TL;DR
A YouGov poll of seven EU countries finds pluralities or majorities in several states want stricter social media rules and many support banning political ads on platforms. Voters for far-right parties are generally less supportive of advertising bans and less likely to say regulation is too relaxed.
What happened
YouGov’s new European Political monthly survey, published October 23, 2025, asked respondents in seven EU countries — France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania and Spain — about attitudes to social media regulation and whether political advertising should be banned on social platforms. The French are the most likely to say existing rules are too relaxed (53%). Pluralities in the Netherlands (47%), Germany (42%) and Italy (38%) share that view, while Spain, Poland and Romania are more evenly split between thinking rules are too lax and about right. On banning political adverts, support is highest in Spain (66%), France (57%) and Poland (53%), with half of Germans (50%) also in favour. Italy, the Netherlands and Romania are closely divided on the ban. Across several countries, voters for far-right parties are generally the least supportive of ad bans and least likely to say regulation is too relaxed, with notable country-level variations and sample-size caveats reported by YouGov.
Why it matters
- Public opinion favoring tighter rules could increase pressure on national and EU policymakers to revisit social media regulation.
- Strong support in large markets like Spain, France and Germany could influence platform content and advertising policies.
- Partisan divisions — particularly lower support among far-right voters — suggest regulation debates may intersect with electoral and political strategy concerns.
- Differences between countries indicate no single European consensus, complicating cross-border regulatory approaches.
Key facts
- Survey covered seven EU countries: France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania and Spain.
- 53% of respondents in France said social media regulations are too relaxed.
- Pluralities saying regulations are too relaxed: Netherlands 47%, Germany 42%, Italy 38%.
- Few people in any surveyed country said rules were too tight; the highest share was Romania at 18%.
- Support for banning political adverts on social media: Spain 66%, France 57%, Poland 53%, Germany 50%.
- Italy, the Netherlands and Romania showed near-even splits on whether political ads should be banned, with only a two-point gap between sides.
- Voters for far-right parties were generally less likely to support advertising bans and less likely to describe regulations as too lax.
- Example from Germany: net support for a political-ad ban was +46 among Green voters, +27 for CDU, +8 for SPD and -12 for AfD.
- YouGov noted sample-size limitations for some smaller or fragmented parties when reporting party-level breakdowns.
- The results were released as part of YouGov’s new European Political monthly product.
What to watch next
- Whether national governments or the EU propose new legislation responding to public concern about social media regulations (not confirmed in the source).
- How major social platforms respond to sustained public support for banning political advertising (not confirmed in the source).
- Shifts in party-level attitudes or campaigning strategies if tighter regulation advances (not confirmed in the source).
Quick glossary
- Political advertising: Paid messages on media channels, including social platforms, intended to influence opinions or votes about political actors, issues or elections.
- Social media regulation: Laws, rules or policies governing platform behaviour, content moderation, data use and other activities related to online social networks.
- Far-right: A label for political parties or movements that typically emphasize nationalism, anti-immigration policies and conservative social positions; exact definitions vary by country.
- Net support: A measure often calculated by subtracting opposition share from support share to show overall balance of opinion toward a proposal.
Reader FAQ
Which countries most want tougher social media rules?
France shows the highest share saying rules are too relaxed (53%), with pluralities in the Netherlands (47%), Germany (42%) and Italy (38%).
Where is support strongest for banning political adverts on social platforms?
Support is highest in Spain (66%), followed by France (57%), Poland (53%) and Germany (50%).
Do far-right voters oppose ad bans across the board?
YouGov reports that far-right voters are generally more opposed to bans and less likely to say rules are too lax, with some country-level exceptions such as Spain.
What methodology details are available about the survey?
not confirmed in the source
European Political Monthly: Where do Europeans stand on social media regulation? YouGov October 23, 2025, 8:37 AM GMT+0 Made with Flourish • Create a chart To celebrate the launch of YouGov’s new…
Sources
- European Majority favours more social media regulation
- Large majority of French, German and Spanish public back …
- New polls shows Europeans want tougher EU enforcement …
Related posts
- 2025: When data centers moved from invisible infrastructure to a public flashpoint
- Nabokov’s blunt guide for foreigners attempting to learn Russian
- YouGov poll: Majority of Europeans favor stricter social media regulation