The American social networking giant Facebook unveiled on Monday 28 January the new tools it intends to put in place to prevent any interference during the European elections next May.
Last September, caught up in the Cambridge Analytica scandal, its CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, assured us that he took very seriously the digital threats to electoral processes (see EUROPE 12097).
The first front on which the social network wants to act is political advertising. “In late March, we will launch new tools to help prevent foreign interference in the upcoming elections and make political advertising on Facebook more transparent,” said Anika Geisel of the Europe cluster in a statement.
Advertisers will also need to obtain permission before purchasing political advertisements and more information about the advertisements themselves will be made available to users.
To broadcast political advertisements or simply advertisements on highly debated topics related to the European elections, advertisers will have to confirm their identity and provide additional information on who is responsible for their advertisements, says the social network.
Facebook has also expanded its 'fact-checking' programme, which now covers content in 16 different languages. When content is classified as “false”, its distribution in news feeds is reduced. In addition, pages noted as regularly sharing false news will have their circulation reduced and will be denied the opportunity to advertise online, he said.
The social network also announced the creation of new operations centres focused on electoral integrity, including one in Dublin.
Nick Clegg, the group's global public affairs director, was in Brussels on Monday to present the new measures. (Original version in French by Marion Fontana)