Meta allows Facebook and Instagram ads claiming 2020 election was rigged

Facebook and Instagram are able to run political advertisements questioning the legitimacy of the 2020 presidential election as part of several changes that Meta, the platforms' parent company, has made to loosen 2024 campaign advertising regulations. 

Meta quietly changed its policy last year, but it went largely unnoticed until The Wall Street Journal reported the update Wednesday.

The updated policy allows political advertisers to claim that previous elections were "rigged" or "stolen" but does not allow them to question the legitimacy of upcoming and ongoing elections.

Meta officials reportedly made the decision based on free speech concerns after considering previous U.S. elections that were contested.

In addition to allowing ads questioning the 2020 election, Meta is also adjusting its Facebook algorithm to de-emphasize organic political content.

YouTube made a similar decision earlier this year when it reversed its policy to censor content it deemed to be misinformation about the 2020 election.

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