Facebook expands availability of political ad transparency tools

Facebook on Tuesday announced it’s expanding the availability of a number of ad transparency tools associated with politics and social issues on the platform.

In an atmosphere where misinformation and political agendas can easily be spread on social media, transparency can help users understand the source of information they consume online, especially during government elections. In order to achieve this level of transparency, Facebook is now bringing its “paid for by” disclaimer and Ad Library API to global users.

The disclaimer shows users authorised companies and organisations paying for the ads they see, while the API will help analysts and researches access information to “hold advertisers and Facebook accountable”.

“Beginning today, we will systematically detect and review ads in Ukraine and Canada through a combination of automated and human review,” the company also revealed.

Though it will also roll out this accountability initiative in Argentina and Singapore in the coming months, Facebook will not be actively reviewing ads in many of the countries now supported by ad transparency features.

“However, we strongly encourage advertisers in those countries to authorize and add the proper disclaimers, especially in a rapidly evolving regulatory landscape,” the company said. These countries include several African regions, including South Africa.

“We’ll continue to partner with governments, civil organizations and electoral authorities to protect the integrity of elections worldwide,” Facebook concluded.

Feature image: Memeburn