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Meta Keeps Political Ad Ban in Place Beyond Election

ByHilary Ong

Nov 5, 2024

Meta Keeps Political Ad Ban in Place Beyond Election

Meta has extended its ban on new political ads on Facebook and Instagram in the U.S., pushing the restriction past Election Day.

The social media giant announced the policy update on Monday, revealing that the ad ban, which was initially set to end at 11:59 p.m. PT on Election Day, will now continue “until later this week.” Meta did not provide an exact end date or specify further details about why the policy extension was necessary.

The restriction is part of Meta’s ongoing effort to curb potential misinformation as votes are still being counted. The company highlighted that new claims made in political ads may require time to be challenged or verified, which could impact election integrity. Meta previously implemented similar ad policies in 2020, acknowledging that last-minute claims could be difficult to contest efficiently.

Existing Ads Will Face Limitations

Meta clarified that political ads previously run at least once before October 29 will still be permitted. These ads can be modified only for scheduling, budgeting, and bidding purposes but not for new content. Advertisers will have limited editing capabilities as the policy remains in effect.

The announcement comes amid heightened vigilance among tech firms. Google-parent Alphabet has also introduced comparable restrictions, pausing election-related ads in the U.S. once polls close. Alphabet’s policy aims to mitigate the spread of premature victory claims and voting misinformation, and the company stated that advertisers would be informed when these restrictions are lifted.

Political ad spending in the final stretch of the election has been significant. According to AdImpact, an advertising analytics firm, nearly $1 billion was poured into campaigns over the past week, with much of that money supporting down-ballot races nationwide. As the U.S. braces for tight contests, Meta and other tech companies are taking precautionary measures to ensure that misinformation does not undermine voter confidence.


Featured Image courtesy of YASUYOSHI CHIBA/AFP via Getty Images

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Hilary Ong

Hello, from one tech geek to another. Not your beloved TechCrunch writer, but a writer with an avid interest in the fast-paced tech scenes and all the latest tech mojo. I bring with me a unique take towards tech with a honed applied psychology perspective to make tech news digestible. In other words, I deliver tech news that is easy to read.

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