Facebook bans news outlets which are 'connected to political entities' from its News tab and forces them to undergo 'authorization process' to publish ads about social issues or the election

This could be OK if enforced impartially.  I am betting that it will not be

Facebook is banning US news outlets, with ‘direct meaningful ties’ to political groups, from claiming news exemption when advertising.

These publishers are now required to undergo an authorization process and have a 'Paid for by' disclaimer when running ads about social issues, elections or politics.

Such organizations retain the privilege to register as a news organization and advertising, but will no longer be listed in Facebook’s News tab.

The move is to, according to the firm, ensure these outlets are held to the same standard as political groups.

‘As we head into election season in the U.S., we recognize that there are a growing number of news publications that are connected with different types of political entities, including political parties, PACs, politicians, and other organizations that can primarily engage in the influence of public policy or election,’ Facebook shared in the announcement.

The policy also eliminates these outlets’ access to news messaging on Facebook’s Messenger Business Platform and the WhatsApp business API.

Since the 2016 presidential election, more than 1,200 instances in which political groups masqueraded as a news site to push their views on Americans who believed it was straight news, according to AXIOS which first broke the news on the policy.

Now, without the ability to claim ‘news exemption’ these politically affiliated organizations will be labeled as such – allowing the public to see they are ingesting content paid for by a third-party.

Facebook notes identifying politically connected publishers is a new process for the firm, but has laid out what it feels meets the criteria. This includes being owned by a political group or individual, along with a political person who sits in an executive position at a company and state-controlled media.

However, news publishers can be completely banned from advertising if they repeatedly share misinformation.

Facebook follows after Twitter banned all political advertising earlier this year.

The Jack Dorsey owned firm recently added labels marking the tweets and accounts of 'state-backed media' as well as official government entities, in a move it says will 'increase transparency and accountability.'

The new steps to prevent the spread of content from state-affiliated media used to advance a government's political agenda -- a move affecting key outlets from Russia and China.

Official government accounts, such as the White House, and key government officials tasked with communicating foreign policy abroad will also receive the labels.

SOURCE