This archive report was first published on 18 June 2020.
Facebook and Instagram have taken a step to address concerns over misinformation in the US presidential election by introducing a feature that allows users to block political ads in their feeds.
According to a Facebook news release, the block feature will roll out to US users in the next few weeks and will include ads from political action committees (PACs).
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced the move in a statement published in USA Today on Wednesday, saying, 'For those of you who've already made up your minds and just want the election to be over, we hear you.'
However, it's unlikely that Facebook will lose ad revenue from the decision, as the company is one of the largest advertising platforms in the world.
Facebook has faced criticism for allowing candidates to buy ads containing lies or misleading claims, including ads from President Donald Trump's campaign that were recently pulled due to violating federal regulations.
Despite this, Zuckerberg has maintained that Facebook 'shouldn't be the arbiter of truth of everything that people say online.'
Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden has also called on Facebook to implement rules that prohibit threatening behavior and lies about how to vote, and to fact-check all political advertisements before they appear on the platform.
As part of its efforts to promote voter engagement, Facebook has also launched a Voting Information Center, which aims to help register 4 million people to vote through the platform.
