In an age of digital verification, Facebook is going back to basics and will begin mailing postcards this year in an effort to verify the identity of individuals wishing to purchase election-related adverts on its website.

The postcard verification system is one of a number of methods being implemented by the social media giant in an attempt to prevent further voter manipulation and fake news. Will reverting to paper-based methods in a digital age help tackle foreign meddling, or is this a desperate move from the social media giant?

Back to Basics

Although this appears to be an antiquated system of verification, the intent behind this move is clear; the company is going old-school to tackle a digital problem.

If an individual wishes to run an ad-campaign against, say, a senator in Ohio, they will now be subject to more rigorous verification checks. The individual in question will be mailed directly by Facebook with a postcard containing a unique code – this code then has to be verified by both parties involved.

This correspondence between the company and the individual will allow Facebook to establish the address and identity of the purchaser – and crucially, their nationality. It is hoped that this additional verification method will help prevent foreign nationals – Russians in particular – from utilising the social media platform for promoting false content.

Facebook’s global director of policy programs, Katie Harbath, explained the firms motivation behind the mail verification system, stating:

“If you run an ad mentioning a candidate, we are going to mail you a postcard and you will have to use that code to prove you are in the United States.”

Facebook were quick to confirm that this verification process will only apply to election-focused ads, and not to issue-based or promotional ads.

Strict Regulation

Under US-law, foreign nationals are prevented from contributing financially to election or ad-campaigns, with the Federal Election Commission website stating that foreign nationals are prohibited from “Making any contribution or donation of money in connection with any federal, state or local election in the United States.”

Additionally, the consequences for interference are also clear:

“Persons who knowingly and willfully engage in these activities may be subject to an FEC enforcement action, criminal prosecution, or both.”

Russian Indictments

Despite this, evidence is mounting to support the idea that Russian and other foreign nationals were heavily involved in the 2016 election. Last Friday, US courts charged 13 Russian nationals and three Russian firms for meddling in the election campaign – with the indictment claiming that they actively sought to disrupt the political process.

Facebook’s lack of action on this issue during the election campaign has seen the company come under intense scrutiny in the past 18-months, and its’ apparent failure to act upon foreign involvement is an issue Mark Zuckerberg has been keen to address.

In November 2017, Zuckerberg addressed Facebook users directly on the issue, and explained the company’s goal in eliminating the misinformation that has become commonplace, stating:

“We have already launched work enabling our community to flag hoaxes and fake news, and there is more we can do here. We have made progress, and we will continue to work on this to improve further.”