Twitter tightens up EU political ad rules ahead of election

LONDON – Twitter says it’s tightening up rules for European Union political ads ahead of bloc-wide elections set for the spring, following similar moves by fellow tech giants Facebook and Google.

The social media company said Tuesday it is extending restrictions already in place in the United States.

Under the new rules, which will also apply in Australia and India, political advertisers will need to be certified. Ads will be stored in a database showing how much was spent and the demographics of the people who saw it.

Facebook and Google have put in similar systems ahead of the EU vote in May, as the U.S. tech companies respond to criticism they didn’t do enough to prevent misuse of their platforms by groups trying to sway previous elections.