Facebook to let users turn off political adverts (bbc.co.uk)

Article summary

Facebook will allow users to turn off political adverts on the social network in the run-up to the 2020 US election. This feature will start rolling out on Wednesday and will be available to all US users over the next few weeks. Facebook also plans to launch a new information hub, called The Voting Information Center, to provide users with reliable information about voting and elections. The company aims to help four million Americans sign up as new voters.

Main themes

• political ads
• Facebook and politics
• voter registration
• free speech
• election interference
• social media regulation

What commenters say

• The ability to turn off political ads is a welcome feature, but it may not be effective if it is not easily accessible or if it is enabled by default.
• The move is seen as an attempt by Facebook to address its perceived interference in politics without hampering its ad revenue.
• Some argue that the real issue is not the ads themselves, but the fact that political campaigns rely heavily on money and advertising.
• Others believe that Facebook's efforts to encourage voter registration may not be entirely neutral and could potentially increase turnout in certain demographics.
• There are concerns that the opt-out option may not be enough to address the issue of political ads, and that more comprehensive solutions are needed.
• Some commenters think that the focus should be on creating a system where all candidates have equal exposure and budget, rather than relying on advertising.
• Others argue that restricting political ads or speech during campaigns could infringe on the right to free speech.
• The effectiveness of Facebook's measures in addressing the issue of political interference is questioned, with some arguing that it may just provide political cover for the company.