Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson: No new date or venue has been set for the meeting between Araghchi and Witkoff, and no negotiations will take place until the outcome is guaranteed
Palestinian platforms: Settlers storm Al-Aqsa Mosque complex under the protection of the occupation police
Palestinian platforms: The IOF detonated a booby-trapped robot east of the al-Zaytoun neighborhood, south of Gaza City
Syrian Defense: We call on all parties in Sweida to cooperate with security forces and exercise restraint
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: The Lebanese Army is continuing its investigations and will later announce any information that does not affect the confidentiality of the investigation
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: It has not yet been determined whether the detainees belong to ISIS or another organization
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Around 10 people of different nationalities, including Lebanese nationals, were detained
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: The Lebanese army arrested a number of people in the Matn area of Mount Lebanon with possession it has not disclosed
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman: We have strong indications that there are martyrs, injuries, and trapped people in the Salah al-Din area
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman: Citizens should avoid Salah al-Din Street because anyone who approaches it is at risk of being directly targeted

Meta fined $24.7M for campaign finance disclosure violations

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 27 Oct 2022 08:48
3 Min Read

The fine is “the largest campaign finance-related penalty ever imposed in the United States," according to a Washington state judge.

  • x
  • The Facebook logo
    The Facebook logo

A Washington state judge fined Facebook's parent company, Meta, nearly $25 million for willfully violating campaign finance disclosure laws on multiple occasions.

King County Superior Court Judge Douglass North imposed the maximum penalty on Wednesday. Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson argued that the maximum penalty was appropriate because he had previously sued Facebook for violating the same law in 2018.

Washington's transparency law requires ad sellers such as Meta to disclose the names and addresses of those who purchase political advertisements, as well as the target of such advertisements and the total number of views received by each ad. 

Meta has raised an objection to the requirements. Ferguson called the fine "the largest campaign finance-related penalty ever imposed in the United States."

However, Meta has repeatedly argued in court that the requirements are unconstitutional because they "unduly burden political speech" and are "virtually impossible to fully comply with." 

While Facebook does keep an archive of political advertisements that run on the platform, the archive does not contain all of the information required by Washington law.

Related News

Senate blames Secret Service failures for Trump assassination attempt

South Korea warns US chip tariffs threaten economy, global supply

“I have one word for Facebook’s conduct in this case — arrogance,” Ferguson said in a news release. 

“It intentionally disregarded Washington’s election transparency laws. But that wasn’t enough. Facebook argued in court that those laws should be declared unconstitutional. That’s breathtaking. Where’s the corporate responsibility?"

Following Ferguson's initial lawsuit in 2018, Facebook agreed to pay $238,000 and commit to greater transparency in campaign finance and political advertising. Instead of complying with the requirements, it later stated that it would stop selling political advertisements in the state.

Despite this, the company continued to sell political advertisements, and Ferguson sued again in 2020.

Each violation of the law is typically punishable by up to $10,000 in fines, but penalties can be tripled if a judge determines it was done on purpose. 

Meta was fined $30,000 for each of its 822 violations, totaling $24.7 million. Ferguson called the fine "the largest campaign finance-related penalty ever imposed in the United States."

Meta, one of the world's wealthiest companies, reported $4.4 billion in quarterly earnings, or $1.64 per share, on revenue of nearly $28 billion in the three months that ended Sept. 30.

Read more: Meta admits to censoring Palestinian content

  • United States
  • Facebook
  • Meta
  • Meta fine
  • US
  • Washington state judge

Most Read

Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

  • Politics
  • 8 Jul 2025
Major ambush in Gaza kills 6 Israeli troops, injures dozens

Major ambush in Gaza kills 5 Israeli troops, injures 14

  • Politics
  • 8 Jul 2025
Israeli soldiers are seen in Beit Hanoun ahead of an operation by the al-Qassam Brigades, undated (Al-Qassam Brigades Military Media)

'Israel' on blast as media exposes report discrepancies in Gaza ambush

  • Palestine
  • 8 Jul 2025
Yemen Navy sinks ETERNITY C ship, shares footage of operation

Yemen Navy sinks ETERNITY C ship, shares footage of operation

  • Politics
  • 9 Jul 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
The Freedom Flotilla ship Handala as it departs for Gaza, where it aims to break the maritime blockade at a port in Syracuse, Sicily in southern Italy on July 13, 2025. (AFP)
Palestine

Freedom Flotilla's Handala departs Sicily in bid to break Gaza siege

The container ship CMA CGM Laperouse, left, docks at the Georgia Ports Authority's Port of Savannah, Sept. 29, 2021, in Savannah, Ga (AP)
Politics

US shipbuilding woes deepen as tariffs, outdated policies backfire

Gaza war raises ethical questions for ex-Obama, Biden officials
Politics

Mercenary firm tied to Gaza war crimes hires Obama-Biden PR operatives

'Israel' targets children in Gaza collecting water
Palestine

'Israel' strikes Gaza kids fetching water, blames it on 'malfunction'

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS