Last month, Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, announced its plans for a restriction period on advertisements related to social issues, elections, and politics in the United States. This policy, consistent with Meta's approach during previous US elections, aims to limit the spread of potentially misleading information in the final days leading up to the 2024 general election.
Restriction period timeline
The restriction period for US political ads will be in effect from 12:01 AM PT on Tuesday, October 29, 2024, through 11:59 PM PT on Tuesday, November 5, 2024. During this time, no new ads about social issues, elections, or politics can be published, and most edits to existing ads will be prohibited.
Neil Shrimanker, a representative for Meta, stated, "The rationale behind this restriction period remains the same as previous years – in the final days of an election, we recognize there may not be enough time to contest new claims made in ads."
Requirements for running ads during the restriction period
To run ads about social issues, elections, or politics in the US during the restriction period, advertisers must meet several criteria:
- Ads must be created by a US-based advertiser who has completed Meta's authorization process.
- Ads must have cleared the ad review process.
- Ads must have delivered at least one impression prior to 12:01 AM PT on Tuesday, October 29, 2024.
Permitted actions during the restriction period
While new ads cannot be created, advertisers with existing approved ads can make limited adjustments:
- Modify bid amounts
- Adjust budget amounts
- Change scheduled end dates
- Pause or unpause ads that served at least one impression before the restriction period began
Prohibited actions during the restriction period
From October 29 to November 5, 2024, advertisers cannot:
- Edit or upload new video or image assets
- Modify website URLs or display links
- Change ad text, headlines, descriptions, or call-to-action buttons
- Alter the Facebook Page or Instagram account associated with the ad
- Modify targeting parameters or custom audiences
- Change campaign objectives or disclaimers
Key dates for advertisers
Meta has outlined important deadlines for advertisers to ensure compliance:
- October 15, 2024: Complete the ad authorization process and set up approved disclaimers
- October 22, 2024: Submit ads for review to ensure delivery of at least one impression before the restriction period
- October 29, 2024 (12:01 AM PT): Restriction period begins
- November 5, 2024 (11:59 PM PT): Restriction period ends
- November 6, 2024 (12:00 AM PT): New ads about social issues, elections, or politics can resume
Ad review process
Meta's standard review timelines for political ads remain unchanged:
- Up to 48 hours for ID review as part of the authentication process
- Up to 72 hours for ad review
- Up to 24 hours for disclaimer review
Transparency measures
To increase transparency, Meta requires Pages running ads about social issues, elections, or politics to designate who is responsible for the Page. This information will be publicly available in the Ad Library and on the Page's transparency section.
Key Facts
- Restriction period: October 29, 2024 (12:01 AM PT) to November 5, 2024 (11:59 PM PT)
- No new political ads allowed during the restriction period
- Existing ads must have delivered an impression before October 29, 2024
- Limited edits allowed for approved ads during the restriction period
- Advertisers must complete authorization process by October 15, 2024
- Ad submissions recommended by October 22, 2024
- Normal ad operations resume on November 6, 2024