Facebook has been one of the best platforms for politicians and their adversaries in distributing fake news and propaganda.
Considering the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in India, the social platform to start from next month placing electoral ads in a searchable online library containing contact information of ad buyers or their official regulatory certificates.
Facebook said Tuesday to be extending some of the political advertising rules and tools to curb election interference in the countries which are having elections including Nigeria, Ukraine and European Union.
In Nigeria only those ads will be considered runing the advertisers of which are located in the country. Same will go into effect in Ukraine too.
Nigeria to hold presidential election on February 16 and Ukraine on March 31.
Product management director Rob Leathern said, “We’re learning from every country… We know we’re not going to be perfect, but our goal is continuing ongoing improvement.”
The company added they are still weighing policies for countries like Indonesia, Australia, Philippines and Israel as these too are to hold elections in 2019.
Facebook’s director of global politics and outreach, Katie Harbath, said they are focused to get a global solution and so are looking at the different elections.
She said, “And so, until we can get to that in June, we had to look at the different elections and what we think we can do.”
