What makes it all the sillier is that Facebook seems to be trying to say that these public ads are private because they’re on Facebook, and only Facebook should review them (though they’re prepared to make noises about moving toward the “broadcast” model).
It’s sickening, really. In every other medium political ads are subject to extraordinary scrutiny from election commissions and the press, but on Facebook, where ads can be targeted in such a way that nobody who disagrees with them can see them even to dispute points of fact, the most they’ll do is tell the readers who get to see them what page paid for them.
What are the disclosure requirements for a Facebook page? If the page is set up by a foreign entity, will Facebook prevent them from advertising for candidates in the US? If it’s a domestic organization, will Facebook require them to be a formally constituted PAC? What about state-level races? Will Facebook voluntarily submit all ads to the governing election commissions for review?
What a farce.
This is precious. I work with non-profit groups, and use paid advertising from time to time. Ads go through a vetting process, though it may be by algorithm, and have had ads flagged for “not meeting standards.” Yeah, like there are too many words in an image and that violates Facebook rules. So, Facebook has rules and CAN use prior restraint, but it can’t stop lies and distortions because that would be prior restraint. More like FB sees that these ads get eyeballs and shares, which is what FB wants because it makes them money. Facebook “ads” are dirt cheap because they bring the eyeballs which see their standard placed ads which are not so cheap. Josh has well noted that eyeballs are another commodity Facebook (and others) are able to exploit in a very different - and hugely profitable - way than traditional advertiser supported media. Facebook absolutely under terms of service could choose to ban ads - it already has the mechanism in place. Arguments about freedom are cute, but likely the audience for these ads is lucrative. Just look at Rushbo and how he profits from his snake oil. It’s all about the $$$$.
