Hey there --

Two years ago today, we launched a transatlantic coalition of 50+ advocacy groups fighting for an end to Big Tech's toxic business model of surveillance advertising.

Surveillance advertising is the practice of extensively tracking and profiling people’s behavior and personal data on the internet, and then using it to microtarget ads at them.

This business model fuels the spread of misinformation, extremism, hate, and discrimination on and offline by incentivizing companies to feed us content that keeps us hooked for as long as possible in order to hyper-target us with ads.

The idea of banning surveillance advertising was once considered a radical proposal, but now it’s becoming policy around the world. Watch and share our new video to see the progress we’ve made together:

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In two years, we’ve made a lot of progress taking on Big Tech’s toxic business model of surveillance advertising, including: 

• Working with Senator Cory Booker, Representatives Jan Schakowsky and Anna Eshoo to introduce the landmark bicameral Banning Surveillance Advertising Act.
• President Biden calling on Congress in his State of the Union address to “ban targeted advertising to children” and “hold social media platforms accountable for the national experiment they’re conducting on our children for profit” two years in a row. 
• Filing a rulemaking petition with the Federal Trade Commission to ban surveillance advertising as an unfair method of competition. 
• Propelling bold legislation in the European Union Parliament to ban targeted ads for minors in the Digital Services Act. 
• Passing the Age Appropriate Design Code in California, which effectively prohibits surveillance advertising to minors

We couldn’t have gotten this far without your support. Now is the time for change and accountability.

Nicole Gill
Co-founder and Executive Director
Accountable Tech

P.S. If you haven’t already, make sure to subscribe to our Close Friends email list to get the most up-to-date news on Big Tech.

We see the irony of asking you to take action on the same platforms we’re fighting to hold accountable, but they are… well… dominant. We have to reach people where they are in order to level the playing field -- and we’re ready to bring the fight right to their own platforms.

Democracy depends on common truths. Social media giants are eroding our consensus reality and pushing democracy to the brink. Accountable Tech is fighting back by urging social media companies to serve the public good by strengthening the integrity of their platforms and our democracy. Make a donation to fund our work →

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