Meta quietly updated its policy to allow advertisers on Facebook and Instagram to claim that the 2020 election was rigged, reflecting a similar shift in the tech industry. The change in policy restricts questioning the legitimacy of the American election system unless the advertiser has a credit card. The decision was made based on free-speech considerations, according to unnamed sources at Meta.
Meta made a quiet policy update last year allowing advertisers on Facebook and Instagram to say the 2020 election was rigged. It’s a change that mirrors shifts at Google and the rest of the tech industry. Silicon Valley has made one thing clear: you can’t use their ad systems to question the legitimacy of the American election system — unless you have a credit card , in which case they’re happy to help.
Until recently, Meta’s policy banned ads that claimed widespread voter fraud or “delegitimized an election” as illegal or corrupt. In August 2022, the company made a subtle change that went largely noticed, narrowing its policy to only cover an “upcoming or ongoing election.” Unnamed sources at Meta told the Wall Street Journal that executives made the decision to allow lies about prior elections “based on free-speech considerations.” In other words, Meta will help you scream “Joe Biden stole the last election,” as long as you don’t say something like “so he’ll probably do it again” as if that isn’t an obvious conclusio
Meta Policy Update Advertisers Facebook Instagram 2020 Election Rigged Tech Industry Silicon Valley American Election System Credit Card Free-Speech Considerations