Meta’s third annual DMA compliance report, of 6 March 2026, 79 pages long, covers Facebook, Instagram, Meta Ads, Messenger and WhatsApp. For advertisers, the relevant points are transparency (over 350 data points in Ads Manager), auction rules (“Total Value”), choice flows for personalised ads and the 200 million euro fine, under appeal. Compliance is Meta’s matter, but the consequences reach campaigns.
What the DMA is, in two sentences
The Digital Markets Act (DMA) is a European law imposing obligations on platforms designated as “gatekeepers”, among them Meta, designated on 5 September 2023. It aims to make digital markets more open and fair, with rules on data, interoperability, transparency and user choices.
For advertisers, the interest lies on two sides: what changes in how users choose and share data (and so in the signal available) and what changes in the transparency of the auction and ad reports.
What the 2026 report covers
According to PPC Land, Meta submitted on 6 March 2026 its third annual compliance report, 79 pages long, and a public summary. It covers five core platform services: Facebook, Instagram, Meta Ads, Messenger and WhatsApp. Facebook Marketplace was removed from the list on 23 April 2025.
The report also includes an overview of the audit of consumer profiling techniques, 11 pages long, required by article 15 of the DMA. As of 6 January 2026, Meta Ads remained the only service to which profiling for advertising applies.
What Meta's 2026 DMA report contains
- 79 pages, 5 services covered
- Over 350 transparency points in Ads Manager
- Auction: bid, action rate and quality
- User choices since January 2026
- Notice planned for January 2027
- EUR 200m fine under appeal
Transparency: over 350 data points
According to the report, Ads Manager offers over 350 transparency data points, and Meta has Media Rating Council accreditation for display impressions, invalid traffic detection, viewable impressions and brand safety, in the Facebook and Instagram Feed. In plain language: more information is available on where and how ads were shown.
The practical usefulness depends on use. Many advertisers look at five or ten metrics. If you have access to many more, it’s worth asking your manager to identify which answer real questions of your business, instead of accumulating reports.
The blind auction and “Total Value”
The report describes the auction under article 6(5): each ad’s “Total Value” combines the bid, estimated action rate and ad quality. According to Meta, its own promotions follow the same ranking rules as third-party ads.
For the advertiser, the practical message is familiar but important: whoever combines a good bid, good relevance and good quality wins. Raising the bid alone is the most expensive way to win. Improving the ad and page, and choosing an objective the platform can optimise, is generally more efficient.
Compliance is Meta's business. The consequences reach your campaign.
User choices and the effect on signal
LPA was launched in November 2024 and, according to Meta, uses 90% less data than personalised ads. In January 2026, Meta launched new choice flows for all eligible users, and a non-dismissible notification is planned for January 2027 for those who clicked “OK” without choosing. There’s also an ad-free subscription, with the prices given in the report.
Each of these choices may reduce the amount of data for targeting and optimisation. The DMA thus creates a structural trend, not a one-off event. Plan your strategy with less dependence on fine signals.
The 200 million fine and the appeal
In April 2025, the Commission fined Meta 200 million euros related to the “Subscription for No Ads” model (article 5(2)). Meta appealed on 2 July 2025, and the appeal remains ongoing. PPC Land describes Meta’s stance in the report as defiant regarding personalised advertising.
An appeal can take time and the outcome is uncertain. For an SME, the lesson is to plan with the current regime and follow changes, without betting on a reversal. If rules change again, regular follow-up of the account and measurement lets you adapt quickly.
What to do, without being a lawyer
Three practices are enough. Follow: read the report’s public summary, or ask your manager to, and identify what affects your campaigns. Measure: record relevant dates and compare indicators before and after. Diversify: don’t depend on a single platform for most of your demand.
And remember this article summarises a report and a news item. For legal or compliance decisions for your company, consult a lawyer or a data protection specialist.
Summary in one sentence
The DMA doesn’t change your campaign overnight, but it changes the environment it runs in: more choice for the user, more transparency and less fine signal. Whoever follows, measures and diversifies is better placed than whoever waits for the rules to go back to what they were.
Frequently asked questions
Does the DMA apply to all platforms?
Only to those designated as gatekeepers. Meta was designated on 5 September 2023. The full list is with the European Commission.
Has the fine been paid?
Meta appealed on 2 July 2025 and, according to PPC Land, the appeal remains ongoing. I did not confirm the payment status.
Does this change my cost per click?
No source consulted claims so. What may change is the data signal. Measure your cost per result over time.