RDR supports Accountable Tech’s FTC petition to ban surveillance advertising

RDR is proud to support Accountable Tech’s rulemaking petition to ban surveillance advertising. After extensive research, stakeholder consultations, and policy analysis, our team has concluded that the surveillance advertising business model poses a fundamental threat to civil and human rights, liberal democracy, and the public interest. There can be no targeting without surveillance, and this toxic business model must be abolished. To this end, we urge the FTC to use its rule-making authority to ban surveillance-based advertising.

At a recent hearing hosted by the House Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee, RDR Senior Policy & Partnerships Manager Dr. Nathalie Maréchal argued that “a business model that relies on the violation of rights will necessarily lead to products and behaviors that create and amplify harms.” Banning surveillance-based advertising is an urgent public policy concern in need of remedy. Whether this comes through FTC rulemaking or legislation (such as the Banning Surveillance Advertising Act introduced earlier this month), the time to act is now.

Read RDR’s submission to the FTC

Written by Dr. Nathalie Maréchal, senior policy & partnerships manager, and Alex Rochefort, policy fellow.