Meta Extends Political Ad Ban Beyond Election Day in Effort to Curb Misinformation: Report

Meta stated that its aim is to curb the spread of unverified information that might shape public opinion at a time when there may be limited chances for fact-checking or challenging such claims.

Meta has announced an extension of its current ban on new political ads will remain in effect through later this week across all of its platforms. As outlined by Meta in its blog post, the company aims to contribute to curbing misinformation and ensuring the integrity of the platform while votes can be counted. The extension continues Meta’s policies introduced in 2020 to mitigate the spread of misinformation around election periods.

During this ad freeze, no new political ads will be permitted, though previously approved ads that have appeared at least once before the ban will still be allowed to run. Advertisers with ongoing campaigns will face restrictions on editing, with modifications limited solely to scheduling, budget, and bid adjustments, Reuters reported.

Why Ban?

Meta stated that its aim is to curb the spread of unverified information that might shape public opinion at a time when there may be limited chances for fact-checking or challenging such claims. Meta while underscoring its focus on minimising last-minute unvetted information from spreading unchecked said, “We recognize there may not be enough time to contest new claims made in ads.”

Last year, Meta also placed limitations on its generative AI advertising tools for political campaigns and other regulated industries.

The company hasn’t specified an exact end date for this restriction, only indicating that it will remain in effect “until later this week.” In August, Meta established rules allowing political ads that had been live at least once before October 29 to continue through the final week before the election. Any other new political ads will not be permitted.

Meta’s ad restrictions mirror similar policies by other tech companies. Last month, Google’s parent company Alphabet announced a suspension on U.S. election-related ads after polls close on Election Day, with plans to notify advertisers once the ban is lifted.

As Election Day approaches, political ad spending has surged, with nearly $1 billion invested over the past week, according to analytics firm AdImpact. Much of this spending has focused on local and down-ballot races, underscoring the heightened stakes and intensity of this election season, as reported by CNBC.