Meta Platforms said it will suspend all political, electoral, and social issue advertising across the European Union starting in October, citing "unworkable requirements" under the bloc’s new transparency rules.
The EU’s Transparency and Targeting of Political Advertising regulation (TTPA), which aims to combat foreign interference and disinformation, officially entered into force in April 2024, with most provisions taking effect on Oct. 10.
In a statement, Meta — which owns Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Threads — said the legislation “introduces significant operational challenges and legal uncertainties” and would pose “an untenable level of complexity and legal uncertainty for advertisers and platforms operating in the EU.”
Under the new rules, political advertisements must include a transparency label disclosing key information, such as the sponsor, links to elections, the amount spent, and the targeting techniques used.
Meta noted that it has enforced political ad transparency measures since 2018, including requiring advertisers to undergo an authorisation process and storing political ads in a public archive. However, it said the new rules go too far.
“Because of the restrictions,” Meta added, “people will be seeing less relevant ads on our platforms.”
The company clarified that political figures and users in the EU will still be allowed to post and debate political topics on its platforms.
Google had already announced a similar move in November 2023, also opting to ban political ads across the EU in response to the TTPA.
The changes apply only to Europe.
The European Commission has launched several initiatives to counter foreign interference, including investigations under the Digital Services Act (DSA), which requires platforms to address illegal content and disinformation.
In April, Meta’s Facebook and Instagram platforms became subject to formal DSA proceedings over suspected violations related to deceptive advertising and political content. That investigation is ongoing.
Concerns over election interference have mounted in Europe.
On 6 December, Romania became the first EU country to cancel an election due to foreign interference, following reports of disinformation campaigns on TikTok.
Iran shot down a U.S. drone over the southern port city of Bandar Abbas, Iranian news agency Tasnim reported on Sunday (25 November), citing the co...
At least five people were killed and several others injured in overnight attacks across Russia and Ukraine on Sunday, 25 October, as officials repo...
Protests against war and rising living costs took place in major Italian cities on Saturday, with some incidents o...
Israeli military bulldozers have begun demolishing buildings in the West Bank city of Hebron on Friday, 23 October, following armed clashes with Palestinians that left two Israeli soldiers dead, according to the Israeli military.
Around 11,000 people joined a demonstration in Orléans on Saturday against the National Rally congress, according to the local prefecture.
Typhoon Champi swept past Taiwan on Saturday, leaving one person dead and more than 500 injured as strong winds and torrential rain brought down trees, cut power and disrupted transport across the island.
French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday described a deadly shooting in the towns of Trappes and La Verrière, west of Paris, as a racist attack and ‘a turning point’ for the country.
Israeli forces have maintained a tight closure on Hebron in the occupied West Bank for a second day, with Palestinian media reporting home raids, mass detentions and dozens of residents forced outside following a shooting incident the day before.
At least five people were killed and several others injured in overnight attacks across Russia and Ukraine on Sunday, 25 October, as officials reported strikes on residential areas and industrial facilities, while Moscow claimed to have targeted logistics infrastructure and a cargo vessel.
Protests against war and rising living costs took place in major Italian cities on Saturday, with some incidents of violence and clashes, a week after unrest erupted across the country.
Bulgarians are voting in a presidential election on Sunday as deadly drone attacks on merchant vessels in the Black Sea raise security concerns and expose divisions over the country's response to Russia's war in Ukraine.
Serbia is voting on Sunday as a mass student protest movement seeks to unseat long-time populist leader Aleksandar Vučić in the biggest challenge to his rule for more than a decade.
Portuguese police cleared a housing protest camp in Lisbon on Sunday (25 October), as new figures reveal house prices have risen 16.5 per cent in a year, the fastest increase in the European Union.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment