Facebook to Stop News Headline Changes From Advertisers

Facebook confirmed the internal effort in the face of concerns over a BBC headline altered in an ad.

Advertisement
By Agence France-Presse | Updated: 17 September 2019 12:46 IST

Facebook said Monday it is working to stop advertisers from changing headlines in links to news stories after concerns raised by a British political party's altering of one such link.

The leading social network confirmed the internal effort in the face of concerns over a BBC headline altered in an ad to evidently change the tone of an article about British government spending on education.

"We are working to put safeguards in place by the end of the year to ensure publishers have control over the way their headlines appear in advertisements," Facebook said in response to an AFP inquiry.

Advertisement

The new policy came over complaints that advertisers might be able to deceptively modify the content in news stories shared on the huge social network.

Advertisement

A recent Conservative Party Facebook ad "seems to have altered the headline of a BBC News article on an education spending announcement to make the government appear more generous than it is being," British fact-checking charity organisation Full Fact said in an online post.

The fact-check group said the altered headline was  "misleading" by making the funding "seem comparatively much larger than it really is."

Advertisement

Facebook and other Internet firms have been under pressure to prevent their online platforms from being used to for deception or social manipulation, particularly regarding political issues.

Ads that appear crafted to deceive are typically removed from Facebook, but remain for as long as seven years in the social network's ad library.

Advertisement

The move comes with Facebook acting on several fronts to curb efforts to manipulate content and opinion on political issues.

Stealth campaigns linked to Russia that used online social networks and other platforms were tailored to sway voters ahead of the 2016 presidential election that put Donald Trump in the White House.

The social network last month tightened rules for political ad spending in US elections, notably by requiring more information about who is paying for campaign messages.

 

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.

Further reading: Facebook
Advertisement

Related Stories

Popular Mobile Brands
  1. Raktabeej 2 Arrives on OTT Platforms This November: All You Need to Know
  2. James Webb Telescope May Have Found the First Stars of the Universe
  1. Goodbye June OTT Release Date Revealed: When, Where to Watch Kate Winslet, Helen Mirren-Starrer Online
  2. Raktabeej 2 Arrives on OTT Platforms This November: All You Need to Know About this Action-Thriller
  3. Usurae Now Streaming on OTT: Plot, Cast, and Everything Else About This Tamil-Language Romantic Drama
  4. Supernova’s First Moments Show Olive-Shaped Blast in Groundbreaking Observations
  5. Intense Solar Storm With Huge CMEs Forced Astronauts to Take Shelter on the ISS
  6. Nearby Super-Earth GJ 251 c Could Help Learn About Worlds That Once Supported Life, Astronomers Say
  7. James Webb Telescope May Have Spotted First Generation of Stars in the Universe
  8. Coming-of-Age Web Series CO-ED to Stream on OTT Soon: Know When, Where to Watch Online
  9. Leonardo DiCaprio’s One Battle After Another Now Available for Rent on Prime Video: All You Need to Know
  10. Ajay Devgn's De De Pyaar De 2 OTT Debut Timeline Tipped: All You Need to Know
Gadgets 360 is available in
Download Our Apps
Available in Hindi
© Copyright Red Pixels Ventures Limited 2025. All rights reserved.