Facebook is developing a new tool that keeps ads away from sensitive posts in your News Feed.
The social media platform is testing ‘subject ban’ controls that allow advertisers to keep marketers free from politics, crime, controversial social issues and other named topics.
It has already started using the controls with a limited number of advertisers.
At the same time, advertisers are urging Facebook to analyze the tone and impact of posts even when they are not near ads.
In the summer of 2020, companies like Coca-Cola and CVS stopped marketing the site in response to hate speech and growing election misinformation on Facebook.
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Facebook is testing ‘topic ban’ controls that allow advertisers to block their marketers from appearing near certain topics. A small number of companies are using the tools but Facebook says development and testing will take much of the year
The theme exclusion tools allow a toy company to block their advertising from appearing near content related to ‘crime and tragedy,’ Facebook explained in a blog post Friday.
‘These controls will help address concerns that advertisers have about their ads appearing in a News Feed alongside specific topics based on their brand suitability preferences.’
Other topics include ‘news and politics’ and ‘social issues.’
Facebook says product development and testing of the controls will exclude the topic of ‘much of the year.’
Subject exclusion controls can remove advertisements from posts entitled ‘politics and news,’ ‘crime and tragedy’ and ‘social issues.’ The tool comes after a controversial campaign season that saw an increase in hate speech, conspiracy theories and misinformation
‘These are new controls, and it’s important that we build them with safeguards to protect people’s privacy while we continue to move forward.’
The new tool is already on other parts of Facebook, including in-stream and in-app video ads on its Audience Network, CNBC reported.
Facebook and other social media companies have been working to develop brand safety tools with the Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM), a powerful consortium of leading advertisers, agencies, media companies and past business organizations. established in 2019.
Its members include Adidas, BP, Diageo, General Mills, Mars Inc., Mastercard, Nestlé, Procter & Gamble, Unilever and Vodafone.
The new topic exclusion controls are at a higher level than Facebook’s efforts to respond to GARM’s recommendations.
Facebook’s new advertising filters come after Facebook talks with the Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM), a powerful consortium of major advertisers, media companies and industry groups that includes Diageo, General Mills and Unilever
‘Providing advertisers with content ban tools to control the content that their ads display alongside the work is extremely important to us, and to our commitment to the industry through GARM, said Carolyn Everson, Facebook VP for global business.
As misinformation, conspiracy theories and hate speech have gone online through organizations like QAnon, GARM has also pushed platforms to discuss how content like this affects society , regardless of whether it has the sponsor.
Last year, at the height of the US presidential campaign season, major advertisers including Coca-Cola, Starbucks, Honda and Microsoft stopped advertising on social media following complaints that Facebook was not enough to misrepresent police and content that incited violence and hatred.
Following the attack on the Capitol building in Washington, DC, earlier this month, Facebook banned ads for weapons and protective equipment decorations until at least two days after the inauguration of President Biden on 20 January.
The ban came after Facebook drew criticism for approving posts that prompted and staged a Jan. 6 attack by supporters of President Donald Trump.
The ban added gun chests, vests and a holster gun to the list of prohibited items that included ammunition, ammunition and weapon upgrades as silence.
Facebook has also banned the creation of any new events on its platform near places like the White House and the U.S. Capitol in Washington, as well as state capitol buildings.
Facebook, which has more than 3 billion users worldwide, has been investing in other tools to nurture legitimate news sources: The company is developing newsletter tools for subscribers. independent reporting as part of the Facebook News Project, according to The New York Times.
Although little-known, the program could allow writers to build a network of Facebook followers and develop paid subscriptions.
The project could launch as early as this summer, the Times reported.