Meta extends ban on new political ads following US Election: Report

Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook, announced on Monday that it will extend its ban on new political ads following the U.S. election, with the restriction lasting until later this week. The move, detailed in a company blog post, is part of a larger strategy to counter misinformation and maintain platform integrity as votes are tallied and verified, as per Reuters.

The extension builds on policies Meta first enacted in 2020 to combat the spread of false information in the critical days surrounding an election. During the restriction period, Meta will block new political ads, although previously approved ads that received at least one impression before the ban began will be allowed to continue running. However, advertisers with ongoing campaigns will have restricted editing options, limited only to adjustments in scheduling, budgeting, and bidding, the report added.

Purpose of ban

Meta has said its goal is to prevent the spread of unverified claims that could influence public opinion at a time when there may not be sufficient opportunity to fact-check or contest them. “We recognize there may not be enough time to contest new claims made in ads,” Meta said, underscoring its focus on minimizing last-minute, unvetted information from spreading unchecked. Last year, the company also limited its generative AI ad products for political campaigns and other regulated sectors.

The company did not specify the exact day it would lift the restriction, stating that the ban would continue “until later this week.” In August, Meta set guidelines allowing political ads that had run at least once before October 29 to stay active through the final election week. Other political ads will not be allowed.

Meta’s ad restrictions align with similar moves from other tech firms. Last month, Google’s parent company Alphabet announced it would pause election-related ads in the U.S. after polls close on Election Day, notifying advertisers once the ban ends.

Political advertising has surged in the run-up to Election Day, with nearly $1 billion spent over the past week, according to AdImpact, an advertising analytics firm. Much of this spending is concentrated on local and down-ballot races, reflecting the intensity and high stakes of this election cycle, as per CNBC report.

(With Inputs from Reuters)