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Twitter to Restrict How Certain Advertisers Target Users - The Wall Street Journal

Twitter’s new policies show the growing chasm among tech platforms in how they treat political ads. Photo: Jeff Chiu/Associated Press

Twitter Inc. said it would no longer allow certain types of geographic or keyword targeting for advertisers promoting any type of cause, as part of rules aimed at blocking most political-related ads on its platform.

Twitter said Friday geotargeting isn’t allowed at the ZIP Code level nor are advertisers allowed to target users by their political leanings or affiliations, as part of the company’s efforts to limit issues-based advertising. The company defines issues-based ads as those related to civic engagement, economic growth, environmental stewardship or social-equity causes.

The social-media company said for-profit organizations cannot run ads driving political, judicial, legislative or regulatory outcomes and must also follow the new policy, in attempts to eliminate potential loopholes. Twitter officials said the company will likely make mistakes and need to evolve its policy, which will go into effect world-wide Nov. 22.

“We’re moving quickly here because we think the timing is urgent,” said Vijaya Gadde, Twitter’s legal chief, on a conference call with reporters. “We’re addressing the risk we see in coming elections as quickly as possible; because of that, we’ll be rolling out more details over time.” Ms. Gadde added that Twitter plans to build the restrictions into its advertiser interface.

Twitter’s new policies show the growing chasm among tech platforms in how they treat political ads, given the lack of uniform federal rules on the matter.

Twitter Chief Executive Jack Dorsey in late October said the company would stop accepting political and issue ads, such as those from advocacy groups or trade organizations, with exceptions such as those encouraging voter registration. Facebook Inc., meanwhile, continues to allow all political ads to run and doesn’t fact-check statements from politicians. Other platforms also allow ads relating to voter registration or mobilization, but many tech companies consider who is paying for those ads and what words advertisers use in them.

Political advertising accounted for just a fraction of Twitter’s revenues, and the company said the policy changes aren’t anticipated to change its fourth-quarter guidance.

Twitter defines political content as content that references a candidate, political party, elected or appointed government official, election, referendum, ballot measure, legislation, regulation, directive or judicial outcome. Ads that contain references to political content, such as appeals for votes or advocacy for political-related content, are also banned.

Twitter said news publishers can run ads referencing political content so long as it doesn’t advocate for or against those topics or advertisers that are banned, which include candidates, political parties, or elected or appointed government officials.

Twitter will use a mix of technology to identify conversations around these topics and manual monitoring to capture context and nuance, said Del Harvey, vice president of trust and safety at Twitter.

Write to Emily Glazer at emily.glazer@wsj.com

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