Twitter Friday unveiled the details of a previously announced far-reaching global policy that bans campaign advertising as well as ads of any type from political figures and groups, and puts strict limits around other types of paid messaging that have a political dimension.<\/p>\n
The move comes as social platforms in the United States are under intense scrutiny over their handling of political ads, set against the fraught 2020 presidential contest.<\/p>\n
\u201cPolitical reach should be earned and not bought,\u201d said Vijaya Gadde, Twitters head of legal and policy at Twitter during a press call \u2014 drawing a contrast with Facebook, which has rejected calls for a similar ban, contending that political advertising is an important element of free expression that benefits political challengers and grassroots campaigns.<\/p>\n
Twitter is banning all ads that mention specific candidates, elections, or legislation. The ban on any advertising applies to campaigns, government officials, PACs and 501(c)(4) groups \u2014 that is, nonprofits designated for tax purposes as somehow promoting social welfare, a broad category covering groups spanning from the Sierra Club to Koch-backed Americans for Prosperity.<\/p>\n
The total ban on political ads, however, does not extend to so-called issue ads \u2014 \u201ccause-based\u201d advertising in Twitter parlance \u2014 addressing topics like \u201ceconomic stewardship\u201d or \u201ceconomic growth,\u201d according to a fact sheet the company supplied to press. While those issue ads will be allowed from any advertisers not otherwise prohibited from buying ads, there are significant new restrictions on their messaging and reach.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe very much believe that cause-based advertising has value and can help drive conversation around important topics,\u201d said Del Harvey, Twitters vice president of trust and safety, but \u201cwere really trying to ensure there isnt an attempt to game our political content policy through cause-based advertising.\u201d<\/p>\n