After Cambridge Analytica row, Facebook to now verify advertiser's identity

Facebook will not allow political ads on its platform until the advertiser's identity is verified and the entity paying for the message is mentioned, the social media giant has announced, in a bid to improve its transparency and accountability around political campaigns.

The social networking platform, under fire over allegations that it was being used for influencing polls, said those who want to buy political or issue ads will have to reveal their identities and verify where they are.

Facebook announced the move as its CEO Mark Zuckerberg is set to appear before Congress next week to answer questions about the harvesting of personal data on 87 million users by Cambridge Analytica, a British political consultancy working for President Donald Trump's presidential campaign.

"Advertisers will be prohibited from running political ads electoral or issue-based until they are authorised, Facebook said, announcing plans to make advertisements on its platform more transparent.

Facebook data row: Zuckerberg to appear for Senate testimony on April 10

Facebook Inc. Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg will appear before a joint hearing of the Senate Judiciary and Commerce Committees next Tuesday, the chairmen of those panels said on Wednesday night.

“Our joint hearing will be a public conversation with the CEO of this powerful and influential company about his vision for addressing problems that have generated significant concern about Facebook’s role in our democracy, bad actors using the platform, and user privacy,” the Commerce Committee chairman, Senator John Thune of South Dakota, said in a statement.

Zuckerberg had already agreed to appear before the House Energy and Commerce Committee on Wednesday, April 11, the chairman and top Democrat on that committee announced Wednesday.