Meta Rolling Out New Data-Sharing Restrictions for Select Data Source Categories

In January 2025, Meta is set to implement additional restrictions on data-sharing for certain categories of websites and apps using Meta Business Tools.

This move is part of the company’s ongoing efforts to ensure compliance with its terms, specifically targeting the prevention of unauthorized information sharing.

Categories Subject to Data-Sharing Restrictions

The data source categories that may face these restrictions include sectors such as health and wellness, financial services, and politics.

Other categories include sensitive areas like race, religion, sexuality, and gender identity.

According to Meta, this list is not exhaustive and is subject to future changes.

How Meta Identifies Data Source Categories

Meta uses information about the topics and services associated with websites and apps to categorize data sources.

The company assesses the nature of the data transmitted through Meta Business Tools to determine whether a data source falls under a restricted category.

Impact on Advertisers

The impact advertisers may observe will depend on if and how restricted events are currently being used. Advertisers operating within restricted data source categories may face partial or full limitations on data sharing.

Meta has stated that in some cases, all events from affected websites or apps will either not be shared or will be removed upon receipt if transmitted server-side via tools such as the Conversions API (CAPI).

These restrictions are expected to influence campaign performance. For example, advertisers in the health and wellness category will no longer be able to run lower-funnel conversion events starting January 2025.

Campaign delivery and effectiveness may decline over time if restricted standard events are critical for targeting, optimization, or measurement.

Per Meta:

“This means that all events from your website or app will not be shared with Meta, or will be subsequently removed when received (if it’s sent server-side, for e.g., CAPI), through any of our Business Tools. Please note that this change may impact your campaign performance. The impact you may observe to your campaigns will depend primarily on if and how you are currently using standard events.”

In January 2025, advertisers who are in some restricted categories, such as the health & wellness category, will not be able to run any lower funnel conversion events at all.

Advertisers categorized under restricted data sources may see the decline of their ad delivery and effectiveness over time if the restricted standard event is required for campaign targeting, optimization, or measurement.

For further details about data-sharing restrictions and best practices, visit Meta’s official guidance on this topic.