Meta's EU Political Ad Ban Hinders Crucial Mammography Campaigns

Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has implemented a ban on advertisements relating to political and social issues within the European Union, effective October 6, 2025. This sweeping policy adjustment, driven by new EU regulations aimed at enhancing transparency in political advertising, has significantly impacted health awareness efforts, notably mammography campaigns by Swedish health organizations.

The Cancer Foundation's vital ad encouraging women to attend mammograms was removed by Facebook under this new ban. Henrik Lysell, representing the Cancer Foundation, emphasized the critical nature of the ad for public health, stating, "In the end, it’s about life and death." The foundation highlighted the importance of social media platforms like Facebook for communicating health information to a broad audience.

Meta explained that complying with the EU's complex and uncertain regulations on political and social issue advertising necessitated this broad prohibition. Meanwhile, representatives from the nonprofit sector, such as Charlotte Rydh from Giva Sverige, criticized Meta's expansive interpretation of the rules, warning that many organizations would face challenges in promoting social issues through paid ads despite still being able to share informational posts organically.

This development raises concerns about the diminished ability of public health organizations to reach significant audiences via paid campaigns on Meta’s platforms, potentially affecting critical awareness initiatives across the EU.

As a result, while organizations continue to discuss social topics on Meta’s social networks, the ban on relevant advertising severely curtails their outreach capabilities.