Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and Threads, announced on Friday that it will stop running all political, electoral, and social issue advertisements across the European Union beginning in October. The decision comes in response to the EU’s upcoming Transparency and Targeting of Political Advertising regulations, which Meta described as “unworkable” due to legal ambiguity and complex compliance requirements, reports AP/ UNB.
The new rules, set to take effect on October 10, will require digital platforms to label political ads clearly, identify the entity funding the advertisement, and specify which campaign or legislative initiative the ad supports. Ads must also be archived in a publicly accessible database and targeted only under strict guidelines. Violations could result in fines of up to 6% of a company’s annual global revenue.
In a blog post, Meta stated that these additional obligations introduce a level of legal uncertainty and operational difficulty that makes it impractical to continue running political ads in the EU. The company argued that the rules pose significant challenges not just for platforms but also for advertisers, particularly smaller organizations with limited resources.
Meta’s move follows a similar decision by Google, which last year halted political advertising to EU users in anticipation of the new regulations. Both companies cited concerns about regulatory clarity and the risk of severe penalties for non-compliance.
Despite the suspension of political advertisements, Meta clarified that political content will still be allowed organically on its platforms. Politicians, parties, and users will be able to post about political matters, but they will not be able to promote this content through paid campaigns.
The EU’s regulatory push is part of a broader strategy to strengthen democratic processes, increase transparency in digital campaigning, and limit foreign interference. Alongside other digital regulations focused on user data and online safety, these new rules mark a significant shift in how tech companies are expected to operate in European digital spaces.
With the deadline approaching, more tech firms are expected to assess their policies regarding political content and compliance obligations within the European market.
Bd-pratidin English/ Jisan
