Skip to main content
  • Online media
  • Tariffs
  • Epstein
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • RSS
  • Take Action
  • Search
  • Donate

Media Matters for America

  • News & Analysis
  • Research & Studies
  • Audio & Video
  • Archives

Media Matters for America

  • Nav
  • Search
  • News & Analysis
  • Research & Studies
  • Audio & Video
  • Archives
  • Online media
  • Tariffs
  • Epstein
  • Take Action
  • Search
  • Donate
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • RSS
Facebook_Ads_False_News.png

Melissa Joskow / Media Matters

Facebook's political ad ban before Election Day is a public relations stunt

Written by Media Matters Staff

Published 09/03/20 9:53 AM EDT

This morning, Facebook announced a new policy saying that it would bar new political ads one week before Election Day. 

In reaction to this announcement, Media Matters president Angelo Carusone issued the following statement:

Facebook’s new ad policy announcement is designed to fool the media and the public into thinking the company is taking disinformation seriously; this new policy is pointless - and may even do more harm than good.

For starters, of all of the issues with disinformation and extremism on Facebook -- political ads are at the bottom of the list. Facebook’s signal-boosting right-wingers and lax policy enforcement are much bigger issues: It wasn't Facebook’s political ads that brought the Kenosha killer to Wisconsin, after all.

Make no mistake -- you can still spread misinformation with political ads on Facebook, you just can’t do it with NEW ads just ONE week before Election Day. According to this new policy, political ads that have at least one impression prior to October 27th can be rerun and re-targeted to new groups during the week of Election Day.  

Facebook’s policy will only further empower those seeking to do harm, while weakening the ability of outside forces to counteract attacks and misinformation, something that has proven necessary given Facebook's weak enforcement. 

This is just another PR stunt from Facebook. Don’t buy it.

Media Matters named Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg Misinformer of the Year back in 2017.

 

The Latest

  1. PBD Panelist says right-leaning comedian Dave Smith calling Trump a “traitor” over waging a war with Iran is equivalent to “the N-word for your leader”

    Video & Audio 02/28/26 4:52 PM EST

  2. Daily Wire host: “Trump is putting himself in a similar position to Bush. However, what I guess his argument is we're going to do it well.”

    Video & Audio 02/28/26 3:36 PM EST

  3. Benny Johnson: “I was promised that this wouldn't turn into a larger regional conflict. It's hard to believe that at this point. And it wouldn't turn into American boots on the ground. It's hard to believe that.”

    Video & Audio 02/28/26 3:07 PM EST

  4. Steve Bannon guest Mike Davis warns against Trump getting authorization for war from Congress: “There are serious implications for civil liberties if that happens”

    Video & Audio 02/28/26 12:52 PM EST

  5. The final case for US strikes on Iran from Mark Levin and Sean Hannity

    Article 02/28/26 10:53 AM EST

Pagination

  • Current page 1
  • …
  • Next page ››

In This Article

  • Facebook / Meta

    Facebook-MMFA-Tag.png
  • Angelo Carusone

    Angelo Carusone

Related

  1. On Deadline: White House, Angelo Carusone discusses the role of right-wing influencers in amplifying Trump’s conspiracy theories about elections

    Video & Audio 02/25/26 6:28 PM EST

  2. On Deadline: White House, Angelo Carusone discusses what Stephen Colbert and CBS reveal about the Trump administration’s role in media decisions

    Video & Audio 02/18/26 7:34 PM EST

  3. On The Weeknight, Angelo Carusone discusses the Trump administration’s efforts to silence media critics

    Video & Audio 02/17/26 8:08 PM EST

Media Matters for America

Sign Up for Email Updates
  • About
  • Contact
  • Corrections
  • Submissions
  • Jobs
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • RSS

© 2026 Media Matters for America

RSS