It is unlawful for any person, firm, corporation, or association, or any employee or agent therefor, to make or disseminate any statement or assertion of fact in a newspaper, circular, circular or form letter, or other publication published or circulated, including over the Internet, in any language in this state, concerning the extent, location, ownership, title, or other characteristic, quality, or attribute of any real estate located in this state or elsewhere, which is known to be untrue and which is made or disseminated with the intention of misleading.
Nothing in this section shall be construed to hold the publisher of any newspaper, or any job printer, liable for any publication herein referred to unless the publisher or printer has an interest, either as owner or agent, in the real estate so advertised.
Ca. Bus. and Prof'l. Code § 17530