Tough Times Ahead for Political Advertising in Europe as TTPA Regulations Loom
The EU's TTPA regulations will significantly alter political advertising practices across Europe starting in 2025.
Key Points
- • Meta and Google to suspend political ads in the EU due to TTPA regulations.
- • The TTPA aims to combat foreign electoral interference and harmonize advertising rules.
- • Effective October 2025, political ads cannot employ targeted advertising or personal data.
- • Compliance costs and detailed reporting will affect platforms and advertisers alike.
The implementation of the EU Transparency and Political Advertising Regulation (TTPA) is set to bring significant changes to the political advertising landscape in Spain and across Europe starting in October 2025. Meta and Google have announced their plans to suspend all political advertising on their platforms in response to these new regulations. This marks a notable shift in how political entities will communicate with voters, as they will be barred from utilizing personalized ads and sensitive data for targeting purposes.
The TTPA aims to combat foreign interference in elections and to unify the previously fragmented regulations associated with political advertising throughout the EU. However, its expansion means that it will impact a broader range of actors beyond just political parties, including NGOs and think tanks involved in political discourse.
From October 2025, these organizations will not be able to use sponsored or personalized ads on platforms like Meta and Google, which could hinder their outreach capabilities. The new regulatory framework imposes substantial compliance costs on these platforms and mandates detailed disclosure of their advertising practices including sponsorship details and the amounts spent.
Moreover, targeted political advertising will now require explicit consent from users, effectively banning the use of sensitive personal data for this purpose. This regulatory change may force candidates and advocacy groups to turn to traditional media outlets, which are typically more expensive and less effective in reaching wider audiences. Consequently, the regulation could favor larger established entities with existing user bases while potentially restricting civil society groups from engaging effectively with public sentiments during electoral contributions.