TL;DR
A YouGov survey across seven EU countries finds substantial public concern that social media rules are too relaxed in several countries and significant support in some places for banning political adverts. Attitudes vary by country and by party, with voters for far-right parties generally less supportive of tighter rules and advertising bans.
What happened
YouGov’s new European Political monthly survey asked residents in seven EU countries—France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania and Spain—about social media regulation and whether political advertising should be banned on social platforms. Respondents in France were most likely to say rules are too relaxed (53%), while pluralities in the Netherlands (47%), Germany (42%) and Italy (38%) shared that view. Spain, Poland and Romania showed closer splits between those who think regulations are too lax and those who think they are about right. Support for a ban on political adverts was strong in Spain (66%), France (57%) and Poland (53%), and reached 50% in Germany. Italy, the Netherlands and Romania were closely divided. The survey also found a consistent pattern across several countries: voters affiliated with far-right parties tended to oppose advertising bans and were less likely to say regulation is too relaxed. The report notes sample-size limits for some smaller or fragmented party electorates.
Why it matters
- Public sentiment could shape national and EU-level debates on platform oversight and political advertising rules.
- High support for advertising bans in several countries signals voter appetite for measures aimed at limiting political targeting on social platforms.
- Differences by party affiliation suggest regulation discussions may be politicised and influence perceptions of fairness.
- Country-level variation means any policy response could be uneven across the EU or provoke domestic political contestation.
Key facts
- Survey covered seven EU countries: France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania and Spain.
- 53% of French respondents said social media regulations are too relaxed—the highest share among the countries surveyed.
- Pluralities who think regulation is too lax: Netherlands 47%, Germany 42%, Italy 38%.
- Relatively few across the surveyed countries said rules are too tight; Romania had the highest share saying laws are too tight at 18%.
- Support for banning political adverts on social platforms: Spain 66%, France 57%, Poland 53%, Germany 50%.
- Italy, the Netherlands and Romania showed almost even splits on whether political adverts should be banned (only a two-point gap in each country).
- Voters for far-right parties were generally more opposed to political-ad bans and less likely to view regulation as too relaxed.
- Example from Germany: net support for a political-ad ban was +46 among Greens voters, +27 for CDU voters, +8 for SDP voters, and −12 among AfD voters.
- Report cautions that small or fragmented far-right electorates in some countries limited the ability to report party-level results for every party.
What to watch next
- Which national governments and EU institutions respond to public concern with concrete regulatory proposals (not confirmed in the source).
- Whether major social platforms adjust political-ad policies in response to public sentiment or pending regulation (not confirmed in the source).
- Trends in public opinion in future YouGov monthly releases to see if support for bans or stricter rules grows or wanes.
Quick glossary
- Social media regulation: Laws, rules or industry standards that govern how social platforms operate, including content moderation, data handling and advertising.
- Political advertising: Paid messages on media platforms intended to influence opinions or votes about political actors, issues or elections.
- Far-right: A political label generally applied to parties or movements that emphasise nationalism, strict immigration controls, and conservative social policies; definitions vary by country.
- YouGov: A polling and market-research firm that conducts public opinion surveys and publishes results on political and social issues.
- Net support: A measure that subtracts opposition from support to show the overall balance of opinion on a question.
Reader FAQ
Which countries showed the most concern that social media rules are too relaxed?
France led with 53% saying rules are too relaxed; the Netherlands (47%), Germany (42%) and Italy (38%) also showed notable concern.
Do most Europeans support banning political adverts on social platforms?
Support varies by country: strong majorities in Spain (66%) and France (57%), majority in Poland (53%) and Germany (50%); Italy, the Netherlands and Romania are closely divided.
Are voters for far-right parties less likely to back bans and stricter rules?
The survey found that far-right voters were generally more opposed to advertising bans and less likely to say regulation is too lax, with the German example showing AfD voters at net −12 for a ban.
Will these survey results lead to new laws?
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 tech regulation
- New polls shows Europeans want tougher EU enforcement …
- Which European countries are considering banning social …
- Europeans, Americans prioritize in-person interactions …
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