Facebook to test more transparent ads in Canada

Canada will be the testbed for Facebook Inc.’s new advertising transparency policies, according to a blog post on Oct. 27. In November Canadian Facebook users will be able to see more information about advertisements found on a brand’s Facebook Page, the post said. These details will include all the ads that which are associated with that page running not just on Facebook, but on its Instagram and Messenger platforms, according to Facebook. As well, it will show “whether or not the person viewing is in the intended target audience for the ad,” said the blog post. The test will begin in Canada and expand to the U.S. by the summer. “Starting in Canada was a natural choice as this effort aligns with our election integrity work already underway there,” said Facebook. Facebook has also announced plans to increase information associated with news posts and penalize false news disseminators. The new system will be more complex for political ads, said the post. Facebook will require more information from groups looking to buy election-related advertising and possibly need their identity and location verified. Much like when political ads run on traditional media, Facebook plans for a “paid for by” disclosure link to be included in every ad with a verified advertiser. When clicked, it will reveal more detailed information about who posted the ad. When the system goes live in the U.S., Facebook also hopes to implement an archive of federal election-related advertisements by the midterm elections. The searchable archive would include information as to how much money was spent on the ads, as well as impressions and demographic data. The social media company said it’s planning on using machine learning tools to suss out advertisers who are not adhering to these new standards.

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Facebook to test more transparent ads in Canada

Brief | October 30, 2017

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