TheDigital Services Act(DSA) restricts the use of some sensitive information for ad targeting.
However, marketing experts and academics say the proposed laws go too far, and not far enough.
“The Digital Services Act, which was initiated in 2020, does not ban targeted ads outright.
Tabrez Syed / Unsplash
But the tide is finally turning.
Even a billion-dollar fine isn’t a big deal for these behemoths.
The Digital Services Act, which was initiated in 2020, does not ban targeted ads outright.
By going after ad-targeting tech itself, Europe could cut off these privacy-hostile practices at the root.
That’s the theory anyway.
The hard part is doing it.
The reach of these companies is so huge that local laws often slip off.
“We need more tech regulation, but the proposed bill is too broad,” Selepak continued.
When one gets deeper into the bill’s proposals, it starts to look a little disjointed.
Why are targeted ads lumped in with controls on hate speech, for example?
“The proposed bill would also require tech companies to remove hate speech,” says Selepak.
“But who would determine what constitutes hate speech?
And a pretty good one at that.
