Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has banned advertisements from ByteDance, TikTok's Chinese parent company, on its platforms in the United States and several other countries. The ban, effective immediately, extends to third-party advertisers promoting ByteDance properties within the US, Canada, Egypt, Indonesia, Japan, Thailand, and Vietnam.
A Meta spokesperson stated that the company does not need to run ads for a competitor whose objective is to draw users away from its own applications. This decision reflects a normal business practice across industries, where companies compete based on product quality and user experience.
The ban intensifies the ongoing competition between Meta and ByteDance. TikTok has emerged as a significant rival for user attention, creators, and advertising revenue.
While TikTok's website currently prevents users from linking directly to other social media apps within the platform, users can still include links in their profiles that direct to other websites. TikTok and ByteDance have not yet responded to requests for comment regarding Meta's decision.
This action follows Meta's recent agreements to enhance teen safety measures. In August, Meta agreed to implement daily usage limits, restrict nighttime usage for children on Facebook and Instagram, and strengthen measures to prevent minors from accessing age-restricted content. This was part of a settlement addressing concerns about social media's impact on young people.
TikTok has also taken steps to address similar concerns. In September, the platform reached a settlement with Alabama that mandates new usage limits and improved age-verification for users in the state, resolving claims of endangering children and misleading consumers about safety.
TikTok operates in the U.S. as a joint venture with majority American ownership, a structure established to protect U.S. user data and prevent a ban on the app, which is used by over 200 million people in the country. Bloomberg News first reported Meta's advertising ban on Thursday.