Meta Halts Political Ads in EU Amid Legal Uncertainty

Meta has announced it will stop all political advertising in the EU by October, due to legal uncertainties surrounding the new election transparency rules. These rules, the company claims, impose significant challenges and obligations that make compliance difficult. Google had previously made a similar move last year.

Tech giant Meta has declared its intention to cease all political advertising across its platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and Threads, within the European Union by October.

The decision comes as a response to newly instated rules aimed at bolstering transparency in election campaigns, which Meta describes as "unworkable." These regulations, rolling out on October 10, require platforms to label political ads and reveal the identity of sponsors behind them.

Meta's move mirrors that of Google, who also paused political ads in the EU due to similar legislative challenges. Despite the advertising halt, Meta assured users they can still engage in political discourse organically on its platforms.

(With inputs from agencies.)