Meta’s content moderation shake-up: What it means for advertisers

New Delhi: While Meta’s shift to a community-driven moderation system, similar to X’s Community Notes, awaits a global rollout, it has already raised concerns among Indian advertisers.

The social networking giant will replace third-party fact-checkers on Facebook, Threads, and Instagram with user-added notes.

The new policy, rolling out first in the US, highlights the need for proactive monitoring and using Meta’s brand safety tools to avoid brand reputation hits. 

Global implementation of the new content moderation policy will depend on local laws and cultural nuances.

However, with less content being filtered, brands face a heightened risk of their ads appearing alongside objectionable or harmful content. Association with controversial or offensive content could negatively impact a brand's image and alienate consumers.

It is to be noted that Elon Musk's similar move towards a more hands-off approach to content moderation on X triggered an advertiser exodus. Brands were spooked by the proliferation of hate speech and misinformation, leading to a significant drop in ad revenue. This serves as a stark reminder of the potential consequences when free speech trumps brand safety.

Having said that, Meta's dominance in the Indian social media landscape presents a unique challenge. Unlike X, where many advertisers could afford to pull back, Meta's platforms, Facebook and Instagram, are deeply ingrained in most marketing strategies. This leaves Indian advertisers in a precarious position, forced to weigh the potential benefits against the very real risks.

Leveraging Meta's granular targeting options will become even more critical. Advertisers will have to ensure their messages reach the intended audience while steering clear of sensitive or controversial content.

In light of the new policy, advertisers will have to:

• Refine targeting: Utilise Meta's advanced targeting options to ensure ads reach the desired audience and avoid sensitive content.
• Monitor placements: Actively monitor where ads appear and leverage Meta's brand safety tools to prevent undesirable associations.
• Review content guidelines: Revisit and adjust creative guidelines to align with the evolving content landscape on Meta's platforms.
• Reputation damage: Association with controversial or offensive content could negatively impact a brand's image and alienate consumers.
• Measurement challenges: The shift in content dynamics might complicate campaign performance analysis and measurement.