In an op-ed for USA Today, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg unveiled new plans aimed at encouraging people to vote and a feature that will allow users to opt out of political ads on the platform. It comes in response to the 2016 election, during which Zuckerberg admitted his company was slow to identify foreign interference on the platform.
Facebook gives users the option to opt out of political ads
Zuckerberg says: "With so much of our discourse taking place online, I believe platforms like Facebook can play a positive role in this election by helping Americans make their voices heard where it matters most: by voting. On Wednesday, we're announcing the largest voting information campaign in U.S. history. Our goal is to help 4 million people register to vote."
Turn off the ads: If you’re tired of all the political ads in your feed, Zuckerberg says, you can just turn them off. You can’t avoid the information, though: “We’ll still remind you to vote.”
Voting Information: To that end, the company is creating a new Voting Information Center with “authoritative” information on how and when to vote, including details on voter registration, voting by mail and early voting. It will feature posts from regional election officials to help you understand the process at the local level. It will appear at the top of your News Feed and on Instagram.
