For years now, Facebook has dealt with endless controversies about the way it serves up political content to its users. In the wake of the 2020 presidential election, the social media giant was blamed for boosting propaganda and misinformation that contributed in part to the riot at the U.S. Capitol. The company responded by temporarily tamping down on its political content recommendations, but it has yet to take any meaningful long-term action. However, that could change soon if a European privacy regulator gets its way. This week, the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) urged lawmakers to strengthen transparency rules for political ads and introduce limits that could ban microtargeting.

According to the regulator, Facebook’s business model is built on driving engagement, which means it is incentivized to spread controversial content. And when the company begins targeting that content, it only throws fuel on the fire. That’s why the EDPS has proposed banning microtargeted political ads altogether.

“The existing business models behind many online services have contributed to increased political and ideological polarization, disinformation and manipulation,” EDPS Wojciech Wiewiórowski said. “Targeted advertising and amplification mechanisms have been instrumental in provoking such harms.”

If this became a law, it would only exist in the EU, and it wouldn’t affect U.S. users. However, it could provide valuable inspiration for U.S. lawmakers looking to rein in the social media giant.

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