Google and Meta Block Political Ads to Fight Misinformation, But Experts Say It’s Too Late

Facebook, Instagram, Google, and YouTube are tightening controls on political ads to curb misinformation that could affect trust in the election results or provoke unrest. Last week, Meta began blocking new ads about U.S. social issues, elections, or politics across its platforms, including Facebook and Instagram, and recently extended this restriction. Google will also halt U.S. election-related ads after polls close on Tuesday, though the exact duration of this pause is unclear. TikTok has prohibited political ads since 2019.

Meanwhile, X, previously known as Twitter, lifted its ban on political ads after Elon Musk took ownership and has not introduced any restrictions for the election period. The ad pauses aim to prevent candidates and their supporters from influencing public opinion or declaring early victory during what may be a prolonged counting period. However, some experts warn that previous reductions in content safety teams by social media companies could weaken these efforts.

The restrictions arrive as election officials continue fighting widespread misinformation, including claims of voting machine issues and mail-in ballot fraud. Federal officials have also cautioned that domestic extremists with election-related grievances could resort to violence. Former President Donald Trump and some of his supporters have already spread false claims of election fraud, heightening concerns. The rise of AI technology has only added to fears of deepfake content influencing public perception.

While the tech platforms have paused some political ads, experts worry this measure may be insufficient, especially since some platforms have cut back on election-related content monitoring since the last election cycle. X, under Musk’s ownership, has become a notable source of misleading claims, undermining its previous reputation for combating misinformation.

Sacha Haworth, executive director of the watchdog Tech Oversight Project, highlighted the “backslide” in social media companies’ preparedness and willingness to manage election-related misinformation. Platforms now risk becoming hubs for false narratives, she noted.

In previous years, major platforms strengthened their safety and integrity teams after online interference was linked to both the 2016 election and the Capitol attack in January 2021. But many have since reversed these policies and reduced their staffing for monitoring false claims. This pullback led to a surge of conspiracy theories following an attempted assassination of Trump and misinformation around hurricane responses.

Under Musk’s management, X has allowed high-engagement, polarizing content to spread widely, which experts say minimizes the impact of any election ad pause. Imran Ahmed, CEO of the Center for Countering Digital Hate, argued that platforms designed to amplify contentious information do not need paid ads to disseminate misinformation.

Other platforms, however, claim they are still working to promote accurate election information. Facebook, Instagram, Google, YouTube, and TikTok say they are actively sharing reliable election resources, such as links to state websites or neutral nonprofits. They also report ongoing efforts to detect and prevent influence operations, especially from foreign actors like Russia and Iran, who have tried to sway U.S. voters through online disinformation campaigns.

Platforms have clarified their policies around election content. YouTube, for instance, restricts content misleading voters on how to vote and promptly removes posts inciting violence. TikTok labels unverified claims to limit their spread and works with fact-checkers to ensure content accuracy. Meta downgrades false content in users’ feeds and provides fact-check labels for additional information.

However, some platforms, including Meta and YouTube, allow non-ad content that declares early victory, though they may add informational panels to such posts. X’s Civic Integrity Policy, effective since August, aims to prevent misleading election content but permits biased or controversial political posts. The policy’s enforcement remains a point of contention, with Musk’s recent post about Biden appearing to push boundaries.

Ultimately, while the platforms have set policies, the challenge lies in consistent enforcement. Musk faced criticism for an X post that joked about assassination, later deleted, and for sharing an AI-altered video of Vice President Kamala Harris.