FTC Blasts 'Commercial Surveillance Ecosystem,' Calls For New Laws

Large social media companies and streaming video services threaten consumers' privacy by collecting a “staggering” amount of data in order to serve behaviorally targeted ads, the Federal Trade Commission said Thursday in a new staff report.

“The status quo is unacceptable,” Samuel Levine, director of the FTC's consumer protection bureau …

2 comments about "FTC Blasts 'Commercial Surveillance Ecosystem,' Calls For New Laws".
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  1. Edward Omeara from MediaHound, September 20, 2024 at 12:54 p.m.

    Who on this board has sat in a focus group, talked with a shopper, or heard from anyone in their own circle of friends or family: "Hey, this personalized ad was SOOOO relevant to me."  "That email message was just what I needed to know."  "That e-commerce price is exactly what I want to pay!"  "Thank the Lord they found me!"

    Never.  And the reason, which Bob Liodice ignores, is that Ad Sellers and Ad Buyers and Agency Directors and CMO's don't give a shit about personalized advertising for Consumers.  They only care about scaling more ads at the highest marginal price, in the weakest platforms available, finding the broadest audience available, all as fast as possible.  MORE, MORE, MORE.

    These talk points about giving people more information, ala Ad Choices, means nothing.  Privacy and respect mean nothing.  Zero.  Zip.  It's industry blather written by AR/IR perps.  

    And no one, including the FTC or your favorite politicians, connects consumer fears to the fact that we all know many people scammed, slammed and fleeced by the bad actors using your own ad tech alongside you.

    The ANA and AAAA member's need to pay their own dues, put their CEO's back into the board seats, drop the vendor community sponsorships, demand ad tech guardrails and accountability, and re-set your company ad standards based on effective and responsible customer communications.  

  2. Allahyar Zulfiqar Ali from aaf, January 4, 2025 at 12:08 p.m.

    Allahyar zulfiqar Ali 

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