As the U.S. election nears, tech giants like Meta, Google, and TikTok are tightening their policies on political ads, hoping to curb the spread of misinformation that could destabilize the electoral process. Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, has announced a temporary ban on political ads during the final days leading up to the election, and Google’s YouTube platform is also imposing similar restrictions. However, experts argue that these moves may be too little, too late to address the widespread misinformation that has already spread across social media.
New Ad Restrictions on Social Platforms
Meta’s decision to suspend political ads across its platforms, including Facebook and Instagram, aims to reduce the potential for manipulation in the period following the election when the results might still be undecided. Initially set to lift the ban after Election Day, Meta extended it for several more days. Google followed suit, implementing a similar pause on election-related ads once polling stations closed. TikTok, which has prohibited political ads since 2019, is maintaining its long-standing policy.
Meanwhile, X (formerly Twitter), under Elon Musk’s leadership, reversed its own political ad ban in 2023 and has not announced any restrictions surrounding the upcoming election. This divergence in policy has raised concerns about the effectiveness of these efforts to combat election-related misinformation across the social media landscape.
A Race Against Misinformation
The pause on political ads is meant to prevent political campaigns or their supporters from prematurely declaring victory or spreading false information about the election during the critical period when ballots are still being counted. Yet experts say that while this is a step in the right direction, these actions do little to address the broader, ongoing issue of misinformation that has already deeply infiltrated these platforms.
In the months leading up to the election, false claims regarding mail-in ballots, voting machines, and voter fraud have been rampant across social media channels. The spread of these rumors is often fueled by high-profile figures, including former President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly made unfounded allegations of election fraud. The emergence of AI-generated deepfakes and other manipulated content also makes it harder to discern fact from fiction, further complicating the challenge of maintaining election integrity online.
Despite efforts to pause political ads, experts argue that these measures won’t have a significant impact because social media algorithms are designed to amplify sensational or controversial content—whether it’s true or false. “Stopping paid ads doesn’t stop the organic spread of misinformation,” said Imran Ahmed, CEO of the Center for Countering Digital Hate. “The algorithms are set up to promote the most engaging and polarizing content, whether that content is accurate or not.”
Social Media Platforms Cut Back on Content Moderation
Much of the problem, experts say, lies in the weakening of content moderation efforts by social media companies over the past few years. After facing backlash for their role in the 2016 election interference and the January 6, 2021, Capitol riots, platforms initially ramped up their efforts to combat misinformation. These efforts included the removal of false claims, the suspension of accounts spreading election-related lies, and the creation of specialized teams focused on safeguarding electoral integrity.
However, many companies have since rolled back these measures. Meta, for example, announced last year that it would no longer remove claims about the 2020 election being “stolen,” a major shift in policy. Similarly, X (formerly Twitter) under Musk’s leadership has shifted its stance on content moderation, allowing more leeway for misleading or polarizing statements, including those related to the election.
These changes, often referred to as the “backslide” in platform policies, have made it easier for misinformation to thrive. For example, false claims about the Biden administration’s handling of natural disasters and the attempted assassination of Trump earlier this year spread widely across platforms. On X, Musk’s own tweets about the election—including claims about immigration and voting—have added fuel to the fire. An analysis by Ahmed’s group found that Musk’s tweets generated more than 2 billion views in just one year.
Are the Efforts Too Late?
With misinformation already rampant, experts believe that the temporary ad pauses are unlikely to stem the tide of false narratives that have already permeated the social media ecosystem. “The misinformation flood has been building for years,” said Ahmed. “It’s too late for a quick fix.”
The damage caused by years of unchecked disinformation is compounded by the very design of social media platforms. The algorithms that power Facebook, Instagram, and other platforms prioritize content that drives engagement—often controversial, misleading, or emotionally charged content. This means that even if platforms stop paid ads, the organic spread of disinformation will likely continue unchecked.
Platforms also face challenges in enforcing their own policies. While TikTok, Meta, and YouTube have all pledged to remove misleading content, critics argue that enforcement remains inconsistent. Meta, for example, claims to label and reduce the reach of false content, but some misleading posts, such as premature victory declarations, are not prohibited outright. On YouTube, while content that promotes violence or incites hatred is removed, videos that prematurely declare winners or spread false election information are often allowed, albeit with informational warnings attached.
X, for its part, has implemented a “Civic Integrity Policy,” but critics argue that the platform still allows for biased or misleading content, particularly when it comes from influential figures like Musk himself. A recent example includes a controversial tweet where Musk implied a connection between the lack of violence against President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. Such remarks have sparked outrage and further underscored concerns about the platform’s commitment to combating harmful content.
Platforms Push for Greater Accountability
Despite the ongoing issues, social media companies continue to claim they are taking measures to ensure election integrity. TikTok has partnered with fact-checkers and labels unverified claims to prevent them from gaining traction. Meta, meanwhile, says it is working to ensure that voters have access to accurate, reliable information, and it takes down content that could interfere with voting, such as misinformation about polling sites or voter intimidation. YouTube has also committed to removing content that undermines the democratic process and promotes conspiracy theories.
Yet, these actions may still fall short of addressing the larger systemic issue. Many experts are calling for a reevaluation of the platforms’ algorithms and a return to more stringent content moderation policies, especially in the lead-up to the election.
Leslie Miller, Vice President of Government Relations at YouTube, emphasized that YouTube would continue to focus on removing harmful content, including any material that could threaten election workers or mislead voters. TikTok, too, says it will work to prevent the spread of false claims about the election and ensure that no content undermines the peaceful transfer of power.
Despite these efforts, the fundamental issue remains: social media platforms are still struggling to control the spread of misinformation once it has taken root. And with election-related disinformation already at a high point, many experts are skeptical that the platforms’ current measures will be enough to stop it in its tracks.
Conclusion: A Critical Moment for Election Integrity
As social media platforms attempt to tackle misinformation through temporary ad bans and content moderation policies, experts argue that the time for effective intervention has long passed. The weakening of content moderation, combined with the viral nature of false claims and the amplification of disinformation by powerful figures, has created an environment where misinformation flourishes.
In the final stretch leading up to the election, it remains to be seen whether these temporary measures will be sufficient to restore trust in the electoral process or whether misinformation will continue to shape public perception. The real challenge for social media platforms will be addressing the long-term spread of false information and reestablishing trust in the digital space.
