Facebook and Instagram Notifications Will Show the Presidential Election Result

Facebook will put the name of the winner of the 2020 US presidential election on Facebook and Instagram as soon as it is announced by most media. Facebook spokesman Tom Reynolds said the company would also tag presidential candidates' posts with a link to its voting information center.

As Reynolds said, the company plans to "show the candidate's name in notifications at the top of Facebook and Instagram pages that say 'A Presidential Winner Has Been Projected — <name> is the projected winner of the 2020 US Presidential Election".

Reynolds added that Facebook would rely on "a majority opinion from Reuters as well as independent decision desks at major media outlets, including ABC News, CBS News, Fox News, NBC News, CNN, and The Associated Press to determine when a presidential winner is projected."

Facebook previously announced several steps it was taking ahead of November 3 to reduce the spread of misinformation on its platforms. Since November 3, the company has imposed an indefinite ban on political advertising in the United States and froze sales of political advertising ahead of the elections, particularly by banning ads in which any candidate falsely reported their victory. Besides, Facebook removed a 300,000-member group called "Stop the Steal" due to "worrying calls for violence from members of the group," and blocked several hashtags linked to unsubstantiated allegations of electoral fraud.