A political advertising ban targeting Facebook users in Georgia has been reinstated after the state’s two runoff elections, the social media company said.
In a Tuesday update to a blog post explaining the platform’s political ads policy, Facebook said Georgia users will join the rest of the United States to be subject to the ban on political ads. The nationwide ban had been temporarily lifted in Georgia to allow messages of candidates competing for Georgia’s two Senate seats to reach more voters.
“Following the Georgia runoff election, starting early January 6, 2021, we will no longer allow ads about the Georgia runoff elections on our platform in line with our existing nationwide social issues, electoral or political ads pause,” the post read. “Any ads about the Georgia runoff elections will be paused and advertisers will no longer be able to create new ads about social issues, elections, or politics.”
Facebook added that users are encouraged to “post organically” and run ads that are not about social issues, elections, or politics.
The political ads ban on Facebook was introduced at the beginning of October 2020 and took effect after the November presidential election, as part of what the company called an effort to “combat misinformation and other abuses on the platforms.” Facebook extended the ban in mid-November when President Donald Trump challenged the election results based on accusations of widespread voter fraud.
On Dec. 16, Facebook exclusively reopened political advertising for users in Georgia, citing “feedback from experts and advertisers across the political spectrum about the importance of expressing voice.” The ban remained effective for the rest of the country.
Facebook’s move comes as Democratic candidate Raphael Warnock has declared victory in the runoff race against Republican incumbent Sen. Kelly Loeffler, who said there’s still a “path to victory.” The other runoff election, where Republican incumbent Sen. David Perdue faces off his Democratic challenger Jon Ossoff, is too close to be called by the time of this publication.
Warnock, a pastor at the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, claimed himself winner in a live-streamed video in early Wednesday.
“So Georgia I am honored by the faith that you’ve shown in me and I promise you this: tonight I am going to the Senate to work for all of Georgia, no matter who you cast your vote for in this election,” he said in the video.
He said he had “proved that with hope, hard work, and the people by our side, anything is possible.”
