Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, announced on Friday that it will cease accepting political advertisements on its platforms in the EU from October.
This decision follows the implementation of new EU regulations requiring stricter transparency in targeted political advertising. Social networking sites must clearly label political ads and disclose their funding sources to prevent information manipulation and foreign election interference.
Meta expressed in a blog post that these rules would create “an unsustainable level of complexity and legal uncertainty.” Despite calling it a “difficult decision,” Meta confirms it will no longer allow political, electoral, or social ads on its platforms in the EU.
Politicians will still be able to post on their profiles, but they won’t be able to pay the company for broader distribution of their messages.
Meta claims the decision will have minimal impact on the company’s financials, as political ads do not significantly contribute to its revenue growth, a point highlighted by CFO Susan Li in February last year.
The political implications of Meta’s decision remain unclear. Data from Meta showed that in the month leading up to the general elections on 9 June 2024, Flemish political parties spent approximately €2.2 million on sponsored posts on Facebook and Instagram, with Vlaams Belang alone spending nearly €450,000.
Similarly, Google announced late last year that it would also stop selling political ads in the EU.
