Tech giant Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and Threads, announced on Friday that it will stop running all political, electoral, and social issue advertisements in the European Union starting October, citing legal uncertainty stemming from the bloc’s new transparency regulations.
In a blog post, the company said the decision is driven by the 27-member EU’s upcoming Transparency and Targeting of Political Advertising regulations, which it described as “unworkable” due to the significant operational challenges and legal ambiguities they introduce.
The new rules, set to take effect on October 10, require digital platforms to label political advertisements clearly, disclose the identity of the payer, and specify the campaign, referendum, or legislative initiative they are connected to. Additionally, such ads must be stored in an accessible database and can only be targeted under strict guidelines.
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Meta argued that the regulations impose “significant, additional obligations” that create an “untenable level of complexity and legal uncertainty” for advertisers and platforms operating within the EU.
Violations of the rules could lead to fines of up to 6% of a company’s annual global revenue.
Meta's move follows a similar decision by Google, which last year announced that it would stop serving political ads to EU users ahead of the regulation’s enforcement, citing comparable concerns.
The EU’s new rules are part of a broader initiative to strengthen election integrity, combat foreign interference, and ensure transparency in digital campaigning. These efforts are in line with the bloc’s wider push for digital accountability, including rules on user safety and data privacy.
Despite the ad ban, Meta clarified that users in the EU will still be able to discuss politics on its platforms, and politicians, candidates, and public office holders can continue to share political content organically.
“They just won’t be able to amplify this through paid advertising,” the company said.