Facebook Adds Feature That Allows Users Block Political Ads

Social media giant, Facebook, has launched a new feature that allows users to switch off political ads from political groups and individual candidates.

This move by Facebook, which is made available in the United States, follows the intense pressure on the social media platform to curb the spread of false information on the channel without disrupting political debates.

Adding to the voices of those who have called on Facebook to stem the stream of misinformation spread on the platform is Democratic candidate, Joe Biden.

Facebook Vice President of Product Management and Social Impact Naomi Gleit said that the move comes as the country prepares for its presidential elections and that the feature would be rolled out later this year  “in countries where we have enforcement on ads about social issues, elections and politics.”

Speaking on the issue is a University of Hartford professor, Adam Chiara who described the move as a PR thing and that it would make a real impact.

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Adam said that Facebook would score “a victory for not censoring speech”, which only “does nothing to help move away from the toxic speech on the platform.”

He added, “I’m curious how many people will actually opt-out, many Facebook users don’t even change their default privacy settings. How many will take the time to do this?”

Another professor of political communication, Shannon McGregor, at the University of North Carolina said, “This is likely to exacerbate the incumbency advantage.”

“I don’t think policies allowing users to opt-in or out of advertising are positive for democracy,” she added.

Facebook Election Hub

Chief Executive of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg said, in a piece in USA Today, that it would launch “the largest voting information effort in US history” that aims at registering four million voters.

“We’re encouraging people to vote,” he said.

“I believe Facebook has a responsibility not just to prevent voter suppression — which disproportionately targets people of color — but also to actively support well-informed voter engagement, registration and turnout.

“Ultimately, I believe the best way to hold politicians accountable is through voting, and I believe we should trust voters to make judgments for themselves.”