Facebook to temporarily stop posting political ads in US after presidential election

In a bid to counter fake news and misinformation campaigns, Facebook on Wednesday said it will stop carrying political advertisements in the US for an undefined period post the presidential election in the United States. 

"(Though) ads are an important way to express voice, we plan to temporarily stop running all social issue, electoral or political ads in the US after the polls close on November 3, to reduce opportunities for confusion or abuse," Facebook, in a blogpost said. 

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Earlier, the social media giant vowed to prevent posting new political ads a week before the November 3 election. 

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The blog also said that Facebook would also add "specific information" on posts if a candidate or party declares "premature victory"

" (If) a candidate or party declares premature victory before a race is called by major media outlets," it said, "we will add more specific information in the notifications that counting is still in progress and no winner has been determined."

On Thursday, the social media giant took a crackdown on fake accounts that were praising US President Donald Trump. 

Facebook said it has banned US marketing firm Rally Forge for coordinating the "inauthentic behaviour", by way of bogus accounts to comment on news pieces rather than publishing their own article. 

It included criticism of Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden and appreciation of Trump and his Republican party.