Meta, owner of Facebook and Instagram, bans the Swedish Election Authority from advertising about the 2026 election on its platforms due to the EU's new political advertising rules. The authority views this as a serious democratic issue. It also affects parties and organizations.
Since October 6, Meta no longer allows political advertisements on its platforms in the EU. The reason is a new EU regulatory framework on transparency in political advertising, which Meta considers too complicated and uncertain. The decision was made in the summer, and it now affects the Swedish Election Authority's information campaigns about Swedish elections.
The authority can no longer advertise on Facebook and Instagram about where, when, and how the 2026 election will take place. "Facebook and Instagram have been a major channel for us to inform about where, when, and how the election takes place. Therefore, this is a serious democratic problem," says Anna Nyqvist, head of administration at the Election Authority, to Dagens Nyheter.
In the last parliamentary election, the authority spent 1.9 million kronor on ads with Meta. It has sent a letter to the company expressing concern that the decision hinders efforts to counter disinformation ahead of the election. Meta refers to a previous statement calling the EU rules far-reaching.
The ban affects not only the Election Authority but also political parties and organizations seeking to advertise election-related information. Experts warn that this could reduce access to official election information on social media, a key channel for many voters.