themselves in their ads, just like they do in traditional media. Platforms like Facebook and Google would need to maintain a searchable database showing who bought which ads, how much they spent, and which groups of people saw them. This means if a super PAC, corporation, or political campaign runs ads targeting voters in your area, you'd be able to look it up and see exactly who paid for it. The platforms would also have to verify the identity of anyone buying political ads to prevent foreign interference or fraud.

The bill would affect anyone involved in politics—candidates, campaigns, advocacy groups, and regular people who donate to causes. For voters, it means more information about the ads trying to influence you and who's really behind them. For advertisers and platforms, it means new compliance requirements and record-keeping obligations. The goal is to make online political advertising work like traditional advertising, where the public can see who's spending money to influence elections and what messages they're promoting.

Honest Ads Act

Kilmer, Derek

Honest Ads Act This bill applies requirements, limitations, and protections regarding political advertising in traditional media to paid internet or digital political advertising. The bill sets forth special rules for disclosure statements for certain internet or digital ads. Each television or radio station, provider of cable or satellite television, or online platform must ensure that the political advertising it hosts is not directly or indirectly purchased by a foreign national. The bill outlines political record requirements for online platforms, including by requiring these platforms to publish a record of any qualified political advertisement purchased by a person whose aggregate purchases of qualified political advertisements on the platform during the calendar year exceeds $500. Additionally, these online platforms must display notices with online political advertisements that identify the sponsor of the advertisement.