Meta, the parent company of Facebook, will cease political ad sales and displays in the EU in October, attributing this decision to the upcoming Transparency and Targeting of Political Advertising (TTPA) legislation.
According to Meta, the TTPA imposes transparency requirements on political ads, including clear labeling, sponsor disclosure, and data usage consent, raising concerns about the impact on personalized advertising.
The company expressed that the TTPA regulations bring significant operational challenges and legal uncertainties, making it untenable for advertisers and platforms in the EU. These changes affect how political and social issue advertisers can engage with their target audiences, potentially leading to less relevant ads being displayed on Meta’s platforms.
Despite Meta’s efforts to address these concerns with policymakers, the decision was made to either overhaul services to comply with the new regulations or cease running political, electoral, and social issue ads in the EU.
The TTPA, enacted by the European Commission in 2024, enforces strict transparency rules for political ads, requiring clear identification of ads, sponsor disclosure, election details, costs, and targeting methods. Additionally, sensitive personal data such as racial or ethnic origin and political opinions cannot be used for profiling purposes.
Following Meta’s announcement, Google also declared its intention to stop selling political ads in the EU due to similar operational challenges and legal uncertainties brought by the legislation.
