Ad Advocates Seeking a Ban on Targeted Advertising Employ Targeted Advertising Methods Themselves

Exploration of a three-part investigation revealing the influence of "privacy capitalism" on the EU's proposal to disallow personalized advertising, highlighting:

, and Administrator

2025 August 31 . 11:55 AM

2 min read

Advertising Groups Promoting Ban on Personalized Advertisements Employ Personalized Advertisements... — Advertising Groups Promoting Ban on Personalized Advertisements Employ Personalized Advertisements Themselves

Ad Advocates Seeking a Ban on Targeted Advertising Employ Targeted Advertising Methods Themselves

In the realm of digital privacy, an intriguing paradox has emerged. The Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL), along with several other civil society organisations, have been vocal advocates for a ban on targeted advertising, yet they have also been running targeted ad campaigns on Facebook for the past two years.

This apparent contradiction stems from the effectiveness of targeted ads in delivering messages and engaging specific audiences. By employing these very ads, these organisations can reach individuals who are most likely to be sympathetic or influential, optimising their campaign efforts against targeted advertising practices.

The strategic use of Facebook ads is not unique to the ICCL. Over two-thirds of the Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) who have signed on to the "Tracking-Free Ads Coalition" have used Facebook ads since 2019. These MEPs have spent thousands of euros running hundreds of campaigns over the last two years on targeted ads.

While these organisations and MEPs are critical of targeted ads, describing them as "invasive," "threatening to democracy," and potentially "harmful to people," they have not provided substantial evidence to back up these claims.

The ICCL justifies its use of Facebook ads by stating that the "legal basis of processing data" is "Our interest in defending people's rights over the long term, which is balanced with everybody's interest in gaining protection from online surveillance, and against the risk of Facebook's data processing."

DuckDuckGo, a privacy-focused search engine, has also used Facebook ads, not just for corporate marketing, but to advocate for specific policy positions in privacy laws.

Despite their use of targeted ads, some organisations, including members of EDRi like Panoptykon, have vocally championed a ban on targeted ads. This behaviour can appear hypocritical but is usually a pragmatic choice to maximise the impact of their advocacy efforts.

A ban on targeted ads would have a detrimental impact on ad effectiveness, decreasing the available ad revenue to support free online apps and services. This is a concern for many stakeholders, as the digital advertising ecosystem plays a crucial role in funding the internet infrastructure that we all rely on.

As the debate around targeted ads continues, it is essential to understand the complex motivations and practical considerations driving the actions of organisations and individuals on both sides of the argument.

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