Meta disclosed additional details on its advertising guidelines concerning the upcoming global election cycle and the utilization of artificial intelligence in ad development.
According to Nick Clegg, Meta’s president of global affairs, advertisers worldwide will be mandated to reveal the use of AI or similar digital editing methods in modifying political or social issue ads under specific circumstances. Furthermore, Meta will implement a temporary ban on new political, electoral, and social issue ads during the final week of U.S. elections.
Clegg elaborated on the revised ad policies in a recent blog post, emphasizing their alignment with the platform’s historical approach to advertising regulations during election periods. Notably, the emergence of AI technologies in crafting computer-generated content marks a distinctive feature of the forthcoming election season. Starting next year, Meta will enforce transparency by requiring advertisers to disclose any application of AI or related digital editing techniques in creating or altering political or social issue ads, particularly those containing digitally manipulated photorealistic visuals or audio.
The move comes in response to mounting concerns over the potential misuse of AI to fabricate misleading content, a phenomenon that has garnered criticism in the past. Meta’s decision to address this issue reflects a shift towards greater accountability in combating misinformation and deceptive advertising practices on its platforms.
In light of these developments, Meta’s decision to halt the dissemination of new political ads during the final week of U.S. elections underscores its commitment to safeguarding the integrity of the electoral process. This temporary restriction, consistent with previous election cycles, aims to mitigate the impact of potentially misleading or manipulative content in the crucial days leading up to the elections, with normal ad operations resuming post-election day.
