Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN) introduced last week legislation designed to prevent foreign intervention in domestic elections.
The bill would amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to prohibit foreign nationals from paying for online advertisements created to attack or support federal candidates.
Current law prohibits foreign spending on television, radio, satellite, and print advertisements, leaving an open door for bad actors to spread malice and misinformation in the online political ad market.
“Given the grave nature of events we’re watching unfold in Washington, it is clear that our democracy faces threats from the inside and out,” Phillips said. “Nowhere is that more apparent than in digital political advertising. Americans of all political persuasions are asking us to step up and prevent foreign interference in our elections, and Congress should act swiftly to update our laws and protect our democracy. If we fail to pass the Firewall Act, foreign actors will continue to use online ads to divide and misinform voters, and we will have earned the American people’s distrust in the democratic process.”
Advocates of the legislation noted a special counsel investigation into interference in the 2016 election determined Russian nationals spent more than $100,000 on digital ads during the campaign, adding a good portion of the spending directly attacked or supported candidates while increasing divisions in the American electorate.