AI時代網路政治廣告之揭露義務：以美國誠信廣告法草案為中心

Taking Disclosure Seriously: A Comparative Analysis of the Legal Framework About Online Political Ads Between the U.S. and Taiwan in the Era of AI

在AI具溝通行動能力後，政治資訊交換的公共論壇，由物理空間轉移到虛擬空間。在AI時代下，境外勢力或境內利益團體於蒐集個資後，就選民既存或潛在的特殊政治偏好／偏見進行分類，鎖定特定群體，進行精準投放。由於虛擬空間之訊息散播成本極低，在網路機器人推波助瀾下，撕裂社群，削弱選民對候選人與政治議題判斷能力，進行政治動員。然選民對海量訊息背後的資訊流足跡、金流渠道及篩選資訊的演算法機制，無從知悉，使觀念市場自由競爭理論之基礎預設受到挑戰。本文主張：付費網路政治訊息並非新聞，乃是在新介面呈現的政治廣告，旨在說服、（反）動員選民。美國於2019年，聯邦國會針對線上付費政治廣告，提出「誠信廣告法草案」（Honest Ads Act），強制揭露線上付費訊息之刊播者、出資者姓名、課予網路平台業者留存與公開網路政治付費訊息義務，以公開資金與資訊流足跡之方式，提升選民識讀能力，落實現行選舉法制，防止境內／外政府或利益團體，干預公共輿論之形塑，影響選舉過程及結果。比較法層面，美國現行政治資金與廣告管理基礎架構，與網路政治廣告管理立法修正審議，足供我國選罷法及公投法修正草案參照，以重新鞏固AI時代人民對民主制度之信任基石！

A lack of transparency for political advertising and campaign funds has been disputed in the U.S. and Taiwan for decades. In the era of AI, bots are software applications that complete tasks automatically. Bots may spread fake news or disinformation to create an illusion of mass consensus. The technological features, digital media capacity, and regulatory loopholes from Citizens United v. FEC (2010) and the FEC’s disclaimer exemption for digital platforms contribute to the prevalent divisive and anonymous online issue campaigns in the U.S. In 2016, Americans experienced disinformation and its implications on the election. The threat of democracy boosted the demand for more regulation in online political advertisements. The U.S. Congress is debating the Honest Ads Act’s bill to increase the transparency of online political advertisements. The regulation about the content of political speech may raise concerns over the right to freedom of speech. However, the Taiwanese legislature could model from the bill of Political Ads Act in the U.S. and force transparency into the online public forum and the process of deliberation. In the era of AI, the legislature should require platforms to store and make information available about the ads run on their platforms and the audience at whom the ad was targeted. The regulation covers political advertising promoted via paid distribution on social media and search engines. Audience availability enables counter speech and facilitate the value of the marketplace of ideas. Besides, the Taiwanese legislature should close existing loopholes in transparency regulations related to campaign funds. The legislature should play an active role in preventing dark money. This article contends that sunlight is the best of disinfectants. The appropriate disclosure and disclaimer rules could increase political accountability and lay the bedrock of a democratic government in the era of AI.