Meta has pulled out of EU political ads due to strict regulations under the Transparency and Targeting of Political Advertising (TTPA) law, which sets out obligations for advertisers to identify key information about their ads. The company claims that complying with the measure would be too restrictive, limiting user experience.
The TTPA, passed in March 2024, governs targeted political, electoral, and social advertising in the European Union. It requires advertisers to disclose who is behind the ad, what referendum it refers to, how much was paid for the ad, and the targeting techniques used. Additionally, explicit consent from potential viewers must be granted before ads can target them.
Meta argues that the TTPA poses a lose-lose situation for advertising in the EU, forcing the company to choose between adapting its policies or limiting ad effectiveness. In an effort to avoid this, Meta has decided not to offer political, electoral, and social issue ads in the EU, blaming the regulations for removing popular products from the market.
This decision mirrors Google’s move last November, with both companies citing “new operational challenges and legal uncertainties” under the TTPA as the reason. Both Google and Meta claim that the EU failed to provide necessary clarity and specificity in its regulations, making compliance too difficult.
Source: https://www.theregister.com/2025/07/25/meta_eu_political_ads