Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, will no longer allow political ads in the EU from October. The company justifies the decision with the "impractical requirements" of the new EU regulation on the transparency of political advertising, which will soon come fully into force.

The withdrawal affects all ads on political, social, or election-related topics on Meta's platforms. Posts by private individuals and politicians are not affected, the company emphasizes. In a blog post, Meta explained that the EU requirements bring "significant operational challenges and legal uncertainties" – particularly with regard to data processing and content labeling.

Brussels aims to curb manipulation before elections and targeted influence by third countries with the "Transparency and Targeting of Political Advertising" Regulation (TTPA).

Meta is not alone with its criticism. Already last year, Google announced its intention to withdraw from political online advertising before the regulation came into effect. Meta has also recently chosen to confront Brussels over other digital laws. The company refuses to sign the voluntary EU code on artificial intelligence, criticizes the Digital Markets Act, and is facing several investigations for potential violations of the new European regulations.

Since Donald Trump's return to the White House, the relationship between US tech companies and Brussels has further cooled. In Washington, EU digital laws are increasingly seen as trade barriers, and Meta is acting accordingly offensively. The company stated: "Once again, we see how Europe's regulatory regime effectively pushes popular products out of the market, thus limiting choice and competition.

At the same time, Meta emphasizes the fundamental value of political advertising for democratic processes. The decision is a response to legal uncertainty, not a substantive departure: "Online political advertising remains a key means of providing people with relevant information and enabling candidates to achieve cost-effective reach.