Facebook rolls out new brand safety tools for publishers, creators and advertisers

Following waves of criticism for its political ad policies, Facebook has launched a new set of tools designed to bring transparency and brand safety to the forefront. These include:

Streamlining access to controls. Now, in Business Manager and Ads Manager, advertisers will be able to create blocklists, obtain delivery reports, and set inventory filters at the account-level, rather than applying it one campaign at a time.

Improved delivery reports. The more robust reports allow advertisers to search by account ID or publisher without having to download it. Facebook said it will soon be adding content-level information to the delivery report.

New brand safety partner. Contextual data company Zefr is Facebook’s newest safety partner, joining alongside the ranks of DoubleVerify, Integral Ad Science, and OpenSlate to help ensure the brand safety controls and tools can continue to serve advertisers’ needs.

Dynamic content sets. Facebook is testing in-stream placements that use a content-level white listing tool for advertisers working with Integral Ad Science, OpenSlate, and Zefr. This initial test allows brands to routinely update and adjust the videos available to advertisers based on what works best for the brand.

Publisher White Lists. The company said it’s also testing white lists for advertisers in the Audience Network and with in-stream ads, allowing advertisers to white-list certain publishers for ad placement. Facebook said it plans to roll out the tool more broadly next year.

Why we should care. Facebook has generated concern about its decision not to fact-check political ads as well as the content and news sources that will be featured in the dedicated news section it is testing. The new set of brand safety tools are an attempt give advertisers added controls over how, where, and in what publisher inventory their ads may appear in in-stream and Instant Articles on Facebook or via the Audience Network. These controls add to earlier brand safety initiatives.

About The Author

Taylor Peterson

Taylor Peterson is Third Door Media’s Deputy Editor, managing industry-leading coverage that informs and inspires marketers. Based in New York, Taylor brings marketing expertise grounded in creative production and agency advertising for global brands. Taylor’s editorial focus blends digital marketing and creative strategy with topics like campaign management, emerging formats, and display advertising.