Almost everyone has encountered them: young people in green jackets who address passers-by in front of shopping centers and subway stations – wiht a fast saying and a clipboard in their hand.We’re talking about Greenpeace fundraisers who collect donations for the environmental protection NGO.
But Greenpeace is not just fighting for supporters on the streets. since 2019, the Austrian branch of the organization has invested more than 1.2 million euros in Facebook advertising. Ultimately, target groups can be addressed much more specifically online, i.e. targeted.
Now that’s over for now: facebook parent meta and Google have been blocking political advertising as October 10th. The platforms interpret the term broadly – so broadly that it also includes environmental protection campaigns. Along with parties and interest groups such as the Chamber of Labor, NGOs and the media are also affected.
In doing so,Meta and Google are pre-empting new EU rules that would provide for stricter transparency requirements for political advertising,but would not have brought about a general ban.for NGOs and parties in Austria, this means that an important communication channel is no longer available. possible calculation from Meta and Google: The players who fight for their advertising opportunities could put pressure on national governments and the EU too drop the stricter transparency rules for the platforms.
The European Commission defends the goal of making advertisements on social networks more obvious for users: “Both Meta and Google are private companies that make their own decisions,” it says when asked by profil. Though, discussions will continue with the tech companies and are also in contact with member states to analyze the possible effects of the advertising ban.
##TikTok advertising as a campaign tool
Rarely has there been so much discussion about the power of social media in the election campaign. This notably served right-wing parties.The algorithmic logic that rewards emotion and outrage suits populists.
Cases far beyond Austria show how sensitive political advertising on the Internet is – for example in Romania, where there were attempts to influence it. The later annulled victory of the right-wing and pro-Russian candidate Călin Georgescu in 2024 was also attributed to a Tiktok supporter campaign with numerous fake accounts that fueled the algorithm and massively increased its reach.
Not only parties make use of social media advertising, but also NGOs.No other fan page operated from Austria has invested more money in meta-advertising than Greenpeace since 2019. Not even the side of FPÖ leader Herbert Kickl.
Greenpeace makes no secret about the relevance of online marketing: “Social media is the best and most cost-effective way to get young and old involved in protecting our forests, oceans a
Table of Contents
The Austrian political landscape is shifting as new restrictions on political advertising on platforms like Facebook and YouTube come into effect. These changes are impacting how parties reach voters, particularly those who haven’t prioritized building direct online communities. The Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ) is actively attempting to establish a presence on YouTube with its new channel, “SPÖ eins,” but faces a meaningful challenge in catching up to the Freedom party of Austria (FPÖ), whose “FPÖ TV” channel boasts over 241,000 subscribers. https://www.spoe.at/ https://www.fpoe.at/
The Impact of the advertising Ban
Experts predict that the ban on targeted political advertising will disproportionately affect parties that haven’t cultivated strong online communities. Max Wieninger, director of the digital agency Campaigning Bureau, emphasizes that reliance on short-term reach will now result in a significant loss of visibility. He also warns of the risks associated with attempting to circumvent the ban, noting that platforms could block accounts found to be in violation.
Ambiguity in Implementation
The implementation of the advertising ban isn’t without its challenges. Lukas Bickel from the P&B agency, specializing in political communication, reports that ad submissions are currently facing unclear criteria, with no advertisements yet being approved.This ambiguity creates uncertainty for parties attempting to navigate the new regulations. https://www.pb-agency.at/
Return to Traditional campaigning
With digital advertising avenues potentially limited, political parties may increasingly revert to traditional campaigning methods. this could meen a resurgence in more visible, “old-fashioned” strategies, such as direct mail, public rallies, and door-to-door canvassing – exemplified by the potential for increased visibility of campaign workers in branded attire (“people in the green jackets”).
Looking Ahead
The evolving digital advertising landscape presents both challenges and opportunities for Austrian political parties. Success will likely depend on a party’s ability to build authentic engagement with voters outside of paid advertising, fostering genuine communities and leveraging organic reach. The SPÖ’s efforts with “SPÖ eins” represent one such attempt, but overcoming the established online presence of parties like the FPÖ will require a sustained and strategic approach.