Meta bans ads for Virginia Woolf play in Spain

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/sep/21/meta-ban-virginia-woolf-a-room-of-ones-own-barcelona-teatre-raval

52•uxhacker•55m ago

Comments

jmclnx•32m ago

Why meta is not fully banned in the EU is beyond me :)

I know banning or forcing meta to obey laws in the US is impossible due to bribes (political contributions), but in the EU I would think meta could at the very least be reined in.

ActionHank•31m ago

We just need to start pirate streams of football games and it will be gone within the week.

fooqux•26m ago

I'm not saying it's not bad in the USA (because it is) but if you think there's no corruption or bribing in EU politics then I don't know what to say.

1attice•23m ago

Although both continents are presently losing themselves to fascism, quantity still has a quality all its own.

ericmay•4m ago

You're on the right track but instead of losing themselves to fascism what you should more accurately be pointing out, in my opinion, is that in general societies are becoming a lot more open to authoritarian ideologies, whether that's communism, fascism, or similar.

mminer237•24m ago

This actually is a result of Meta being forced to obey EU law. Not sure why the article didn't explain things at all, but Regulation (EU) 2024/900 greatly restricts political advertising with typical vagueness, so Meta is enforcing a broad ban to ensure they comply.

tygon•11m ago

Information like this should be front-and-center. Call it malicious compliance if one wishes, but if there is one thing that is clear, Meta does not do anything (besides try and make money) without being forced to. A blanket ban on anything political does indeed mean a ban on all sides of an issue, even ones many would agree is positive.

tantalor•7m ago

> Not sure why the article didn't explain things at all

The answer is right in front of your eyes: theguardian.com

watwut•4m ago

No, showing ads for feminism or social issues related plays is not illegal in Europe. Nor fined. And it is practically practiced all around the Europe.

darkwater•4m ago

> so Meta is enforcing a broad ban to ensure they comply.

No. Meta enforces a broad ban because they don't want EU to regulate them, so they drag their feet and create the most possible "unwanted collateral damage" so people will get upset at the regulation instead of the company. So, pieces like this from The Guardian are surely needed.

mhitza•18m ago

Why do you think so many big tech companies are registering subsidiaries in Ireland? (Aside form the "Double Irish" mechanism that used to be in vogue more than a decade ago).

Plenty of hands seem to be well greased over there given how long it takes to issue fines for clear&cut violations of EU regulation.

thesmtsolver2•15m ago

So, Meta should be banned because it followed EU law to ban some things?

Wow, Europeans do have a penchant for recursively banning things :)

throw9384848•14m ago

EU itself is very transphobic. Forced surgeries, some women are not allowed to use public restrooms, sexist ban in sports...

Very lgbt unfriendly!

colingauvin•25m ago

We don't have to put up with this. We simply choose to. But our laws could be whatever we want them to be.

tygon•22m ago

Unfortunately, "we" is often those with the monetary means to make their voice heard.

p-e-w•5m ago

At this point, I suspect that comments like this one are part of an astroturfing campaign by the ruling class.

It’s the same bullshit as “we could stop climate change if only we bothered to bring cloth bags to the store instead of picking up a disposable plastic bag each time”.

“We” don’t have any power. And once you accept that, you can stop blaming yourself and your neighbors for the world you live in, and direct your anger where it belongs.

martythemaniak•10m ago

Sounds like malicious compliance, they should get a fine for that as well.

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