Facebook has announced its commitment to stricter transparency in political advertising in 2019, as major elections approach worldwide. The social media giant aims to prevent foreign interference and provide users with more detailed information about the ads they encounter on its platforms.

Building on previous efforts in the U.S., UK, and Brazil, Facebook now requires political advertisers in these countries to verify their identity and location before running ads. These ads are stored in a searchable public Ad Library for up to seven years. The company will extend similar measures in Nigeria and Ukraine, temporarily banning foreign electoral ads around their elections, starting in January for Nigeria.

Additionally, Facebook plans to launch an Ad Library and enforce advertiser authorizations ahead of India’s general elections in February. By May, the company will introduce transparency tools in the European Union, followed by global rollout by June.

The initiative aims to boost accountability by allowing regulators, watchdogs, and the public to scrutinize political ads more effectively.