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Facebook has blocked over 2 million ads that looked to obstruct US voting

With the US elections drawing closer, social media platforms have had to batten down the hatches as threats of meddling begin to show their head.

At the weekend Facebook’s vice president of global affairs and communications, Nick Clegg, revealed just how seriously Facebook is taken the threat of foreign actors influencing the US elections.

To that end, Facebook has rejected some 2.2 million adverts for Facebook and Instagram that attempted to obstruct voting in the forthcoming elections. In addition 120 000 posts were withdrawn for the same reason.

Misinformation and fake news also drew Facebook’s ire with warnings being placed on some 150 million posts.

The Facebook VP told Journal du Dimanche (paywall) that the firm is better prepared for the election this time around compared to in 2016. According to Clegg, Facebook has learned from elections around the world about how best to insure things remain above board.

Artificial intelligence is also being used to delete posts before they can be seen by users.

Facebook is also working with 70 media partners to verify information posted on the platform.

While this is all well and good, one has to wonder whether Facebook will implement these protections with as much resolve to police elections in other parts of the world.

The forthcoming US elections might prove to be a litmus test for whether Facebook and indeed other social media platforms can remain non-partisan during elections.

[Via – The Guardian]

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