Record #: O2017-7850   
Type: Ordinance Status: Failed to Pass
Intro date: 11/8/2017 Current Controlling Legislative Body: Committee on Committees, Rules and Ethics
Final action:
Title: Amendment of Municipal Code Chapter 2-156 by adding new Section 2-156-450 entitled "Social Media Platform & Search Engine Disclosure for Chicago Elections"
Sponsors: Pawar, Ameya, Mell, Deborah, King, Sophia D., Villegas, Gilbert, Maldonado, Roberto, Moreno, Proco Joe, Burnett, Jr., Walter, Dowell, Pat, Hopkins, Brian , Santiago, Milagros, Taliaferro, Chris, Smith, Michele, Arena, John, Reboyras, Ariel, Osterman, Harry, Waguespack, Scott, Munoz, Ricardo, Cappleman, James, Reilly, Brendan, Scott, Jr. Michael, Moore, Joseph, Zalewski, Michael R., Solis, Daniel, Silverstein, Debra L., Austin, Carrie M., Tunney, Thomas, Ramirez-Rosa, Carlos
Topic: MUNICIPAL CODE AMENDMENTS - Title 2 - City Government & Administration - Ch. 156 Governmental Ethics
Attachments: 1. O2017-7850.pdf

Committee on Committees, Rules & Ethics
City Council Meeting November 8, 2017

ORDINANCE

WHEREAS, the City of Chicago is a duly constituted and existing municipality within the meaning of Section 1, Article VII, of the Constitution of the State of Illinois of 1970, and is a home rule unit of local government under Section 6(a), Article VII, of the Constitution, and as such, may exercise any power and perform any function pertaining to its government affairs; and

WHEREAS, the City of Chicago administer elections for Mayor, City Clerk, City Treasurer, and Aldermen; and

WHEREAS, social media continues to change the way that Chicagoans consume information, share their views, and organize their communities; and

WHEREAS, social media platforms function as powerful advertising tools that not only empower but also target users with marketing and political material; and

WHEREAS, political committees of all kinds are using social media to promote issues and candidates in the City of Chicago; and

WHEREAS, the current Illinois Election Code does not include disclosure requirements when social media platforms are paid to advertise or boost content; and

WHEREAS, the Russian government and its agents used social media in an effort to disrupt the 2016 US Presidential Election; and

WHEREAS, Politico reported on October 26, 2017 that a peer-reviewed study found that Facebook, Twitter, and Google directly embedded personnel in President Trump's 2016 Presidential campaign to provide their expertise to his operations; and

WHEREAS, voters and social media users should be able to easily ascertain the source of money being used in political and issue advertising; now, therefore,

BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHICAGO:

SECTION 1. Section 2-156-450 is hereby amended by deleting the language struck through and by inserting the language underscored, as follows:

2-156-450 Reserved Social Media Platform & Search Engine Disclosure for Chicago Elections

Any politic...

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