Facebook Political Advertisements Ban Creates Confusion Ahead of US Presidential Elections

Mistakes in implementing the ban on new paid advertisements led to US Republicans and Democrats blaming Facebook of undermining their respective campaigns.

Advertisement
By Agence France-Presse | Updated: 29 October 2020 13:54 IST
Highlights
  • Facebook banned new political advertising in week before the election
  • That ban kicked in on October 27
  • Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg was grilled on Capitol Hill on Wednesday

To be in position to be used in days ahead, ads in Facebook library have to have run at least once

Confusion over political ads at Facebook marred the onset of what was supposed to be a cooling period ahead of the US presidential election.

Mistakes implementing a ban on new paid advertisements at Facebook during the week leading up to November 3 had rival parties complaining the leading social network was undermining campaign efforts.

Advertisement

"We're investigating the issues of some ads being paused incorrectly, and some advertisers having trouble making changes to their campaigns," Facebook product manager Rob Leathern said in a tweeted message when the ban kicked in on Tuesday.

"We're working quickly on these fixes."

California-based Facebook has tightened its rules on political advertising ahead of the 2020 election. In particular, it has prohibited attempts to undermine the electoral process.

Advertisement

The social media network also banned new political advertising in the week before the November 3 election. That ban kicked in on October 27.

Political advertisements could sidestep the ban by getting in position at Facebook prior to the deadline, with those behind them deciding when to activate them.

Advertisement

President Donald Trump's campaign displayed in a paid posts library at Facebook included what appeared to be a victory advertisement.

The animated advertisement showed a cartoon sunrise along with a smiling Trump head atop a flitting bird and a soundtrack featuring an agonised cry of "No" after the claim Trump was still president.

Advertisement

Megan Clasen, a senior media advisor for Democratic presidential contender Joe Biden, tweeted a screen capture of a Trump ad with a picture of  the president and a message that "Election Day Is Today."

Former vice president Joe Biden's campaign was told by Facebook they could not launch advertisements saying election day was "today" or even "tomorrow," Clasen said in the tweet.

To be in position to be used in the days ahead, advertisements in the Facebook library have to have run at least once, if even to a just a very limited audience.

"When Facebook's latest ad policies were announced, we warned that they contained major loopholes that would likely enable election misinformation," said Media Matters president Angelo Carusone.

"Now we are seeing those warnings come to life."

Democratic political strategist Eric Reif put out word on Twitter that he and other were working to have advertisements mistakenly removed by Facebook restored at the social network.

Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg was grilled on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, with decisions regarding political content a hot button topic.


Are iPhone 12 mini, HomePod mini the Perfect Apple Devices for India? We discussed this on Orbital, our weekly technology podcast, which you can subscribe to via Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or RSS, download the episode, or just hit the play button below.

Affiliate links may be automatically generated - see our ethics statement for details.
 

Get your daily dose of tech news, reviews, and insights, in under 80 characters on Gadgets 360 Turbo. Connect with fellow tech lovers on our Forum. Follow us on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News for instant updates. Catch all the action on our YouTube channel.

Advertisement

Related Stories

Popular Mobile Brands
  1. OnePlus 16 Said to Feature 185Hz Refresh Rate Display
  2. Snap Launches Specs AR Glasses With a Built-In Display at This Price
  3. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide IMDA Certification Hints at Imminent Launch
  4. Motorola Razr Fold Review: The Best First-Generation Foldable Ever Made?
  5. Apple's Next Big Bet? AI AirPods and a Redesigned Anniversary iPhone
  6. Microsoft Surface, Surface Pro Launched With Snapdragon X2 Chips: See Price
  7. Oppo Reno 16 Series Bags European Certification, Might Launch Globally Soon
  8. Android 17 Brings These New Features to Eligible Google Pixel Devices
  9. Here's Why the iPhone 18 Could Ship With More RAM
  10. OnePlus N6 Confirmed to Launch in India With an 8,000mAh Battery
  1. Micosoft Planned to Shut Ninja Theory Before Senua Was Announced at Xbox Games Showcase: Report
  2. OnePlus N6 Will Launch in India With the Same Battery as the Higher-End OnePlus Nord CE 6
  3. Google's Wear OS 7 Update Rolls Out to Pixel Watch With Live Updates, Better Battery Life
  4. Android 17 Starts Rolling Out to Compatible Google Pixel Devices With Bubbles, Screen Reactions and New AI Features
  5. Silo Season 3 OTT Release Date Revealed: When and Where to Watch it Online?
  6. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide Appears on IMDA Database, New Wide Foldable Phone Could Arrive Soon
  7. Xiaomi 18 Pro Could Launch Before Standard Xiaomi 18 Model, Tipster Claims
  8. Google Pixel Drop for June Brings Android 17’s Real-Time Screen Reactions, Bubbles Features to Pixel Phones
  9. iPhone 18 to Launch With More RAM to Enable Support for More Advanced Siri AI Features: Report
  10. Cryptocurrency Prices Stabilise as US Fed Rate Cut Outlook Guides Investor Sentiment
Download Our Apps
Available in Hindi
© Copyright Red Pixels Ventures Limited 2026. All rights reserved.