Researchers in the field of misinformation have cautioned that the ruling Fidesz party in Hungary, led by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, is bypassing the ban on political ads across Meta platforms, just before the national elections set for April 12. This ban was enforced in October 2025, when Meta halted all political and social ads within the European Union.
Research conducted by the Hungarian Center for Misinformation Combat indicates a genuine risk that the electoral campaign in Hungary, along with other upcoming campaigns, will be impacted by a significant number of illicit political ads, including those utilizing deepfake technology.
Details of the Event
In October 2025, Meta, the owner of Facebook and Instagram, announced a comprehensive ban on political ads in the European Union, citing unimplementable legal requirements. Google also took a similar step by ceasing the display of political ads in the region. These measures were introduced in response to updated EU political ad regulations, which require political ads to be clearly labeled and disclose their funding sources.
Despite the ban, the Fidesz party has managed to continue publishing political ads, often disseminated through official pages or affiliated organizations. César Titzar, an editor at the fact-checking site Lakmus, noted that the party is still able to run numerous political ads on Meta platforms, despite the challenges in tracking them.
Background & Context
Historically, the Fidesz party has been known for using paid ads on Meta platforms to target specific groups with political messages. Estimates have shown that the party was responsible for approximately 87% of total ad spending in Hungary between January and September 2025, prior to the imposition of the ban. The party also spent more on social media ads compared to any other political party in the EU before the 2024 European Parliament elections.
Between January and February, researchers identified 457 political ads on Meta platforms from pages linked to Hungarian political entities, with 456 of them associated with the Fidesz party. No ads were identified from pages linked to the Teisz party during the same period.
Impact & Consequences
Analyses suggest that the Fidesz party's circumvention of political ad restrictions could lead to negative repercussions for the integrity of elections in Hungary. As the use of misleading ads increases, voters may be exposed to inaccurate information that could influence their electoral decisions. Researchers pointed out that many of these ads were not classified as political until after they had already been published.
This situation illustrates how technology and social media can impact democratic processes, raising questions about how political ads should be regulated in the digital information age.
Regional Significance
This issue is particularly significant for the Arab region, where many Arab countries are experiencing elections and political contests. The use of misinformation and opaque political ads can affect the integrity of elections anywhere, including in Arab nations. The experiences of Hungary may offer important lessons for Arab countries on how to manage political advertising in the technology era.
In conclusion, the current situation in Hungary requires close monitoring by relevant authorities to ensure electoral integrity and protect democracy from the negative impacts of misinformation.