GoKawiilMeta's European ad revenue growth slows after less-personalized ads rollout
Meta reported European advertising revenue grew 18 percent year-on-year in the third quarter, down from previous quarters and well behind 33 percent growth in the US and Canada. The company introduced a Less-Personalized Ads option across the EU this year after regulators fined it €200 million for violating Digital Markets Act rules requiring a lower-data alternative to personalized ads.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
CFO Susan Li previously acknowledged the less-personalized ads option as a likely headwind, and analyst Dominic Ball of Rothschild & Co Redburn told WIRED he believes it is contributing to the regional slowdown. The trend suggests EU privacy regulation can measurably affect a tech giant's ad revenue, which may influence how other platforms respond to similar data-choice mandates.
- European ad revenue growth fell to 18% in Q3, versus 33% in the US and Canada.
- Meta rolled out a Less-Personalized Ads option in the EU this year after a €200 million DMA fine.
- Meta has not confirmed how many users chose the less-personalized option, though it says it uses 90% less data.
Source: wired.com — Isabella Ward, 2026-10-22
Published there as: “Meta’s Ad Sales Are Suffering Now That Europeans Can Pick Less Personalization”
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