Meta Blocks ByteDance and TikTok Ads Across Its US Platforms in Escalating Rivalry

Meta Platforms Inc. began barring advertisements in the US from ByteDance Ltd., escalating its rivalry with the social video platform. The ban, implemented Thursday, covers ads and paid marketing messages placed on Meta's platforms by ByteDance, which still oversees key parts of TikTok's US operations. The restriction applies in the US, Canada, Egypt, Indonesia, Japan, Thailand and Vietnam, and extends to third-party advertisers linking to TikTok and other ByteDance properties in those markets. "We don't have to run ads from a competitor whose goal is to pull people off our apps," Meta spokesperson Chris Sgro said, calling the move normal business practice. Tensions rose in August after Meta agreed to an $18 billion settlement with US states requiring new safety features for minors on Instagram and Facebook. Meta has since pressed TikTok and YouTube to adopt similar measures. TikTok last month removed dedicated Instagram links from user profiles and rejected Meta ads demanding comparable child-safety commitments. Meta, which has long been unable to operate in China, faces a rivalry in which TikTok competes freely in the US.