Skip to main content
  • Online media
  • Iran
  • 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
  • Iran
  • 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. Sean Hannity says of American boots on the ground in Iran: “They have to leave that option open just in case”

    Video & Audio 03/04/26 9:26 PM EST

  2. Sean Hannity on Trump's war with Iran: “These idiots that actually think that Donald Trump can be told what to do. I mean, when I asked Bibi the question the other night, he laughed”

    Video & Audio 03/04/26 7:14 PM EST

  3. Sean Hannity apologizes to caller for higher gas prices

    Video & Audio 03/04/26 7:07 PM EST

  4. Right-wing media figures have drawn a line on sending American ground troops to Iran. The White House has not ruled them out.

    Research/Study 03/04/26 6:16 PM EST

  5. Alex Jones praises Nick Fuentes: “You're the future, Nick. We're counting on you."

    Video & Audio 03/04/26 4:36 PM 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 fracturing MAGA media coalition over Trump’s war in Iran

    Video & Audio 03/03/26 5:13 PM EST

  2. Angelo Carusone on MSNBC's The Weeknight: “They didn't even trust that Fox News would not ask a question that would somehow knock them off their narrative, because they don't have these answers and they don't want to be confronted by it.”

    Video & Audio 03/02/26 8:21 PM EST

  3. 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

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