Meta to end political ads in European Union

BRUSSELS, July 25 (KUNA) -- Meta announced on Friday it will stop running political, electoral, and social issue ads on its platforms within the European Union starting in October 2025, in response to the EU's upcoming Transparency and Targeting of Political Advertising (TTPA) regulation.
The company said in a statement the decision was "difficult," but necessary due to "significant operational challenges and legal uncertainties" posed by the new regulation.
Meta said it has long supported political advertising online as a vital part of modern political discourse. Since 2018, the company has introduced transparency tools requiring advertisers to verify their identity, disclose who paid for ads, and publish the ads in a public Ad Library.
However, it stated the TTPA introduces strict new obligations, especially regarding ad targeting restrictions, which it says will reduce ad effectiveness and relevance undermining the benefits of personalized advertising.
Meta added that, despite extensive discussions with EU policymakers, it was left with two unworkable options: alter its services in ways that may harm the experience for users and advertisers, with no guarantee of compliance, or discontinue this type of advertising in the EU altogether.
The company stressed the decision is limited to the EU and that political ad tools will remain available in other regions. Politicians and institutions in the EU will still be able to share political content organically, but not through paid promotions.
The EU regulation is set to take effect on 10 October; it is part of the EU's broader efforts to combat misinformation and foreign interference in elections across its member states. The TTPA requires Big Tech firms to clearly label political ads on their platforms identifying who paid for them, the cost, and which elections are being targeted or face fines of up to six percent of their annual global turnover. (end) arn.gb