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• Ireland presents a bill that would keep major tech platforms accountable for any advertisement they permit to be shown. This would involve things such as financial fraud and political messaging.
• With so many of these platforms operating out of Dublin, the law will, in effect, regulate digital advertising across the entire EU.

Late in 2024, a legislative proposal was put forward in Ireland to tighten the regulations around digital advertising. What is called, informally, the transparency package in policy discussions is not supported by a single, distinctly acknowledged name in the public domain. The only thing clear is that the law intends to increase the responsibility that big tech platforms have to police digital ads, especially in sensitive or high-risk areas.

At the heart of the proposal is the idea that platforms like , Meta, TikTok, and X (formerly Twitter) should proactively vet advertising content that appears on their services. The focus is less about blanket pre-approval for all ads and more about pre-vetting categories such as financial services, political campaigns, health-related products, and environmental claims.

A Focus on Election Influence and Financial Fraud

One of the key motivations for the legislation comes from concerns over digital advertising during Ireland’s 2024 local and European elections. Increases in activity from anonymous accounts pushing political narratives through paid promotions had been witnessed by the officials.

Hence, efforts were made by the legislators for a clearer attribution, transparency in funding, and due diligence on the platform, especially in times of public decision-making, like in elections. 

In May 2025, the Government of Ireland reactivated its commitment to the promotion of the bill with the additional intent of focusing on financial fraud. Minister Dara Calleary asserted that platforms were failing to prevent misleading or harmful advertisements in these high-risk areas and that new audit obligations were needed to address the increasing sophistication of fraud.

Clarifying Platform Responsibilities

As bills were being adopted, the major platforms would need to make further adjustments by strengthening existing mechanisms for ad verification. While they would not be asked to approve every single advertisement, they would need to:

• Identify who created and paid for ads that fall into regulated categories
• Flag potentially misleading or unverifiable claims
• Maintain ongoing transparency records, such as public ad libraries and risk assessments

The emphasis is on ads that could lead to harm or confusion if left unchecked, rather than across-the-board controls.

Ireland’s Regulatory Influence Across Europe

Given that most major digital platforms operate their EU headquarters out of Dublin, changes in Irish regulation often carry wider implications. Ireland plays a similar role in the context of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), where its Data Protection Commission handles many of the EU’s high-profile cases.

This means if the proposed legislation passes, Ireland would again be shaping the regulatory framework for digital advertising and, via this regulatory process, directly impacting how platforms negotiate compliance issues in other member states. 

Change, thus, in campaign rollout times, approval processes, and internal documentation standards could arise for brands operating in cross-European markets.

Intersection with the Digital Services Act

The Digital Services Act (DSA) of the EU came into force in 2024 and already imposes a set of obligations on digital platforms to ensure transparency and users’ safety. Building upon this, Ireland’s ad transparency proposal delineates particular standards as regards how paid content is dealt with, especially high-risk advertising.

Whereas the DSA focuses on systems-level risk and user reporting, the Irish initiative introduces expectations around prior review of ads in designated categories. This makes it one of the stricter interpretations of the DSA’s general principles.

Industry Response: Uncertainty and Caution

Responses from tech companies have been measured. Meta has referenced its current political ad review practices, and Google continues to highlight its Ad Transparency Centre. Neither has it committed to pre-vetting all categories flagged by Irish regulators.

Industry trade bodies have also expressed concerns. They point to possible disruptions to automated ad buying processes, uncertainty over definitions like “public interest�, and the potential for conflicting compliance demands across jurisdictions.

Thanking hesitation, a tacit assumption was made on the fact that a structured system of oversight shall be established sometime in the future; thus, internal processes are slowly under review.

How Advertisers Can Prepare

For advertising teams, this proposal presents an opportunity to reassess compliance protocols and readiness for regional policy changes. Brands may want to:

• Prepare internal guidelines for the disclosure of the funding and source of sensitive commercials.
• Document all substantiation for the truthfulness of the statements made, especially if in regulated areas, such as finance or healthcare.
• Start to place lead times in campaign planning that would allow for any such delay.
• Agencies conducting any cross-border campaign should seek legal advice on where the Irish rules could trigger EU-wide implications.

What’s Next: Timeline and Expectations

• Initial proposal introduced: Late 2024
• Government renewed commitment: May 2025
• Parliamentary debate expected: Second half of 2025
• Earliest likely enforcement: 2026

The timeframe gives stakeholders time to respond, though enforcement could be accelerated depending on political momentum and public pressure.

Implications for the UK and Global Markets

Although the UK is no longer part of the EU, many advertising networks operate regionally through Dublin or other EU hubs. That means changes in Irish regulation often reverberate across pan-European strategies.

Furthermore, UK regulators have expressed interest in extending aspects of the Online Safety Act to include stricter advertising oversight. The Irish model may serve as a reference point.

Global brands should watch this space carefully, particularly if other EU countries move to adopt similar pre-screening standards.

A Measured Shift in Digital Accountability

The government’s demand in Ireland for stronger advertising control advances no proposal for anything like an outright ban or universal pre-approval of digital ads. Instead, it introduces a targeted framework focused on improving integrity in areas with the most potential for harm.

For tech companies, it is a moment to strengthen systems already in place. For advertisers, it is a reminder that compliance is no longer an option in high-impact domains.

As Ireland follows a precedent in Europe in creating digital policy, the advertising landscape is accountable, more transparent, and well-structured. For those willing to adapt, this is not so much a challenge but also a cue as to the standards towards which the digital economy is evolving.