Zuckerberg announces support for regulating political ads on social media

Facebook CEO Mark ZuckerbergMark Elliot ZuckerbergPinterest blocks all vaccine-related searches in effort to combat anti-vax content Hillicon Valley: Kremlin seeks more control over Russian internet | Huawei CEO denies links to Chinese government | Facebook accused of exposing health data | Harris calls for paper ballots | Twitter updates ad rules ahead of EU election Patients, health data experts accuse Facebook of exposing personal info MORE announced support Friday for legislation that would regulate political ads on internet platforms, including his own.

Zuckerberg said that Facebook supports the Honest Ads Act, legislation that would hold social media companies to the same political regulations as TV, print and radio outlets.

“Election interference is a problem that's bigger than any one platform, and that's why we support the Honest Ads Act. This will help raise the bar for all political advertising online,” Zuckerberg said in a post.

The legislation, created by Sens. Amy KlobucharAmy Jean KlobucharSanders on Trump insult: Crazy that president 'is a racist, a sexist, a xenophobe and a fraud' Trump revives 'Crazy Bernie' nickname one day after Sanders enters race Betting against Bernie? Dems assess the risk MORE (D-Minn.) and Mark WarnerMark Robert WarnerTalk grows that Trump will fire Dan Coats Harris on election security: 'Russia can't hack a piece of paper' Schiff: Evidence of collusion between Trump campaign, Russia 'pretty compelling' MORE (D-Va.), was drafted in response to Russian use of social media ads to influence the 2016 election.

Sen. John McCainJohn Sidney McCainMellman: Where are good faith and integrity? GOP senator says Republicans didn't control Senate when they held majority Pence met with silence after mentioning Trump in Munich speech MORE (R-Ariz.) has announced his support for the Honest Ads Act, but the bill has yet to receive backing from other Republicans, who say that they support the sentiment but not the specific rules in the bill.

Warner said in a statement that other companies should follow suit and back political ad regulations as well.

“Most of the paid ads the Internet Research Agency ran on Facebook prior to the 2016 election didn’t mention Hillary ClintonHillary Diane Rodham ClintonFBI’s top lawyer believed Hillary Clinton should face charges, but was talked out of it Harris adds key Clinton aide, women of color to 2020 campaign: report Democrats more likely Trump's foil, than to foil Trump MORE or Donald TrumpDonald John TrumpJustice Department preparing for Mueller report as soon as next week: reports Smollett lawyers declare 'Empire' star innocent Pelosi asks members to support resolution against emergency declaration MORE — but they did mention divisive political issues like guns, LGBT rights, immigration, and racial issues," Warner said. "That’s why today’s announcement by Facebook is so important."

Zuckerberg’s announcement comes days before he faces three Congressional committees next week in back-to-back hearings on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Lawmakers are expected to hammer the Facebook CEO over how British data firm Cambridge Analytica, which worked on the Trump campaign, was able to obtain data from 50 million Facebook users. 

Lawmakers will also likely press Zuckerberg on how Facebook was used by Russians attempting to influence the 2016 election.