Meta to halt political ads in EU over 'unworkable' rules

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.

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