This measure means that political parties and interest groups will no longer have access to an important advertising channel shortly before elections. Meta states that the current EU regulations are unclear and difficult to enforce.
The European Union requires full transparency from distributors of political advertisements on the internet, partly as a result of the so-called Cambridge Analytica scandal during elections in the United Kingdom.
Not only political advertisements are being removed, but ads around topics such as climate change, immigration, and public health will also no longer be tailored to user profiles. This makes it more difficult for advertisers to target specific voter groups. The measure applies only within the European Union and will take effect in October 2025.
Meta is not the only tech platform making changes. Google decided earlier to restrict the display of targeted political ads. Both companies aim to comply with the new Digital Services Act, which will be fully enforced in August and obliges platforms to handle information and advertisements more transparently and carefully.
The Digital Services Act (DSA) is a European law requiring digital platforms to better protect users from deception, fake news, and manipulation. Large online platforms must disclose who is behind advertisements, how algorithms operate, and what content is removed or flagged. They also must ensure independent audits and complaint procedures.
According to Meta, it is difficult to meet all the DSA’s requirements, especially when it comes to identifying political messages in all 24 official EU languages. Determining what does or does not count as 'political' proves challenging in practice. Meta states that stopping such advertisements is the only feasible solution.
The limitation of political advertisements has prompted sharp criticism from American politicians and tech executives. Critics describe the EU legislation as vague, bureaucratic, and market-distorting. Elon Musk previously called the European rules "an obstacle to innovation." U.S. President Donald Trump labeled the approach as a dangerous form of censorship.
Supporters of the DSA argue that the rules ensure fairer elections and protection against foreign interference. They point out that political advertisements on social media have proven vulnerable to manipulation in recent years. Transparency around paid campaigns is, in their view, essential for a healthy democratic process.