Facebook clarifies Zuckerberg remarks on political ads

Facebook reiterated its policy of not removing misleading or bogus political ads Thursday, clarifying its own policies after CEO Mark Zuckerberg offered Congress confusing and sometimes incomplete testimony on the subject.

On Wednesday, in response to questions from House Financial Services Chairwoman Maxine Waters, Zuckerberg seemed to suggest Facebook did use third-party fact-checkers to verify political ads. He contradicted himself moments later, saying the company did not want to get involved in verifying the truth of political claims.

“Somebody fact- checks on ads? You contract with someone to do that. Is that right?” Waters asked Zuckerberg. “Yes,” he replied.

Later, during an exchange with U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Zuckerberg explained that his company will not remove political ads from candidates — even if false — because he believes voters deserve unfiltered access to the words of politicians. He said exceptions would be made for political ads that encouraged violence or seek to suppress voting.

Facebook on Thursday sought to set the record straight, noting that while will not fact- check political ads from candidates, it does evaluate the accuracy of political ads from political advocacy groups or political action committees.

“In a democracy, people should decide what is credible, not tech companies,” the company wrote in a statement emailed to The Associated Press on Thursday. “That’s why — like other internet platforms and broadcasters — we don’t fact- check ads from politicians.”

Facebook’s policy is similar to those at other internet platforms.

“Given the sensitivity around political ads, we have considered whether we should ban them altogether,” Facebook said in its statement Thursday.