Meta has announced it will stop selling and displaying political ads across the European Union starting this October, citing difficulties in complying with new EU regulations.
The tech giant made the announcement on Friday in response to the EU’s upcoming Transparency and Targeting of Political Advertising (TTPA) law. In a blog post, Meta described the legislation as “unworkable,” saying it introduces excessive obligations that create “an untenable level of complexity and legal uncertainty” for platforms and advertisers operating in the EU.
The TTPA, adopted by the European Commission in 2024, requires all political advertisements to be clearly labeled with details about the sponsor, the related election or referendum, the cost of the ad, and the targeting criteria used. The law also mandates that user data can only be used for political advertising with explicit consent and bans the use of sensitive data like political opinions or racial and ethnic information for profiling.
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Meta said it had held extensive consultations with EU officials but ultimately determined that complying with the law would force it to provide a political ad service that “doesn’t work for advertisers or users” or exit the space altogether.
“Once again, we’re seeing regulatory obligations effectively remove popular products and services from the market, reducing choice and competition,” Meta wrote in the blog post.
Meta is not alone in this stance. Google has also stated it will halt political advertising in the EU by October, echoing similar concerns about operational challenges and legal ambiguity under the new law.
The move is the latest development in a growing series of clashes between the European Union and major tech firms. The EU has been actively tightening rules around data privacy, AI governance, ad tracking, and digital competition to curb Big Tech’s influence across the region.
With political campaigns increasingly moving online, the impact of Meta and Google pulling political ads could reshape digital campaigning strategies ahead of future EU elections.
