Configuring Facebook Business Manager brand safety settings allows advertisers to control where their ads appear across Meta’s platforms, ensuring alignment with brand values and audience expectations. The process primarily occurs through the Meta Brand Safety and Suitability Center, where users can apply inventory filters, block lists, topic exclusions, and placement controls. These tools help mitigate risks of ads appearing alongside inappropriate or sensitive content, though Meta notes that no system can guarantee 100% brand safety due to the dynamic nature of digital content.

Key takeaways from the available sources:

• Brand safety settings are managed at both business portfolio and ad account levels, with options to apply controls globally or per campaign ^[1][7].
• Inventory filters offer three tiers of content sensitivity (Limited, Moderate, Expanded) to restrict ad placements based on risk tolerance ^[2][5].
• Block lists and allow lists enable granular control over specific publishers, domains, or content types, though allow lists will be deprecated by September 30, 2025 ^[7].
• Topic exclusions and content type exclusions (e.g., live videos, news) provide additional layers of protection for sensitive brand categories ^[2][5].

Configuring Facebook Business Manager Brand Safety Settings

Accessing and Navigating the Brand Safety Hub

The Meta Brand Safety and Suitability Center serves as the central dashboard for configuring brand safety settings. To access it, users must navigate through Business Manager or Meta Ads Manager, where controls can be applied at different levels of granularity. The hub consolidates tools for inventory filtering, publisher management, and transparency reporting, though some features are still rolling out gradually.

• Entry points for configuration:
• Via the Meta Brand Safety and Suitability Center (business.facebook.com/business/help/brand-safety), accessible through Business Manager settings ^[1][10].
• Within Meta Ads Manager, under the "Placement" section of campaign or ad set settings, where inventory filters and block lists can be adjusted ^[2][5].
• Through Business Settings in Business Manager, where domain verification and global block lists are managed ^[3][8].

• Hierarchy of controls:
• Business portfolio level: Applies settings across all linked ad accounts, ensuring consistency for large organizations ^[7].
• Ad account level: Allows customization for specific campaigns or regions, overriding portfolio-level defaults ^[10].
• Campaign/ad set level: Fine-tunes placements for individual initiatives, such as excluding sensitive topics for a political ad ^[2].

• Transparency and reporting tools:
• Delivery reports show where ads were placed and flag potential brand safety incidents ^[1].
• Publisher lists provide visibility into approved or blocked partners, though Meta will phase out allow lists by September 2025 ^[7].

The hub also integrates with Meta’s Community Standards enforcement, which automatically filters over 99% of content adjacent to ads for compliance ^[7]. However, advertisers are advised to layer their own controls due to the limitations of automated systems.

Applying Core Brand Safety Controls

Meta offers four primary tools to manage brand safety, each addressing different risks in ad placements. These controls can be combined to create a multi-layered defense against unsuitable content, though their effectiveness depends on proper configuration and regular updates.

• Inventory filters:
• Three preset levels determine the types of content adjacent to ads:
• Limited: Most restrictive, excluding high-risk content (e.g., controversial social issues) but reducing reach ^[2][5].
• Moderate: Default setting, balancing safety and scale by excluding only the most egregious content ^[5].
• Expanded: Least restrictive, maximizing reach but increasing exposure to sensitive topics ^[2].
• Filters apply to Feed ads (Facebook, Instagram) and in-content placements (Reels, Stories) ^[10].

• Block lists and allow lists:
• Block lists: Explicitly prevent ads from appearing on specific domains, apps, or publisher IDs. Users can upload CSV files or manually add entries ^[3][7].
• Example: Blocking a news site known for polarizing content.
• Allow lists: Restrict ads to pre-approved publishers only, though this feature will be removed by September 30, 2025 ^[7].
• Domain verification: Required for enforcing block lists on owned properties (e.g., a brand’s website) to prevent misrepresentation ^[3].

• Topic and content type exclusions:
• Topic exclusions: Block ads from appearing alongside 17 sensitive categories, including:
• Politics, religion, crime, tragedy, or adult content ^[2][5].
• Exclusions are applied at the ad set level in Ads Manager.
• Content type exclusions: Remove placements in:
• Live videos, gaming streams, or user-generated content ^[2].
• Non-partner videos (e.g., unmonetized clips) ^[5].

• Placement controls:
• Manually select where ads appear across Meta’s ecosystem:
• Facebook/Instagram Feeds, Stories, Reels, Marketplace, or Audience Network ^[2].
• Exclude high-risk placements like in-stream videos or third-party apps ^[4].
• Placement options are found under the "Placements" section when creating or editing an ad set ^[2].

Best practices for implementation:

• Start with Moderate inventory filters and adjust based on delivery reports ^[4].
• Combine block lists with topic exclusions for sensitive brands (e.g., healthcare or financial services) ^[5].
• Regularly review delivery reports to identify unintended placements and refine controls ^[1].
• Use domain verification to protect branded content from being blocked by other advertisers ^[3].