The regulation of online political micro-targeting in Europe

Fuente: arXiv
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Auteurs principaux: Dobber, Tom, Fathaigh, Ronan Ó, Borgesius, Frederik J. Zuiderveen
Format: Preprint
Publié: 2025
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author Dobber, Tom
Fathaigh, Ronan Ó
Borgesius, Frederik J. Zuiderveen
author_facet Dobber, Tom
Fathaigh, Ronan Ó
Borgesius, Frederik J. Zuiderveen
contents In this paper, we examine how online political micro-targeting is regulated in Europe. While there are no specific rules on such micro-targeting, there are general rules that apply. We focus on three fields of law: data protection law, freedom of expression, and sector-specific rules for political advertising; for the latter we examine four countries. We argue that the rules in the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) are necessary, but not sufficient. We show that political advertising, including online political micro-targeting, is protected by the right to freedom of expression. That right is not absolute, however. From a European human rights perspective, it is possible for lawmakers to limit the possibilities for political advertising. Indeed, some countries ban TV advertising for political parties during elections.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2510_02860
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle The regulation of online political micro-targeting in Europe
Dobber, Tom
Fathaigh, Ronan Ó
Borgesius, Frederik J. Zuiderveen
Computers and Society
In this paper, we examine how online political micro-targeting is regulated in Europe. While there are no specific rules on such micro-targeting, there are general rules that apply. We focus on three fields of law: data protection law, freedom of expression, and sector-specific rules for political advertising; for the latter we examine four countries. We argue that the rules in the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) are necessary, but not sufficient. We show that political advertising, including online political micro-targeting, is protected by the right to freedom of expression. That right is not absolute, however. From a European human rights perspective, it is possible for lawmakers to limit the possibilities for political advertising. Indeed, some countries ban TV advertising for political parties during elections.
title The regulation of online political micro-targeting in Europe
topic Computers and Society
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2510.02860