Facebook advertising is a popular and effective way for businesses to reach potential customers. When setting up Facebook ads, advertisers are required to provide certain information to verify their identity. This raises the question – does Facebook ads require an ID?
The Short Answer
The short answer is yes, Facebook does require advertisers to submit ID to run ads on their platform. This ID verification is part of Facebook’s advertising policies aimed at increasing transparency and accountability.
Facebook’s Advertiser ID Policy
In 2018, Facebook implemented a new policy requiring advertisers to verify their identity and location to run ads on Facebook, Instagram and Messenger. This policy change came in response to foreign election interference on the platform during the 2016 US presidential election.
Under Facebook’s current advertiser ID policy, all advertisers must:
- Provide their name, physical mailing address, email and phone number when setting up an ads account
- Upload a copy of a valid government ID that matches the name and physical mailing address on the account
- Provide a Social Security Number, if based in the US
Acceptable forms of ID include a passport, driver’s license, or other national ID. The ID is used to confirm the identity of the person setting up the advertising account.
The ID Verification Process
When an advertiser sets up a new Facebook ads account, they will be prompted to submit their ID details and documents. Here is the step-by-step ID verification process:
- Provide your legal name, business name (if applicable), physical address, email and phone number.
- Upload a clear photo or scan of your government ID. Make sure the name, photo and address are clearly legible.
- Enter the last 4 digits of your Social Security Number (US advertisers only)
- Facebook will review your submitted ID and validate that it matches the name and address on your account.
- Once approved, you can start running ads on Facebook, Instagram and Messenger.
Facebook aims to review and approve ID verification requests within 1-3 business days. The review is done by automated systems and human reviewers. Advertisers are notified by email once their ID verification is approved.
Why Facebook Requires ID for Ads
Facebook enacted the advertiser ID requirement to increase trust and transparency in advertising:
- Prevent election interference – Following the 2016 US election, Facebook faced scrutiny for allowing Russian troll accounts to purchase political ads. Requiring IDs makes it harder for bad actors to buy ads or operate fake accounts.
- Increase ad transparency – Advertisers running political, social or election-related ads must go through additional verification steps. Their ads will also display a “Paid for by” disclaimer so users know who is behind them.
- Build accountability – Identifying who is responsible for running each ad makes advertisers more accountable for their content and messaging.
- Enforce ad policies – The ID requirement helps Facebook enforce its advertising policies. Advertisers who violate policies can have their accounts suspended.
- Prevent fraud – Checking advertisers’ identities protects against scams, phishing attempts, and other harmful ads run by bad actors.
While some advertisers may find ID verification inconvenient, it brings important benefits in safeguarding Facebook’s advertising ecosystem.
Special Cases and Exemptions
In most cases, all advertisers will need to submit ID to run Facebook ads. However, there are some special cases where exemptions apply:
- Managers – Business Manager accounts allow multiple users under a single ads account. The Business Manager admin completes ID verification on behalf of their team.
- Authorised resellers – Approved Facebook Marketing Partners can manage ads for clients without submitting every client’s ID.
- News publishers – Verified news publishers are exempt, since they provide a public service but may want anonymity.
- Government entities – Government advertisers like public health agencies may be exempt from certain ID requirements.
These special cases allow flexibility for legal advertising use cases where ID may not be possible. But in most situations, even exempted advertisers will still need to provide some proof of identity.
Consequences of Not Providing ID
If an advertiser does not comply with Facebook’s ID policies, their ads account and running ads will be impacted:
- The ads account will be placed on hold until ID is provided
- Existing ads will stop running immediately
- Creation of new ads will be blocked
- The advertiser won’t be able use any self-serve advertising tools
Essentially, refusing to provide a valid ID means losing the ability to run any ads on Facebook platforms. Advertisers have a 30-day grace period to submit ID verification before their account is permanently disabled.
Tips for Streamlining ID Verification
Here are some tips to prepare for Facebook’s ID verification process:
- Use the same ID that you used to register your Facebook account. This makes verification easier.
- Double check that your name, address and other account details match your ID document.
- Make sure your ID photo and name are clearly legible in the scanned copy.
- Provide a high quality headshot photo for your account profile picture.
- Add a business phone number and email (instead of personal contact details).
- If asked, be prepared to provide additional confirmation like a code sent to your email.
Following Facebook’s ID policies and having clean, accurate account details can help speed up the verification process.
Advertising Accounts for Businesses
For companies and organisations wanting to run Facebook ads, there are two options for setting up accounts:
1. Personal Account
A personal ad account tied to a specific person’s Facebook profile. The individual must provide their personal ID to verify the account.
2. Business Manager
A Business Manager account can have multiple ad accounts and users under central permissions and billing. Only the Business Manager admin needs to complete ID verification – additional users under the umbrella account do not.
Business Manager is the preferred approach for managing multiple users, teams and ad accounts under one central business ID.
Should You Verify Your Personal Account?
Facebook suggests that even individual users verify their personal Facebook accounts. This is optional, but has some benefits:
- Increased account security
- Removal of account holds due to “suspicious activity”
- Restoration of account features like posting and commenting abilities if previously restricted
- Listed as a “Verified” account, lending you more credibility
Personal account holders can verify their ID the same way as Pages and ad accounts. While optional, it can prevent headaches if your account is ever flagged or disabled.
Advertising on Other Facebook Apps
The Facebook ad ID requirement applies across all of Facebook’s apps and services, including:
- Messenger
- Audience Network
Submitting your ID for one app or service covers verification for all other Facebook products. You don’t need to verify separately for each app.
Advertising Outside of Facebook
Facebook’s ID requirement only applies to its own platforms. Advertising on other sites, networks and apps may have different policies:
- Google – Requests ID verification for political, social issue and election ads in some countries.
- Snapchat – Requires all advertisers to be authorized partners.
- TikTok – Requires verification for accounts spending more than a certain amount.
- Twitter – Exempts ID verification but limits targeting for political ads.
- LinkedIn – Requires ID verification for targeted health and financial ads only.
While policies vary across different advertising platforms, the trend is towards more ID checks and transparency in ad accounts.
The Future of Facebook’s ID Verification
Looking ahead, Facebook may expand or update its ID verification requirements in the following ways:
- Require ID verification for all ads accounts – Currently, publishers and some other entities are exempt.
- Ask for ID resubmission on a periodic basis – To re-confirm advertisers’ info over time.
- Support more ID document types – Such as expanding beyond government IDs.
- Use machine learning for smarter ID checks – Automatically flag suspicious or fraudulent documents.
- Require ID verification for all Facebook accounts – Not just ad accounts.
Facebook is likely to continue refining its systems and processes around advertiser identity verification in the years ahead.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do personal accounts need ID verification to run Facebook ads?
Yes. All accounts – personal, business, or otherwise – require ID verification by an authorized person to run Facebook, Instagram and Messenger ads.
Can you advertise on Facebook without a verified ID?
No, Facebook does not allow users to run ads without completing ID verification. Your ads account will be disabled if ID is not provided when requested.
What happens if you run Facebook ads without ID verification?
Your Facebook ads account will be placed on hold, your current ads will stop running, and you’ll be blocked from creating new ads until you submit your ID details for verification.
Can you use someone else’s ID for Facebook ad verification?
No. Advertisers must use their own personal ID matching the name and details on their advertising account. Using someone else’s identity could lead to account suspension if discovered.
Does Facebook ID verification expire?
No, Facebook’s advertiser ID verification does not currently expire. Once your ID is verified, it remains in effect unless you need to re-verify your account for any reason.
Can you run Facebook ads without a verified Page?
No. In addition to ID verification for your ad account, Facebook requires Pages running ads to be verified with either a blue checkmark or gray business verification checkmark.
Conclusion
Facebook’s ID verification requirements aim to increase authenticity, accountability and transparency in advertising on their platforms. While providing ID may seem inconvenient, it upholds the integrity of Facebook’s ad ecosystem. With political misinformation and social issues at the forefront, strict ad policies and advertiser identification are likely here to stay.