Meta Mandates Disclosure of AI Use in Political Ads for Canadian Elections

Meta's New AI Disclosure Policy for Political Ads

Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has announced a significant policy change regarding political and social issue advertisements on its platforms. In preparation for the upcoming Canadian federal elections, the tech giant will require advertisers to disclose the use of artificial intelligence (AI) or other digital techniques in creating or altering such ads 1

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Scope of the Disclosure Mandate

The new policy is comprehensive in its coverage of AI-generated content. Advertisers must disclose if their ads contain:

1. Photorealistic images, videos, or realistic-sounding audio that have been digitally created or altered to depict real people saying or doing things they didn't actually say or do.
2. Depictions of people who do not exist or realistic-looking events that did not happen.
3. Altered footage of real events or depictions of alleged events that are not true recordings 2

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This move aims to enhance transparency and combat the spread of misinformation, particularly in the context of political campaigns and social issues.

Meta's Evolving Approach to Political Content

The introduction of this policy follows a series of changes in Meta's approach to political content and AI:

• In November 2024, Meta extended its ban on new political ads after the U.S. election, responding to widespread misinformation during the previous presidential election 3

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• In 2023, the company barred political campaigns and advertisers in regulated industries from using its new generative AI advertising products.
• Earlier this year, Meta scrapped its U.S. fact-checking programs and eased restrictions on discussions about contentious topics, following pressure from conservatives.

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Impact of AI on Meta's Platforms

Despite these policy changes, Meta reported in December 2024 that generative AI had limited impact across its apps, failing to build a significant audience or use AI effectively on Facebook and Instagram. However, the company has added a feature allowing users to disclose when they share AI-generated images, videos, or audio, which Meta can then label accordingly 1

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Implications for Future Elections

As AI technology continues to advance and its potential for creating convincing fake content grows, Meta's new policy represents a proactive step in addressing the challenges of misinformation in political advertising. This approach could set a precedent for how social media platforms handle AI-generated content in future elections worldwide, balancing the benefits of technological advancements with the need for transparency and trust in political discourse.