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Luise Quaritsch @luisequaritsch.bsky.social · 20h

They changed their policy in September, yes. Old ads should still be visible in the Transparency center though support.google.com/adspolicy/an...

Update to Political Content policy (September 2025) - Advertising Policies Help

Google provides translated versions of the Advertising Policies Help Center, though they're not meant to change the content of the policies. The English version is the official language used t

support.google.com

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Luise Quaritsch @luisequaritsch.bsky.social · 22h

I also went into more detail on political advertising in the context of the European elections in this policy brief from last year 8/8 www.delorscentre.eu/en/publicati...

Political Advertising in the 2024 European elections - Between Europeanisation and the protecti

Election campaigns are increasingly conducted online. Social media platforms in particular shape political discourse and facilitate new ways of delivering political messages. This was initially consid...

www.delorscentre.eu

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Luise Quaritsch @luisequaritsch.bsky.social · 22h

You can find more information, and some comments from my side, in this piece by @cynthiakroet.bsky.social for @euronews.com 7/

www.euronews.com/next/2025/10...

EU rules on political ads enter into force: What will change?

EU rules on political ads – aimed at countering information manipulation and foreign interference in elections – will take effect on Friday. But what exactly will change for users?

www.euronews.com

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Luise Quaritsch @luisequaritsch.bsky.social · 22h

In the short term, political actors will likely rely more on organic political content for online advertising – which could give an advantage to more polarizing content and well-known politicians. 6/

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Luise Quaritsch @luisequaritsch.bsky.social · 22h

Because the law covers all paid political advertising in the EU and has thus quite far-reaching consequences, discussions over the new rules will probably continue as they are being implemented at national level. 5/

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Luise Quaritsch @luisequaritsch.bsky.social · 22h

TikTok never allowed political advertising on its site but was not fully successful in enforcing this rule in the past as some paid political advertising still appeared on the site. 4/

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Luise Quaritsch @luisequaritsch.bsky.social · 22h

The new rules are quite controversial. Google and Meta have decided to stop allowing political ads altogether because of the new obligations, claiming they are too burdensome and vague to fulfill. 3/

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Luise Quaritsch @luisequaritsch.bsky.social · 22h

Useful for researchers: From April next year, the European Commission will build a European repository that will have a searchable database of all online political ads. A list of all upcoming European elections and referenda is already online. 2/

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Luise Quaritsch @luisequaritsch.bsky.social · 22h

Today, the EU’s Regulation on the Transparency and Targeting of Political Advertising enters into force. From now on, political ads – notably both online and offline – will have to carry a transparency label with key information about why people are seeing the ad, who paid for it and how much. 1/

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Reposted by Luise Quaritsch

Ramsha Jahangir @ramshajahangir.bsky.social · 2d

Last week, a Dutch court ordered Meta to give Facebook & Instagram users the right to set a chronological feed by default - one of the first EU cases applying the DSA in civil proceedings.

To unpack what this means, I spoke with @bitsoffreedom.bsky.social:

www.techpolicy.press/what-a-dutch...

What a Dutch Court Ruling Against Meta Signals for Private DSA Enforcement | TechPolicy.Press

Tech Policy Press spoke with Rejo Zenger, Policy and Advocacy Lead at Bits of Freedom, to better understand the significance of the ruling.

www.techpolicy.press

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Reposted by Luise Quaritsch

Henry Foy @henryjfoy.ft.com · 4d

Brussels to curb the travel of Russian diplomats within the EU, in response to a surge in sabotage attempts that intelligence agencies say are led by spies operating under diplomatic cover.

Czech-led initiative backed after Hungary drops its veto. With @andybounds.bsky.social

on.ft.com/46Umr0T

EU to curb Russian diplomats’ travel as suspected spy attacks mount

[FREE TO READ] Intelligence agencies say sabotage operations are often led by spies posing as diplomats

on.ft.com

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Reposted by Luise Quaritsch

Yann Wernert @wernertyann.bsky.social · 4d

Ratlosigkeit, zwei gewichtige Rücktritte (von Premier Lecornu und jetzt auch Kurzzeit-Armeeminister Le Maire), keine wirklich guten Optionen.

Wie geht's weiter?

Meine 2 cents dazu habe ich heute mit WDR (Aktuelle Stunde, heute 18.45 Uhr) und Table.Today (Veröffentlichung morgen früh) geteilt.

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Reposted by Luise Quaritsch

Yann Wernert @wernertyann.bsky.social · 5d

Schrumpfen statt wachsen? Eine neue französische Regierung steht, und zwei Parteien aus der bisherigen Minderheitsregierung drohen auszusteigen, LR und UDI. Die Opposition kocht. Was ist passiert?

Kurzfassung und Erklärungen im 🧵

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Reposted by Luise Quaritsch

Defend Democracy @defenddemocracy.bsky.social · 6d

President Macron: “Europeans, let's wake up!

We have been incredibly naive in entrusting our democratic space to social networks.”

defenddemocracy.eu/macron-democ...

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Reposted by Luise Quaritsch

Maximilian Henning @maximilian-henning.bsky.social · 7d

Tiktok deleted several bots following an “emergency meeting” with the @ec.europa.eu on the Czech elections, a spokesperson said today.

Read my article at @euractiv.com:

www.euractiv.com/news/commiss...

Commission held 'emergency' talks with Tiktok over Czech elections | Euractiv

Video-sharing platform removed “several bots” following yesterday's meeting, according to a Commission spokesperson

www.euractiv.com

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Luise Quaritsch @luisequaritsch.bsky.social · 11d

El Pais reporting on increasing Russian interference efforts to sabotage and divide Europe.

EL PAÍS @elpais.com · 13d

Rusia busca desestabilizar Europa con su 'guerra híbrida'. Documentos confidenciales de las instituciones comunitarias advierten de un “incremento” de sabotajes, ciberataques, actos de interferencia política e incursiones en el espacio aéreo europeo

Rusia redobla las injerencias y sabotajes para dividir a Europa

Documentos confidenciales de las instituciones comunitarias a los que ha accedido EL PAÍS advierten de un “incremento” de las actividades híbridas de Moscú

social.elpais.com

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Reposted by Luise Quaritsch

Jakub Jaraczewski @jakubjaraczewski.bsky.social · 12d

🇲🇩🗳️ 🇪🇺 Astonishingly, it's Moldova that proves that a democratic rebound is sustainable, even in the face of massive interference from a malicious superpower. Maia Sandu's PAS needs to improve its delivery of promises, but voters haven't given up on Moldova's European dream. 1/

Anastasia Pociumban @pociumban.bsky.social · 12d

Moldova has voted: PAS wins with 50.15%, beating the polls despite Russian interference.

The people chose a pro-EU, reform path. Meanwhile, the pro-Russian Patriotic Bloc (24%) calls for protests. PAS must now deliver reforms & lead Moldova toward EU accession.

#Moldova #Elections #EU

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Luise Quaritsch @luisequaritsch.bsky.social · 15d

The result is a directive that would likely do little to address malign foreign influence but carries risks for unwanted side effects.

Let's see how European policy makers decide to go forward with this issue - the EP's Internal Market Committee is set to vote on the proposed directive in October.

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Luise Quaritsch @luisequaritsch.bsky.social · 15d

But: The EU has very limited competence to act in this area. The Defense of Democracy package’s Directive on Third Country Interest Representation is an attempt to legislate in the – in my opinion fairly small – area where its competence and foreign influencing strategies overlap.

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Luise Quaritsch @luisequaritsch.bsky.social · 15d

In short, I argue that malign foreign meddling has a distinct European dimension because vulnerabilities in one member state can spill over to others and the EU level. The EU also has a vested interest in protecting national and European democratic institutions from eroding foreign influence.

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Luise Quaritsch @luisequaritsch.bsky.social · 15d

This week, I had the pleasure of being interviewed by @ftm.eu on malign foreign influencing strategies and EU’s response to it.
You can find the full interview by @alistairkeepe.bsky.social (and featuring some very nice office pictures by @albacita.bsky.social) here

www.ftm.eu/articles/int...

EU has the power to fight foreign meddling – but isn’t using it, democracy expert says

Foreign actors are intensfying their efforts to influence Europe’s democracies, and the EU is scrambling to respond. Its lawmakers are set to vote this week on creating national transparency registers...

www.ftm.eu

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Luise Quaritsch @luisequaritsch.bsky.social · 17d

Thanks Francesco 😊

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Reposted by Luise Quaritsch

Alistair Keepe @alistairkeepe.bsky.social · 17d

For @ftm.eu I interviewed the Jacques Delors Centre’s democracy expert @luisequaritsch.bsky.social on the issue of covert malign interference in the EU.

Quaritsch warns that while the dangers are increasing (“it’s not just Russia or China anymore”), the EU remains “uniquely vulnerable” to threats.

EU has the power to fight foreign meddling – but isn’t using it, democracy expert says

Foreign actors are intensfying their efforts to influence Europe’s democracies, and the EU is scrambling to respond. Its lawmakers are set to vote this week on creating national transparency registers...

www.ftm.eu

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Reposted by Luise Quaritsch

Jacques Delors Centre @delorsberlin.bsky.social · 17d

"It’s all connected. I believe this multi-level governance system makes the EU uniquely vulnerable [...]. A vulnerability in one area becomes a vulnerability for all."

@luisequaritsch.bsky.social talks to @ftm.eu about foreign meddling and protecting European democracy 👉 www.ftm.eu/articles/int...

EU has the power to fight foreign meddling – but isn’t using it, democracy expert says

Foreign actors are intensfying their efforts to influence Europe’s democracies, and the EU is scrambling to respond. Its lawmakers are set to vote this week on creating national transparency registers...

www.ftm.eu

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Reposted by Luise Quaritsch

Thu Nguyen @onethuthree.bsky.social · 21d

If true, we might as well bury the concept of rule of law conditionality. The EU cannot keep letting itself be blackmailed by Orbán into unfreezing funds withheld over rule of law violations in exchange for lifting his veto, unless it truly wants to lose all credibility as a guardian of EU values

Noah Barkin @noahbarkin.bsky.social · 21d

The EU is bribing Orban to ditch Russian energy imports

www.ft.com/content/0965...

EU plans to unlock €550mn for Hungary in bid to secure Russia sanctions deal

Brussels seeks to overcome Viktor Orbán’s veto by unfreezing funds earmarked for Budapest

www.ft.com

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