Facebook will ban the US-based political ads after the presidential election; this attempts to prevent confusion over the results.
“While ads are an important way to express voice, we plan to temporarily stop running all social issue, electoral, or political ads in the US after the polls close on November 3rd, to reduce opportunities for confusion or abuse,” the company stated.
Facebook responded to a widespread concern that social media could meddle with the election results. The company also took steps in stopping the candidates from declaring victory beforehand. When the polls close, it will further add information on the top of Facebook and Instagram’s apps, stating that whether significant media outlets have declared a winner.
It is also labeled already some election-related posts with a link directed to its Voting Information Center. Still, when a candidate falsely claims that they have won the election, Facebook will add “more specific information,” further contradicting the claim. Facebook had previously announced that it would freeze the political ad sales before the election happens. Even before the blanket post-election ban, it has particularly barred the ads that have falsely proclaimed victory.
The head of Global Affairs, Nick Clegg, has also raised the possibility of restricting other contents that would lead to violence. The first part of the election has been pledged to remove content from the pro-Trump “militarized social movement” QAnon.
On the other hand, the prospect of the election night chaos is still looming. President Trump has refused to commit to a peaceful transfer of power when he loses the election. In the interim, Democratic rival Joe Biden had criticized Facebook for not fact-checking or even removing Trump’s false claims with the mail-in voting, further naming its moderation rules a “regression.”
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