Transparency is one of the most powerful tools at our disposal in the fight against cybercrime. Transparent advertising libraries play a crucial role in combating online fraud and are equally essential for identifying manipulation and covert influence operations.
The Social Media Transparency Team has prepared a comparative overview of advertising repositories in the United States and the European Union. Join us as we examine and compare different approaches to advertising transparency.
Why Do Transparent Advertising Libraries Matter?
On average, ads run for one to ten days, while fraudulent ads typically remain active for only several hours to two days. Without transparent advertising libraries that also include historical ads, it is not possible to effectively detect and analyse online fraud.
Another critical issue is the availability of reach data. In the European Union, these data are accessible thanks to the Digital Services Act (DSA). Without knowing whether an ad reached 1,000 users or 1 million, it is impossible to assess the scale at which certain narratives, ideologies, or trends are being promoted.
Transparency in online advertising should not be controversial. TV advertising has always been public. There is no convincing reason why online advertising should be opaque.
To summarize - anyone can run a campaign reaching 10 million people in the US with whatever messaging they want for 7 days, and it will not be visible. Nor its reach, nor its history, nor what was promoted at all.
Google Ads Transparency Center
| Feature |
US |
EU |
| Availability & Accessibility |
Globally accessible; covers US-targeted ads. |
Globally accessible; DSA compliant; no political ads allowed since October 2025. |
| Active Ads |
Yes; searchable by advertiser and keywords; includes ad content and advertiser details. |
Yes; searchable by advertiser and keywords; includes ad content and advertiser details; enhanced disclosures for advertiser verification and policy violations. |
| Historical Ads |
Historical data on general (non-political) ads is not available. Limited availability; Political ads searchable in supported regions, including the US, with information on payer, spend, and reach. |
Yes; all ads archived for one year in line with DSA requirements; political ad history deleted in 2025, but general ads are archived for one year. Note: The public interface primarily displays active ads, but the DSA mandates archiving. |
| Targeting Info |
Basic information for political ads (e.g. intended reach); limited information for general ads. |
Enhanced under the DSA: more details on why users see ads and stricter targeting restrictions on sensitive data. |
| Reach Info |
Not available for general ads. Basic information for political ads. |
Reach data available with a 90-day delay; not available for deleted ads. |
| Retention |
Active ads only; no specified retention period for non-political ads; political ads retained in line with platform policy. |
All ads retained for one year after they were last shown, in accordance with the DSA; subject to additional archiving requirements. |
| Other Differences |
Political ads permitted; geo- and age-based restrictions may limit visibility. |
Political ads no longer permitted; greater transparency regarding removed ads, including stated reasons. |
Meta Ad Library
| Feature |
US |
EU |
| Availability & Accessibility |
Globally accessible; searchable by US location. |
Globally accessible; includes all EU-targeted ads with DSA enhancements. Political ads banned since October 2025. |
| Active Ads |
Only active ads; includes ad content, advertiser, and platforms; searchable by keywords and advertiser. |
Yes; includes ad content, advertiser, and platforms; searchable by keywords and advertiser. Also includes beneficiary and payer information for all ads. |
| Historical Ads |
History for non-political ads is not available. Social issue, electoral, and political ads from the past 7 years. |
Yes; all ads from the past one year; social issue, electoral, and political ads from the past 7 years. Additional data available, including audience breakdowns, demographics, and reach. |
| Targeting Info |
For political ads: targeting criteria, spend, impressions, and reach available via reports or API. Limited information for general ads. |
Yes; enhanced disclosures for political ads, including more detailed information on targeting and data sources under the TTPA and DSA. |
| Reach Info |
Limited or none for general ads. |
Yes. Available for all ads. |
| Retention |
7 years for political ads; no specified retention period for non-political ads. |
All ads retained for one year after they were last shown under the DSA; political ads retained for 7 years. |
| Other Differences |
Strong focus on political advertising transparency; API available for advanced queries. |
User options for reduced ad personalisation from January 2026; a centralised EU advertising repository planned. |
TikTok Ad Library (and Commercial Content Library)
| Feature |
US |
EU |
| Availability & Accessibility |
No dedicated transparency library, no transparent ads; the Creative Center offers access to top ads and inspiration, but does not function as a full repository. |
Accessible; DSA-compliant repository for EU-targeted ads. Expanded commitments effective from December 2025. |
| Active Ads |
Limited access via the Creative Center; no comprehensive search functionality. |
Yes; includes ad content, advertiser, ad type, dates, and engagement metrics. |
| Historical Ads |
Not available. |
Yes; includes active and inactive/paused ads from the past one year; searchable by date range. |
| Targeting Info |
None available in a library or repository format. |
Yes; includes targeting criteria and aggregated user data (e.g. age, gender, location). |
| Reach Info |
None available in a library or repository format. |
Yes. Available for all ads. |
| Retention |
N/A |
One year after the ad was last shown, in line with DSA requirements; includes both recent and past campaigns. |
| Other Differences |
No regulatory mandate for comprehensive advertising transparency. |
DSA-driven enhancements: improved search and filtering options, access to full ad content and URLs, and updates within 24 hours. |
