A measure that requires campaign committees and candidates to include a “paid for by” disclaimer on print, digital, display and auditory ads was approved this week by Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

The bill in essence aligns New York’s paid campaign advertising disclosure rules with the federal government’s own regulations for ads.

At the same time, the law is meant to end the practice of anonymous mailings during political campaigns.

The legislation is meant to counteract anonymous political spending in New York races, especially on social media platforms, amid a broader concern over the use of sites like Facebook to inject misinformation into the political bloodstream, building on a 2018 law to tamp down on digital communications by independent expenditure groups.

The measure was sponsored by Sen. James Skoufis and Assemblyman Ken Zebrowski, Democrats who represent Hudson Valley districts.

“Voters deserve full transparency when it comes to political communications – and now, finally, they’ll get it,” said Skoufis, who has been targeted by anonymous political ads in the past.

“As someone who was previously targeted by anonymous campaign mailers and robocalls, I know first-hand the confusion caused by these deceptive practices, especially when messages come from seemingly legitimate sources with no ‘paid for by’ disclaimer. We all have a right to vote in honest and fair elections, and this new law is a significant step forward.”