Meta extends political ad ban past Election Day | TechCrunch
Nov 05, 2024 - techcrunch.com
Meta has extended its ban on new political ads until later in the week to protect the integrity of elections on Facebook and Instagram. The ban, first implemented on October 29, is designed to prevent the spread of misinformation during the vote counting process. Ads that ran at least once before October 29 are still permitted, but with limited capacity for changes. This move follows similar policies in 2020 and 2022, and is part of a broader effort by social media companies to prevent election chaos caused by misinformation.
Google has also announced a pause on election ads in the U.S. until after the polls close. This comes amidst reports that political ad spending has reached nearly $1 billion. The rise of AI deepfakes and erosion of trust in tech companies due to layoffs have further complicated the issue, making the fight against election misinformation an uphill battle.
Key takeaways:
Meta is extending its restriction on political ads until later in the week to protect the integrity of elections on Facebook and Instagram.
The ban on new political ads was initially implemented from October 29 until Election Day, with similar policies in 2020 and 2022.
Ads that ran before October 29 at least once will still be allowed on Meta platforms, but with limited capacity for changes.
Google also announced it would pause election ads in the U.S. until after the polls closed.
