Meta Bans TikTok Ads on Facebook and Instagram in Indonesia – Aktualita.co

Meta Bans TikTok Ads on Facebook and Instagram in Seven Countries
Meta Platforms has officially banned TikTok and its parent company, ByteDance, from running paid advertisements on its platforms, including Facebook and Instagram, across seven countries, including Indonesia.
JAKARTA, Aktualita.co — The rivalry between two global social media giants is heating up. Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has officially banned TikTok and its parent company, ByteDance, from placing paid advertisements on its platforms. This policy applies to seven countries, including Indonesia.
The ban took effect on Thursday, October 8, 2026. It does not only target ads placed directly by ByteDance; the restrictions also cover campaigns from third-party advertisers that direct users to TikTok or other services owned by ByteDance.
This decision was confirmed by Meta to several international media outlets. Bloomberg was one of the first to report on the policy, which was later confirmed in reports by Reuters and The Verge.
Meta’s move marks a new chapter in the social media industry’s competition, particularly in the battle for user attention, content creators, and digital advertising revenue.
According to company statements reported by Reuters, the TikTok ad restrictions apply in the United States, Canada, Egypt, Indonesia, Japan, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Meta stated that the policy is a reasonable business decision, as TikTok is one of the primary competitors to Facebook and Instagram.
Meta spokesperson Christopher Sgro emphasized that the company has no obligation to provide advertising services to competing platforms that seek to divert users away from the Meta ecosystem.
“We are not required to run ads from competitors whose goal is to pull people off our apps,” said Sgro, as quoted by The Verge, Friday (10/9/2026).
Meta also maintains that refusing promotional services to competing companies is a common business practice across various industries.
The company asserted that it will continue to compete through product quality and user experience, rather than by providing promotional space to competitors.
With this policy, ByteDance loses access to one of the digital marketing channels that it has previously used to reach Facebook and Instagram users in the affected countries.
An important part of Meta’s policy is that the scope of the ban is not limited to official TikTok advertising accounts.
According to a Bloomberg report, the restrictions also reach third-party advertisers running campaigns with links leading to TikTok or other ByteDance digital properties.
This means that companies or marketing agencies using Meta’s advertising system to promote TikTok services are also potentially subject to these restrictions.
For example, paid campaigns specifically aimed at encouraging Instagram users to visit the TikTok app may fall into the restricted category.
However, this policy should be distinguished from general social media usage.
The ban does not mean the TikTok app is blocked in Indonesia, nor are Facebook and Instagram users prohibited from talking about TikTok.
The restrictions announced by Meta focus on paid advertisements and marketing messages that promote ByteDance and its related services.
There is no detailed explanation yet regarding all enforcement scenarios, including how the policy will be applied to various types of promotions by creators and business owners who use more than one platform.
The inclusion of Indonesia in the list of seven affected countries is noteworthy. Indonesia is one of the most important markets for the social media and digital advertising industry.
The Digital 2026: Indonesia report published by DataReportal shows the significant potential reach of advertisements on various social media platforms in the country.
Based on ad planning data from late 2025, the potential ad reach of Facebook in Indonesia was recorded at approximately 121 million users, while Instagram reached 108 million users.
Meanwhile, TikTok advertising data showed a potential reach of approximately 180 million users aged 18 and over in Indonesia during the same period.
These figures are estimates of advertising reach, not monthly active users, and therefore cannot be directly compared as a measure of each platform’s user base.
Nevertheless, the data illustrates the size of the Indonesian market for technology companies that rely on user attention and digital marketing activities.
For TikTok, the restrictions from Meta could potentially narrow the options for paid promotional channels to attract new users through competing platforms.
However, there is no official data available yet showing how much TikTok’s marketing budget in Indonesia is affected by this decision.
The relationship between Meta and TikTok has long been marked by competition. The presence of TikTok has changed how people consume digital content, especially through short-form videos packaged in a personalized recommendation system.
Meta has since strengthened Instagram Reels and Facebook Reels to maintain user engagement within its ecosystem.
The competition between the two is no longer just about the number of users, but also about creators, content distribution, and the platform’s ability to attract advertising spend from various brands.
This tension is also visible in issues regarding cross-platform links and the promotion of their respective services.
Reuters reported that TikTok has restrictions on links that directly open or connect users to other social media applications. However, users can still add links that direct profile visitors to other platform websites.
On the other hand, Meta previously urged TikTok and YouTube to implement teen protection standards in line with the company’s own measures.
In August 2026, Meta announced an agreement with several U.S. state attorneys general regarding the protection of teen users, including setting time limits and restricting access at night.
Although the two companies have tensions over various issues, Meta specifically cited the decision to ban TikTok ads as part of its business practices toward competitors.
For digital marketing industry players, Meta’s latest policy could be a consideration when drafting cross-platform promotion strategies.
So far, marketing strategies have not always relied on a single application. A campaign might use Instagram to build brand awareness and then direct the audience to TikTok to access specific content.
With the new restrictions, advertisers need to ensure whether their campaign materials and landing pages fall into the category of promotions banned by Meta.
Creators and agencies running paid campaigns to increase visits to TikTok also need to monitor the development of this policy.
Even so, these restrictions do not automatically eliminate all cross-platform promotion opportunities. Organic marketing, creator collaborations, and promotions through other channels are activities distinct from running paid ads on Meta’s system.
The actual impact on Indonesian advertisers still requires further observation, especially after the rules are applied more broadly.
As of the time this report was written, TikTok and ByteDance have not provided a confirmed public response regarding Meta’s latest ban.
Meta’s decision shows that digital platform competition is moving further. Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok are not only racing to provide attractive features but are also determining how much access they can grant to competitors within their respective business ecosystems.
For Indonesia, this development serves as a reminder that changes in global technology company policies can affect digital marketing strategies in the domestic market.
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