Bill to Ban Surveillance Advertising Introduced

Today Congresswomen Anna G. Eshoo (D-CA) and Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) and Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) introduced the Banning Surveillance Advertising Act, legislation that prohibits advertising networks and facilitators from using personal data to target advertisements, with the exception of broad location targeting to a recognized place, such as a municipality. “The time to disrupt corporate surveillance has come,” said EPIC Deputy Director Caitriona Fitzgerald. “Targeted advertising isn’t just creepy, it can have significant impacts on marginalized communities. Individuals in these communities can be targeted with scams and disinformation, or prevented from seeing information about housing and job openings, depriving them of important life opportunities. The Banning Surveillance Advertising Act will stop these discriminatory practices and will block advertisers and data brokers from commodifying every tiny bit of our personal data. EPIC is proud to support this bill.”