Meta has introduced enhanced policies on Facebook and Instagram to increase transparency and safeguard election integrity, outlining new rules for ads related to social issues, elections, and political content. The measures, announced by Meta, require advertisers to complete a detailed authorisation process to ensure legitimacy and authenticity in political advertising on its platforms.
The company categorises ads as political or social issue content if they pertain to candidates, political parties, or any election-related advocacy, including ‘go out and vote’ messages. Ads focusing on social issues or those regulated as political advertising in the placement country also fall under these categories. Advertisers must reside and be located in the targeted country to complete the authorisation process, and the company requires all documents to be locally issued and valid. Ads without proper authorisation or disclaimers will be paused and stored in Meta’s Ad Library until compliance is verified.
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Selected advertisers, including certain charitable and humanitarian organisations in the European Union, United Kingdom, and United States, are permitted to run social issue ads across multiple countries, though these ads cannot include electoral content. Eligible intergovernmental organisations and EU institutions may also run these ads under the company’s Terms and Conditions.
The company’s policy does not support several ad placements for social issue content, including Messenger, WhatsApp, Marketplace, and certain video and dynamic ad formats. Ads primarily promoting a product or service may not require authorisation, though this exemption does not apply to products or services associated with politicians, political parties, or legislation.
