Facebook bans ads from far-right militias in the US such as the Proud Boys and ads from the far-right conspiracy theorist group Qanon, the American news channel CNBC reports.
The advertising bans are the latest step in a campaign against misinformation surrounding the upcoming US presidential election. Earlier in the day, Facebook announced an immediate ban on ads disputing the legitimacy of the election.
In August, Facebook already removed hundreds of group accounts affiliated with Qanon, a loose association of far-right conspiracy theorists who believe the world is run by a circle of Satanists who have targeted President Donald Trump while maintaining a paedophile network.
Qanon-related content will also be pulled down in users’ newsfeeds, Facebook announced. Because supporters of the theory often communicate under the guise of child safety to attract more people, Facebook will now redirect users who enter such search terms to credible sources of child safety.
The measures against far-right armed militias come a day after President Trump refused to part with such groups, including the Proud Boys, in the first election debate against Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden. Facebook then saw an “increase” in content related to the neo-fascist club, classified as a hate group by the civil rights organization Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC).
Far-right militias have repeatedly been responsible for violence against Black Lives Matter protesters, who have taken to the streets across the country to demonstrate against racism and excessive police brutality since the violent death of black arrestee George Floyd in May.
Militia members also tried several times in recent months to intimidate politicians by demonstrating heavily in and around government buildings against corona measures, as happened in May at the Michigan State House.