Facebook announced on a new online resource for voters that’s intended to facilitate voting by mail and limit the spread of election-related disinformation ahead of the November presidential election.
The move comes as President Trump has intensified attacks on mail-in voting and made unfounded claims that it could lead to widespread fraud.
The company’s new Voting Information Center, to be launched on Facebook and Instagram, is intended as a “one-stop-shop,” according to Facebook, where Americans can register to vote, check voting information, and sign up as poll workers. Facebook previously announced a goal of registering more than four million new voters ahead of Election Day.
“People are understandably concerned about the impact that a crowded polling place might have on their health and safety, and this has already caused many states to make changes to their voting process by expanding early voting and the vote by mail option,” said Naomi Gleit, Facebook’s vice president of Product and Social Impact, in a call with reporters. “Bottom line, we want to help every eligible voter in the U.S. who uses our platform vote this year.”
Gleit said the hub’s offerings would change over time – prioritizing information about early voting and registration now and closer to Election Day, guidance about voting by mail for people looking to avoid crowded polling places. The information center will also allow state and local election officials to send updates and alerts directly to voters via the platform.
To stem the spread of misinformation, Facebook said it would feature vetted information in partnership with the Bipartisan Policy Center on topics including mail-in voting, the timing of election results, and how the COVID-19 pandemic could affect the election process.