Abortion Data Brokers, Meta’s Ad Penalty, and a New UPC Study
View this email in your browser ([link removed])
** CfA's December 6, 2024 Newsletter
------------------------------------------------------------
With your support, Campaign for Accountability is working to expose corruption and hold the powerful accountable.
** This Week's Updates:
------------------------------------------------------------
Data Brokers, Abortion Clinics, and the FTC
This week, the FTC took ([link removed]) action ([link removed]) against two companies that collect and sell consumer location data, which can be used to link an individual to health clinics, military sites, and other sensitive locations. One Singapore-based firm, Mobilewalla ([link removed]) , created geo-fences around pregnancy centers and maternity clinics to build audiences of expectant families, in order to sell that data to advertisers. The company also used geo-fences around places of worship to determine the demographics of protestors; as one Mobilewalla employee explained in an email, “Hindu temples indicate you are highly likely to be Hindu/Indian,
African-American churches indicate you are likely black etc.”
Already, anti-abortion organizations have worked with data brokers to target women ([link removed]) who visited reproductive health clinics. These companies can also supply data to surveillance services ([link removed]) , which allow law enforcement to track individual devices without warrants. Consumer data protection laws prohibit this practice in some states ([link removed]) , but millions of Americans remain vulnerable ([link removed]) to geo-fencing at sensitive locations. The FTC’s enforcement actions have helped close the gap, though their work on this issue is unlikely to continue into the next
administration.
Washington Court Holds Meta to Political Advertising Penalty
This week, a Washington court told ([link removed]) Meta that it could not escape a $24 million penalty for intentionally violating the state’s Fair Campaign Practices Act, which requires platforms to retain and disclose certain records related to political advertisements. Specifically, the law ([link removed]) requires platforms to maintain information about demographic targeting and total reach, so that members of the public can request records for a specific advertisement.
In their opening brief, Meta’s lawyers argued ([link removed]) that these requirements are unconstitutional, as the Supreme Court has only recognized disclosure laws that impose burdens on political speakers—not platforms themselves. This claim was undermined by testimony from journalism professor Dr. Shannon McGreggor, who told the court how Meta’s algorithms gradually reshape audiences to maximize engagement. As she explained, a political advertiser “will never have the information about the actual targets of that ad campaign that was based on the…audience that was created by [Meta].” Meta even tells ([link removed]) advertisers to “start broad,” so its systems can “observe outcomes” and “optimize.” Therefore, political speakers who run ads on Meta platforms don’t always know what kind of audience their ads are shown to. While the penalty may be trivial for a company that reported $134
billion ([link removed]) in revenue for 2023, this decision shows how Washington’s legislation could serve as a model for future disclosure laws, or even pave the way for more robust transparency via Meta’s Ad Library.
JAMA Review Reveals Widespread Use of Misleading Tactics by Unregulated Pregnancy Clinics
A group of researchers at the University of California San Diego have conducted a systemic review ([link removed]) of websites for crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs), indexing 1,600 pages and finding that over 90% advertised medical services— including dangerous and unproven treatments like “abortion pill reversal ([link removed]) .” The study also revealed that 53% of CPCs offer testing for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), though previous research ([link removed]) suggests that many CPCs lack the ability to treat or even refer individuals diagnosed with STIs. When would-be patients arrive at a CPC seeking
medical care, they are likely to receive inaccurate information about contraception ([link removed](18)30138-0/abstract) or interact with volunteer staff who are not trained ([link removed]) to follow public health guidelines.
One of the study’s authors noted ([link removed]) that CPCs can provide “valuable community services,” such as parenting classes, but that more oversight is needed to prevent the promotion of “misleading” medical care. Indeed, other studies ([link removed]) have found that CPCs are becoming increasingly “medicalized,” offering a wide array of tests and screenings without following clinical best practices. Some CPCs even tell clients that their information is protected under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), even though the law does not apply to the vast majority of CPCs. In April, CfA urged ([link removed]) the Attorneys General of five states to investigate centers that had made
these claims.
What We're Reading
Trump has assembled an uber-wealthy Cabinet, raising risks of ethics conflicts ([link removed])
Court rules Idaho can partially enforce its 'abortion trafficking law' ([link removed])
Texas won't investigate maternal mortalities for the years immediately following its abortion ban ([link removed])
** Follow Our Work:
------------------------------------------------------------
We thank you for your continued support. Without people like you, our work would not be possible.
Here is how you can stay involved and help us accomplish our mission:
1. Follow CfA on Threads ([link removed]) and BlueSky ([link removed])
2. Follow the Tech Transparency Project on Threads ([link removed]) and Bluesky ([link removed])
3. Tell your friends and colleagues ([link removed]) about CfA.
4. Send us a tip ([link removed]) .
5. Make a tax-deductible donation ([link removed]) .
Be on the lookout for more updates about our work in the upcoming weeks. Thanks again for signing up to be a part of CfA!
Sincerely,
Michelle Kuppersmith
Executive Director, Campaign for Accountability
============================================================
** Website ([link removed])
Copyright © 2024 Campaign for Accountability, All rights reserved.
You signed up for this list at campaignforaccountability.org
Our mailing address is:
Campaign for Accountability
611 Pennsylvania Ave SE
#337
Washington, District Of Columbia 20003
USA
Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can ** update your preferences ([link removed])
or ** unsubscribe from this list ([link removed])
.
Email Marketing Powered by Mailchimp
[link removed]
