Need To Know | Center for Digital Democracy

Contextual Advertising—Now Driven by AI and Machine Learning—Requires Regulatory Review for Privacy and Marketing Fairness

By: Jeff Chester | Mar 11 2021

Contextual Advertising—Now Driven by AI and Machine Learning—Requires Regulatory Review for Privacy and Marketing Fairness

What’s known as contextual advertising is receiving a big boost from marketers and some policymakers, who claim that it provides a more privacy-friendly alternative to the dominant global surveillance-based “behavioral” marketing model. Google’s plans to eliminate cookies and other third-party trackers used for much of online ad delivery are also spurring greater interest in contextual marketing, which is being touted especially as safe for children.
Authors

Jeff Chester
Date

Wednesday, March 10, 2021
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The Whole World will Still be Watching You: Google & Digital Marketing Industry “Death-of-the-Cookie” Privacy Initiatives Require Scrutiny from Public Policymakers

By: Jeffrey Chester | Feb 18 2021

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The Whole World will Still be Watching You:

Google & Digital Marketing Industry “Death-of-the-Cookie” Privacy Initiatives Require Scrutiny from Public Policymakers

Jeff Chester
Authors

Jeffrey Chester
Date

Thursday, February 18, 2021
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CDD Joins Scholars and NGOs Calling on UN to Strengthen its Framework to protect Children in today’s Digital Era

Nov 15 2020

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General Comment submission
Children’s rights in relation to the digital environment
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Google Fitbit Deal Requires Policymakers to Protect Public Health, Privacy, Competition, Consumer Protection, Say Groups Representing Consumers and Citizens From Around the World

Oct 16 2020

CONSUMER AND CITIZEN GROUPS CONTINUE TO HAVE SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT GOOGLE FITBIT TAKEOVER

Joint Statement on Possible Remedies

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YouTube’s New Global Fund for Children’s Content Should be Commercial-Free, Diverse, and Independent

Oct 9 2020

October 9, 2020

Susan Wojciki
CEO
YouTube
901 Cherry Avenue
San Bruno, CA 94006

Dear Ms. Wojciki:
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CDD & CFCC Call on UN Human Rights Office to Propose Advertising and Data Safeguards for Youth in its Upcoming Report

By: Jeffrey Chester | Sep 30 2020

The Campaign for Commercial-Free Childhood (CCFC) and CDD filed comments with the UN’s Special Rapporteur on privacy, as part of a consultation designed to propose global safeguards for young people online. Both CCFC and CDD, along with allies in the U.S. and throughout the world, are working to advance stronger international protections for young people, especially related to their privacy and the impacts that digital marketing has on their development.

Authors

Jeffrey Chester
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Why Californians Should Vote No on Proposition 24

Sep 24 2020

For Immediate Release

September 24, 2020

Contact: Jeff Chester (202-494-7100)

jeff@democraticmedia.org
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Why Californians Should Vote No on Proposition 24

By: Katharina Kopp | Sep 24 2020

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The Center for Digital Democracy (CDD) announced today its opposition to the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA), also known as Proposition 24, which will appear on the November 2020 California general election ballot. CDD has concluded that Prop 24 does not sufficiently strengthen Californians’ privacy and may, in fact, set a new, low, and thus dangerous standard for privacy protection in the U.S.
Authors

Katharina Kopp
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Groups Oppose SAFE Data Act

Sep 23 2020

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Groups Tell FTC to Investigate Discriminatory Data Practices and Impact in any of the FTC's Industry Investigations

Sep 17 2020

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Data Governance for Young People in the Commercialized Digital Environment

By: Kathryn C. Montgomery, Jeff Chester, and Katharina Kopp | Sep 10 2020

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Sub-title

A report for UNICEF's Global Governance of Children's Data Project
TikTok (also known by its Chinese name, Dǒuyīn) has quickly captured the interest of children, adolescents, and young adults in 150 countries around the world. The mobile app enables users to create short video clips, customize them with a panoply of user-friendly special effects tools, and then share them widely through the platform’s vast social network.
Authors

Kathryn C. Montgomery, Jeff Chester, and Katharina Kopp
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Advocates Call on TikTok Suitors to Clean Up Kids’ Privacy Practices

Sep 3 2020

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Sub-title

Groups had filed complaint at FTC documenting how TikTok flouts children’s privacy law, tracks millions of kids without parental consent.
Contact:

Katharina Kopp, CDD (kkopp@democraticmedia.org; 202-836-4621)

David Monahan, CCFC (david@commercialfreechildhood.org)

Advocates Call on TikTok Suitors to Clean Up Kids’ Privacy Practices

Groups had filed complaint at FTC documenting how TikTok flouts children’s privacy law, tracks millions of kids without parental consent.
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Does Buying Groceries Online Put SNAP Participants At Risk?

Jul 16 2020

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Sub-title

How to Protect Health, Privacy, and Equity
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USDA Online Buying Program for SNAP Participants Threatens Their Privacy and Can Exacerbate Racial and Health Inequities, Says New Report

Jul 16 2020

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Sub-title

Digital Rights, Civil Rights and Public Health Groups Call for Reforms from USDA, Amazon, Walmart, Safeway/Albertson’s and Other Grocery Retailers - Need for Safeguards Urgent During Covid-19 Crisis

Contact: Jeff Chester

                                                                                                jeff@democraticmedia.org

                                                                                                202-494-7100

                                                                                                Katharina Kopp
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Groups tell FTC Influencer Marketing must be Regulated

Jun 24 2020

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Contact:

Jeff Chester, CDD (jeff@democraticmedia.org; 202-494-7100)

David Monahan, CCFC (david@commercialfreechildhood.org;)

Statement from Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood and Center for Digital Democracy on Comments filed with FTC regarding Endorsement Guides
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Supporting the Call for Racial Justice

Jun 5 2020

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Supporting the Call for Racial Justice

The Center for Digital Democracy supports the call for racial justice and the fight against police violence, against the systemic injustices that exist in all parts of our society – inferior educational opportunities; lack of affordable equitable health care; an unjust justice system; housing and employment discrimination; and discriminatory marketing practices.
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Groups Say White House Must Show Efficacy, Protect Privacy, and Ensure Equity When Deploying Technology to Fight Virus

May 5 2020

Sub-title

Fifteen leading consumer, privacy, civil and digital rights organizations called on the federal government to set guidelines to protect individuals’ privacy, ensure equity in the treatment of individuals and communities, and communicate clearly about public health objectives in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. There must be consensus among all relevant stakeholders on the most efficacious solution before relying on a technological fix to respond to the pandemic.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contacts: Susan Grant, CFA, 202-939-1003

May 5, 2020 Katharina Kopp, CDD, 202-836 4621

White House Must Act To protect privacy and ensure equity in responding to COVID-19 pandemic

Groups Tell Pence to Set Standards to Guide Government and Public-Private Partnership Data Practices and Technology Use
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Joint civil society statement: States use of digital surveillance technologies to fight pandemic must respect human rights

Apr 2 2020

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Joint civil society statement: States use of digital surveillance technologies to fight pandemic must respect human rights 2 April 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic is a global public health emergency that requires a coordinated and large-scale response by governments worldwide. However, States’ efforts to contain the virus must not be used as a cover to usher in a new era of greatly expanded systems of invasive digital surveillance.
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Platforms, Privacy, Pandemic and Data Profiteering: The COVID-19 crisis further fuels unaccountable growth from the digital tech and media industries

Mar 31 2020

By Jeffrey Chester

The COVID-19 pandemic is a profound global public health crisis that requires our upmost attention: to stem its deadly tide and rebuild the global health system so we do not experience such a dire situation in the future. It also demands that we ensure the U.S. has a digital media system that is democratic, accountable, and one that both provides public services and protects privacy.
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Children’s privacy advocates call on FTC to require Google, Disney, AT&T and other leading companies to disclose how they gather and use data to target kids and families

Mar 26 2020

Sub-title

Threats to young people from digital marketing and data collection are heightened by home schooling and increased video and mobile streaming in response to COVID-19

Contact:

Jeffrey Chester, CDD, jeff@democraticmedia.org, 202-494-7100

Josh Golin, CCFC, josh@commercialfreechildhood.org, 339-970-4240

Children’s privacy advocates call on FTC to require Google, Disney, other leading companies to disclose how they gather and use data to target kids and families

Threats to young people from digital marketing and data collection are heightened by
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Highlights of CDD's work and important news stories!

Contextual Advertising—Now Driven by AI and Machine Learning—Requires Regulatory Review for Privacy and Marketing Fairness

The Whole World will Still be Watching You: Google & Digital Marketing Industry “Death-of-the-Cookie” Privacy Initiatives Require Scrutiny from Public Policymakers

CDD Joins Scholars and NGOs Calling on UN to Strengthen its Framework to protect Children in today’s Digital Era

Google Fitbit Deal Requires Policymakers to Protect Public Health, Privacy, Competition, Consumer Protection, Say Groups Representing Consumers and Citizens From Around the World

YouTube’s New Global Fund for Children’s Content Should be Commercial-Free, Diverse, and Independent

CDD & CFCC Call on UN Human Rights Office to Propose Advertising and Data Safeguards for Youth in its Upcoming Report

Why Californians Should Vote No on Proposition 24

Why Californians Should Vote No on Proposition 24

Groups Oppose SAFE Data Act

Groups Tell FTC to Investigate Discriminatory Data Practices and Impact in any of the FTC's Industry Investigations

Data Governance for Young People in the Commercialized Digital Environment

Advocates Call on TikTok Suitors to Clean Up Kids’ Privacy Practices

Does Buying Groceries Online Put SNAP Participants At Risk?

USDA Online Buying Program for SNAP Participants Threatens Their Privacy and Can Exacerbate Racial and Health Inequities, Says New Report

Groups tell FTC Influencer Marketing must be Regulated

Supporting the Call for Racial Justice

Groups Say White House Must Show Efficacy, Protect Privacy, and Ensure Equity When Deploying Technology to Fight Virus

Joint civil society statement: States use of digital surveillance technologies to fight pandemic must respect human rights

Platforms, Privacy, Pandemic and Data Profiteering: The COVID-19 crisis further fuels unaccountable growth from the digital tech and media industries

Children’s privacy advocates call on FTC to require Google, Disney, AT&T and other leading companies to disclose how they gather and use data to target kids and families

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For Immediate Release	September 24, 2020
Contact: Jeff Chester (202-494-7100)	jeff@democraticmedia.org