Meta Platforms, the U.S. social media giant and parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, has announced that it will suspend all political, electoral, and social issue advertising across its platforms in the European Union (EU) starting in October 2025. The decision comes as a direct response to the upcoming enforcement of the EU’s new regulation on political advertising, known as the Transparency and Targeting of Political Advertising (TTPA).
A Reaction to Complex Legal Demands
In a public statement, Meta expressed concerns over the operational challenges and legal uncertainties introduced by the TTPA. The company described the regulation as creating “unworkable requirements” that complicate compliance for both advertisers and platforms.
The TTPA officially entered into force in April 2024, but most of its provisions will only become applicable as of October 10, 2025. The law aims to combat election misinformation, disinformation, and foreign interference by increasing transparency and accountability in political advertising.
Under the new rules, all political ads must include a clear transparency label that discloses critical information, such as the identity of the sponsor, the electoral process it relates to, the amount of money spent, and the targeting techniques used.
Meta’s Existing Transparency Tools
Meta emphasized that since 2018, it has already implemented tools to enhance transparency in political and electoral advertising. These include mandatory verification processes for advertisers and a public ad library that stores political ad data.
However, the company claims that the new TTPA requirements add a “level of complexity and legal uncertainty” that is unsustainable within the EU regulatory environment. As a result, Meta has opted to halt political advertising altogether in the region.
The company warned that this decision may lead to users seeing “less relevant ads” on its platforms due to limitations in ad targeting options.
Growing Scrutiny from Brussels
The EU has recently intensified its efforts to address foreign interference and misinformation in democratic processes. The Digital Services Act (DSA), another major EU regulation, mandates that large internet platforms tackle illegal content and misinformation.
In April 2024, the European Commission launched formal investigations into Facebook and Instagram over alleged violations concerning deceptive advertising and political content practices under the DSA.
Several European elections in recent years have been affected by misinformation campaigns. A notable incident occurred on December 6, 2025, when Romania became the first EU country to cancel an election due to foreign interference. Authorities cited manipulation of public opinion via TikTok, allegedly linked to Russian sources, as the primary reason behind the decision.
Implications Moving Forward
Meta’s move signals growing tension between tech platforms and EU regulators over the governance of digital political discourse. While the company has taken steps to improve ad transparency, it maintains that the new EU rules are overly burdensome and ambiguous.
As the October deadline approaches, it remains to be seen whether other digital platforms will follow Meta’s lead or attempt to comply with the TTPA’s stringent requirements. Meanwhile, European authorities continue to push for stricter control over online political messaging to safeguard the integrity of future elections.