EU and US NGOs call for end to “surveillance-based advertising”
A coalition of 50 EU and US NGOs and consumer associations are calling for a ban on “surveillance-based advertising”. The coalition, which includes Privacy International, Accountable Tech and the European Consumer Organisation (BEUC), has penned the open letter to EU and US policymakers. The letter highlights a new report by the Norwegian Consumer Council, which argues that targeted advertising comes with various harmful consequences including manipulation, discrimination, misinformation, undermining competition, security risks and privacy violations. The report promotes alternatives to targeted advertising, including contextual advertising or advertising powered through consumers self-reporting what ads they want to see.
The letter is the latest in a series of campaigns calling for a ban on targeted advertising. In Europe, Members of the European Parliament are calling for a ban in the context of the bill for a Digital Services Act.