Executive Summary
The Story So Far
Why This Matters
Who Thinks What?
Google has removed seven years of political advertising history from its Ad Transparency Center for all 27 European Union countries, making a vast archive of data inaccessible ahead of the bloc’s new Regulation on Transparency and Targeting of Political Advertising (TTPA). The change, spotted on September 28, impacts researchers and journalists who rely on such platforms for insights into political spending and messaging.
The disappearance of data, which previously included details on targeting, expenditure, and associated candidates or parties since 2018, was first noted by Liz Carolan, publisher of the Irish technology and politics newsletter, The Briefing. Carolan expressed concern, stating that while a ban on future political ads was anticipated, the erasure of historical data was not communicated.
Impact of EU Regulation
The move comes as the EU’s TTPA is set to fully enter force on October 10. This regulation mandates strict transparency requirements for political advertisements, including clear labeling, disclosure of funding sources, links to specific electoral processes, and information on targeting techniques used. It also imposes limitations on the use of personal data for political ad targeting, requiring explicit consent and prohibiting profiling based on sensitive demographic categories.
Google had previously announced new guidelines for political ads in EU countries in August 2025, stating that past ads would remain accessible in its Transparency Center, subject to retention policies. However, the current situation indicates a reversal of this assurance. In November 2024, Google had also declared its intention to stop serving political ads in the EU from October 2025, citing “significant new operational challenges and legal uncertainties” introduced by the TTPA.
Industry Reactions and Data Access
Annette Kroeber-Riel, Google’s Vice President for Government Affairs and Public Policy for Europe, highlighted the broad definition of political advertising under the TTPA and the difficulty in reliably identifying all relevant ads across 27 Member States. She also noted the lack of finalized technical guidance just months before the regulation’s implementation.
Meta, another major platform, announced in July that it would also cease allowing “political, electoral and social issue ads” in the EU due to the TTPA’s requirements. However, Meta’s ad library still provides access to past political advertisements from the region, contrasting with Google’s recent action. The EU law itself stipulates the creation of an “online European repository” for ad data, but this central archive has not yet launched.
While the TTPA does not explicitly require platforms to delete historical ad data, the broad scope and stringent requirements may have prompted Google to remove its archive. It is speculated that many older ads might not comply with the new regulations, and removing the entire EU archive could be a measure to avoid potential violations. Google has not responded to requests for comment on this decision.
The removal of Google’s extensive archive of political advertising data creates a significant void for researchers and journalists tracking political influence and transparency within the European Union. This loss underscores the ongoing challenges in balancing regulatory compliance with public access to information in the rapidly evolving landscape of digital political campaigning.
