The advertising dilemma in a post-fact world [Video]

The uneasy feeling that truth itself is on trial has deepened. Donald Trump’s return to power, marked by the executive order against perceived government censorship of social media, casts a long shadow over the already fragile landscape of online information. The mandate, which bars federal officials from “unlawfully limiting free speech,” is being seen as accelerating the spread of misinformation, potentially undoing years of effort to combat its insidious effects. It’s a chilling development that arrives at a pivotal moment for social media giants.

Trump’s directive comes alongside significant shifts in social media practices. Following Elon Musk’s move to community-based moderation on X after his acquisition in October 2022, Meta also recently announced it would abandon third-party fact-checkers in favour of a ‘community notes’ system. 

Cue an influx of misinformation, bots, non-brand-safe content, and potentially a sharp fall in users and advertising revenue, similar to what occurred on X. 

Since …