Democrats File Bill to Ban ‘Surveillance’ Ads

Legislation introduced Tuesday would ban the use of personal data for targeted advertisements. Introduced by Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Calif.; Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill.; and Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., the Banning Surveillance Advertising Act allows contextual ads, or “advertising based on the content a user is engaging with.” The bill targets “the unseemly collection and hoarding of personal data to enable ad targeting,” said Eshoo. “Broad location targeting to a recognized place, such as a municipality” would be allowed.