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EU’s Tougher Political Ad Rules Take Effect Across the Bloc

The law requires clear labels with payer and targeting details to curb manipulation of elections.

Overview

  • Starting today, all paid political ads must be marked as political and disclose who paid, how much was spent, and whether targeting was used.
  • The regulation covers online and offline advertising, and the European Commission released an implementation guide this week.
  • Meta has halted political, election‑related and social‑issue ads across Europe, citing unworkable requirements and legal uncertainty.
  • Google will permit only limited political ads from official EU or member‑state bodies on platforms such as YouTube, restricting parties and individual politicians.
  • Officials present the rules as a safeguard against foreign influence, referencing recent security warnings and disrupted or targeted votes in parts of Europe.