As DC sits on the sidelines, these states are looking to regulate Facebook, Google and Twitter

At a time when the US Congress seems paralyzed by partisanship — and either too reluctant or distracted to take on Silicon Valley’s most powerful players — Maryland is among a growing roster of states trying to remedy some of the most pressing ills of the digital age. Along with Maryland, leaders from New York to Washington state have pitched new bills that would make more information about online political ads available to local voters. In California, meanwhile, state leaders are taking aim at the scourge of social-media bots, or networks of computer-directed accounts often used to amplify misinformation. Of course, local policymakers face the same challenges as their federal brethren: They must navigate their legislatures’ labyrinthine corridors of power, explaining complex tech issues to their political peers, who may not know the industry well. If they succeed, however, supporters hope they might soon spur other states — and, eventually, the federal government — to take similar action.