Meta, Facebook’s parent company, has announced that it will stop selling and displaying political advertisements in the European Union (EU) starting October. This decision is in response to the upcoming Transparency and Targeting of Political Advertising (TTPA) legislation in the Bloc.
The TTPA imposes extensive transparency requirements on political ads, including clear labeling, sponsor disclosure, and data usage consent. Meta expressed concerns about the law’s complexity impacting personalized advertising.
According to Meta, the TTPA introduces significant operational challenges and legal uncertainties for advertisers and platforms operating in the EU. The company believes that the law poses a threat to the principles of personalized advertising.
The regulations under the TTPA restrict ad targeting and delivery for political and social issue advertisers, potentially leading to less relevant ads being shown on Meta’s platforms.
The European Commission adopted the TTPA in 2024 to ensure transparency in political advertising. Companies selling political ads must comply with labeling requirements, sponsor disclosure, and data usage consent rules to protect sensitive personal data.
Google has also decided to stop selling political ads in the EU by October, citing similar operational challenges and legal uncertainties under the new legislation.
