Facebook is tightening its advertising rules around ‘social issue’ ads that seek to influence public opinion
- Social media conglomerate Facebook is changing its rules for advertisers
- Anyone wanting to push social issue ads will need to show a photo ID
- Ads that do not have correct authorisation will be removed from the platformÂ
Facebook is tightening its rules for advertisers seeking to drive debate around social issues from immigration to the environment.
The social media platform last year began requiring political and electoral advertisers to go through an authorisation process using government-issued photo ID and place ‘Paid for by’ disclaimers on their ads.
From June 29 it will extend this to advertisers seeking to run ‘social issue ads’ that seek to influence public opinion through discussion, debate or advocacy for or against important topics.
Ads that do not have the correct authorisation or disclaimers will be removed from the platform and archived in a public Ad Library for seven years.
Facebook is tightening its rules for advertisers seeking to drive debate around social issues from immigration to the environment
Josh Machin, Facebook’s head of public policy for Australia, said users had said they want the option to see fewer of this type of ad on their Facebook and Instagram feeds.
Earlier this year, Facebook announced a new control feature that allows people to adjust their ad topic preferences.
‘These additional transparency features for people on Facebook and Instagram and mandatory requirements for advertisers will help promote safe and healthy debate on influential topics, so that people can better understand who’s trying to influence them with ads,’ he said.
Facebook is a signatory to Australia’s voluntary code of practice on disinformation and misinformation.