Facebook will temporarily block US political adverts on the social media platform when polls close on Election Day, the company announced on Wednesday.
The restrictions expand efforts to limit political dis- and misinformation around US elections following threats from Donald Trump and his supporters to undermine the results of the presidential election as well as vote-by-mail efforts.
Facebook also said it would remove calls for people to engage in poll watching when those calls use militarised language or suggest that the goal is to intimidate, exert control, or display power over election officials or voters.
During the first presidential debate, the president also urged his supporters to go into the polls and watch very carefully as he echoed baseless conspiracies about voter fraud.
In the event that the president, who commands a massive audience on social media platforms, declares victory before the results are collected, the company said it would send notifications to Facebook and Instagram users on election night with the latest results.
When polls close, the company will attach labels to candidates posts directing people to Facebooks Voting Information Centre.
Facebook also announced that it had removed more than 120,000 pieces of content that violated its voter interference policies, and added warnings to more than 150 million other pieces of content debunked by fact checking organisations.
Facebook also is coordinating with state attorneys general and other federal, state and local law enforcement officials responsible for election protection.
These efforts are part of our ongoing coordination with law enforcement and election authorities at all levels to protect the integrity of the election.
Original article