News Outlets Challenge Maryland Law Designed to Fight Foreign Meddling in Online Political Ads
News outlets filed a lawsuit challenging a Maryland law deigned to fight foreign meddling in online political advertising because they say it creates unfair burdens on media sites that publish such ads, reports Associated Press.
According to AP, “The Maryland-Delaware-D.C. Press Association and several newspapers, including The Washington Post and The Baltimore Sun, filed the federal lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the legislation passed in April. The law went into effect without the signature of the governor, who had concerns about its requirements.
“The challengers argue the law infringes on free speech because it requires them to publish information about political ad buyers. The newspapers also say the law includes onerous requirements for them to make data on ad buyers available to election officials on request.
“The lawsuit states that “there is a stark difference between requiring speakers to disclose who they are and the source of their funding, and imposing that burden on newspapers and other Internet publishers, especially in the circumstances here.”
“The plaintiffs asked for an expedited court schedule because they say the state won’t delay the rules while the lawsuit plays out.”
More here.
