This is a shitty article. It doesn’t mention that the ban on social ads in the EU is due to their anti-free speech rules rather than a Meta specific policy. Meta is in favor of social activism ads in general but restricts them in the EU: <a href="https://about.fb.com/news/2025/07/ending-political-electoral-and-social-issue-advertising-in-the-eu/" rel="nofollow">https://about.fb.com/news/2025/07/ending-political-electoral...
As per Meta's own guidelines, they simply require increased authenticity and transparency to run social issue ads that seek to influence public opinion through discussion, debate or advocacy for or against important topics, like health and civil and social rights.
Meta literally spell it out with an equivalent example of advertising for an equivalent event - in this case a 'Civil Rights Exhibition' - on Slide 6 as eligible to run in the EU.
Too bad this important comment and reference ended up so low in the discussion thread and it makes a hugely important point that should be right under the current top post in the thread: <a href="https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49789116">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49789116
sxp · · focus · HN ↗
piltdownman · · focus · HN ↗
As per Meta's own guidelines, they simply require increased authenticity and transparency to run social issue ads that seek to influence public opinion through discussion, debate or advocacy for or against important topics, like health and civil and social rights.
Meta literally spell it out with an equivalent example of advertising for an equivalent event - in this case a 'Civil Rights Exhibition' - on Slide 6 as eligible to run in the EU.
<a href="https://efa-net.eu/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/META_EU_Update_Ads_about_Social_issues_Elections_or_Politics.pdf" rel="nofollow">https://efa-net.eu/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/META_EU_Update...
welwala · · focus · HN ↗