European Parliament proceeds with proposal to ban some targeted ads
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Big Tech will be prohibited from utilizing sensitive data for targeted advertising as a result of the regulation.
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The Digital Services Act was first introduced in 2020.
The European Parliament voted on Thursday to adopt the first draft of a law aimed at limiting Big Tech's intrusive advertising practices, as reported by Bloomberg. The draft was approved by the Parliament with 530 votes in favor, 78 votes against, and 80 abstentions.
The Digital Services Act, which was first introduced in 2020, will prohibit platforms like Google, Amazon, and Facebook, which is owned by Meta, from utilizing sensitive information like race, religion, or sexual orientation for targeted advertising.
It would force businesses to make it easy for users to opt out of tracking, and it will put pressure on platforms to remove illegal content and items, such as hate speech and counterfeit goods, from the internet.
Dutch politician and Parliament member Paul Tang wrote on Twitter: “With a huge majority, the European Parliament adopted the Digital Services Act.”
Yes! with a huge majority, the European Parliament adopted the Digital Services Act. A big win, with support from left to right 💪!
— Paul Tang (@paultang) January 20, 2022
Special thanks to all the colleagues that worked so hard to achieve this result. (cc @SchaldemoseMEP) #DSA #DigitalServicesAct pic.twitter.com/1wiVfCqlw2
The accepted proposal also includes two measures that the Parliament agreed on last month: a prohibition on both targeted adverts for children and dark patterns, a technique used by some platforms to deceive users into sharing their data. Companies that violate these policies could face fines of up to 6% of their global revenue.
As Bloomberg points out, the Digital Services Act still faces challenges, as negotiations with the European Council begin on January 31st.
