🚨EU lawmakers are currently deciding whether or not to axe one of the Digital Service Act’s most important proposed measures: a prohibition on using people’s sensitive data in targeted advertising. 🧵A quick thread on what is at stake.
At present there is nothing to stop Facebook and Google profiling people with ‘ad interests’ that reveal or infer sensitive data about them, such as their religious or political views, health conditions, and sexual preferences.
We’ve seen this system weaponized over and over - from ads designed to suppress votes to ads recruiting militia. An investigation yesterday by @GlobalWitness found it was still possible to place Facebook ads promoting violence against Rohingya in Myanmar apnews.com/article/techno…
Both Facebook & Google stopped selling ads anywhere in Russia within days of the Ukraine invasion because they know full well that their system is ripe for exploitation & is used routinely in information warfare. reuters.com/technology/goo…
Fortunately @EuroParl_EN wants to ban the most extreme practices in targeted advertising in the #DSA. Their proposal does not just prohibit the use of sensitive data but also inferences that reveal sensitive characteristics, which is important given how online advertising works
The fact that the @EU_Commission and EU Council, led by negotiator @Cedric_O, would ditch even this baseline protection is an absolute betrayal of the citizens they serve. This measure isn’t so much a step forward as it is the bare minimum to protect people online today
Of course, the Big Tech lobby argues that European businesses require this invasive level of targeting to survive. But when you ask SMEs, an overwhelming majority (79%) want regulation of Big Tech’s use of data for advertising: euractiv.com/section/digita…
EU leaders, this is a no brainer! You must pass the proposed ban on using sensitive data for ad targeting in the #DSA. EU citizens cannot afford to wait for long overdue protections. @Cedric_O @ThierryBreton @SchaldemoseMEP #PeopleVsBigTech
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