The Advertising Policy of Facebook provide guidance on what types of ad content are allowed. When advertisers place an order, such ad is reviewed in adherence to facebook’s advertising policies. Violating the ad policies may lead to enforcement action against advertisers profile, associated Pages, and/or ad accounts. Enforcement actions may include:
- Disabling of associated Pages.
- Disabling of existing ads.
- Restricting the ability to run new ads.
- Restricting the ability to merge Pages.
- Revoking of authorization for running issue, electoral or political ads.
The process for review of Advertisement
Before advertisers appear on Facebook , they’re reviewed to make sure that they meet Facebook’s Advertising Policies. Typically, most advertisers are reviewed within 24 hours, although in some cases, it may take longer.
During the review process, Facebook checks the advertiser(s) :
- Images.
- Text.
- Targeting and positioning.
- The content on advertiser(s) landing page.
Advertisers may not be approved if the landing page content isn’t fully functional, or doesn’t match the product or service promoted by them or does not fully comply with Facebooks’ Advertising Policies.
After the advertisement has been reviewed advertisers receive a notification letting them know whether their advertisement has been approved.
If it’s approved, Facebook starts running the advertisement.
Steps to take if the ad is disapproved
If the ad has not been approved due to not fully complying with Facebook policies, the advertiser can edit it and resubmit it for review
Prohibited content in the advertisement is subject to termination/ removal/ dismissal of the ad from Facebook at its sole discretion.
Prohibited content is as follows:
- Community Standards: Advertisers must not violate the Community Standards of Facebook. It should adhere to the Ad policies of Facebook with respect to the Community Standards. It should abide by all the applicable laws.
- Illegal products or services: Advertisers must not constitute, facilitate or promote illegal products, services or activities. They are not subject to target the minors, must not promote products, services or content that are inappropriate, illegal or unsafe, or that exploit, mislead or exert undue pressure on the age groups targeted.
- Discriminatory practices: Ads must not discriminate or encourage discrimination against people based on personal attributes such as race, ethnicity, colour, national origin, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, family status, disability, medical or genetic condition. Facebook prohibits advertisers from using the ads products to discriminate against people.
This means that advertisers may not:
(1) Use the audience selection tools to
(a) wrongfully target specific groups of people for advertising.
(b) exclude specific groups of people from seeing their ads wrongfully.
(2) Include discriminatory content in their ads.
Facebook require advertisers to adhere to the applicable laws that prohibit discrimination. Such applicable laws include laws that prohibit discrimination against groups of people in connection with, for example, offers of housing, employment and credit.
Any advertiser from the United States or any advertiser targeting the United States who is running credit, housing or employment ads, must self-identify as a Special ad category as it becomes available, and run such ads with approved targeting options.
- Tobacco and related products: Facebook says such Ads must not promote the sale or use of tobacco products and related products. For example: electronic cigarettes, vaporizers or any other products which simulate smoking.
Do’s: Blogs or groups related to tobacco. Such service should not lead to the sale of tobacco or tobacco-related products.
Anti-smoking campaigns and e-books, counselling services for smoking addiction and smoking rehabilitation programmes or facilities.
Don’t: Tobacco or related products such as cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco, tobacco pipes, hookahs, hookah lounges, rolling papers, vaporiser devices and electronic cigarettes.
“Buy cigarettes and e-cigarettes here today!”
- Drugs and drug-related products: Ads must not promote the sale or use of illegal, prescription or recreational drugs. Example: bongs, rolling papers and vaporiser devices
- Unsafe supplements: Facebook restricts the Advertisers from promoting the sale or use of unsafe supplements, as determined by Facebook at its sole discretion.
- Weapons, ammunition or explosives: Facebook Ads shall not promote the sale or use of weapons, ammunition or explosives. This includes ads for weapon modification accessories. Use of such content in the ad will subject to the violation of the ad policy of Facebook.
- Adult products or services: Advertisers must not promote the sale or use of adult products or services unless they promote family planning and contraception. The Advertisement for contraceptives should focus on the contraceptive features of the product rather than sexual pleasure or sexual enhancement. Such ad must be targeted to people aged 18 years or older.
- Adult Content: Ads must not contain adult content, such as nudity, depictions in explicit or suggestive positions, activities that are overly suggestive or sexually provocative.Ads that imply an ability to meet someone, connect with them or view content created by them must not be depicted in a sexual manner or with an intention to sexualise the person featured in the ad. Examples of sexually suggestive content include: Nudity/implied nudity, Excessive visible skin or cleavage, images focused on an individual’s body parts such as abs, buttocks or chests, dating ads which focus on a partially clothed model.
- Misinformation/ Misleading: Advertisers are prohibited by Facebook from repeatedly posting false information to advertise on Facebook. Advertisers must not mislead the users. They should provide accurate and relevant information.
- Grammar and profanity: Symbols, numbers and letters must be used appropriately. Correct grammar and punctuation in the text are promoted. The advertiser must avoid excessive symbols, characters or punctuation.
- Personal Health: Ads must not contain images comparing “before-and-after” directing unexpected or unlikely results. Ad content must not imply negative self-perception in order to promote diet, weight loss or other health-related products.
- Sale of body parts: Such Ads should not promote the sale of human body parts or fluids.
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