Citing New Rules, Meta Says It Will End Political Ads in E.U.

Meta on Friday said that it would end political advertisements on its platform in European Union countries, the latest turn in the battle over regulation of its activities.

Beginning in October, the company will stop ads related to political, electoral or social issues, it said in a release, citing a forthcoming E.U. regulation around the transparency of political advertising.

Meta’s decision to pull political advertising was the latest example of tensions between big tech companies and European lawmakers, who have pushed for more aggressive oversight. The companies have especially faced scrutiny of their approaches to political advertising and speech.

Meta’s changing approach to political advertising has implications for the region’s politics, where campaigns are estimated to have spent tens of millions of euros using its platforms to reach voters.

The new regulation, which comes into effect in October, was introduced to counter concerns around foreign interference and misinformation during elections for the bloc’s 27 countries. European officials said at the time that the rules would make it easier for citizens to recognize political advertisements and “make informed choices.”

Under the law, tech platforms that disseminate political advertisements online must disclose the source of the advertisements and adhere to restrictions on whom they can target with such advertisements. Political advertising from sponsors outside of the bloc will be banned in the three-month lead-up to an election or referendum.

The decision will only affect political advertisers on Meta platforms in the European Union. Politicians, candidates and other users will still be able to produce and share political content, “they just won’t be able to amplify this through paid advertising,” the company said.