Berlin Rules Major Parties Violated GDPR With Facebook Voter Targeting
· 2h ago · Originally reported by PPC Land
Berlin authorities determined that the CDU, SPD, Greens, and Left parties breached GDPR by using Facebook ads to target voters based on political interests during the 2021 elections. The case against the AfD remains unresolved. This decision may prompt parties to reconsider such targeting practices.
Why it matters
This ruling highlights the legal risks of using sensitive personal data for political ad targeting, especially under strict privacy regulations like GDPR. It could influence how political campaigns use digital advertising in Europe.
Explain it like I’m new here
It's like getting in trouble for peeking at people's secrets to send them special ads about voting.
Terms in this story
GDPR
The GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) is the European Union's data protection law, applying since May 2018, which governs how organisations collect and use personal data about people in the EU.
Targeting
Targeting is choosing which people, contexts, places, devices or times should see an ad, so that the budget is spent on the audiences most likely to respond.
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