For Immediate Release

November 21, 2022

November 21, 2022 — Today, in an open comment, 21 civil rights and tech justice groups representing the Disinfo Defense League (DDL) called on the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to take action to protect how digital data is collected and sold, and make new rules to mitigate the spread of racialized disinformation that specifically targets and threatens communities of color. 

Responding to the FTC's Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR), which sought public comments on the harms stemming from commercial surveillance and whether new regulation is needed to protect people’s privacy and information, DDL sounded the alarm about nefarious data practices that violate fundamental civil rights online.

In a comment addressed to the FTC, the organizations noted, “We are deeply concerned by systemic problems posed by the complex set of digital tactics, extractive data practices, and manipulative tech platform and app designs used to undermine confidence in our democracy, sow distrust in our public health institutions, disenfranchise voters, and chill engagement for our communities. All of these practices contribute to the weaponization of online narratives that target our communities.” 

DDL members outlined ways to remedy the harm caused to real people by companies’ practices that strip users of equal opportunity, access, and agency, arguing that robust rulemaking by the FTC is not only necessary, but a crucial step toward better protection. DDL called upon the FTC to:

• Meet exacting limits on commercial surveillance of users that narrow the scope of collection, retention, sale, and security of people’s data;

• Conduct ongoing and regular company auditing of algorithmic impact as a way of mitigating discriminatory treatment across protected classes; and,

• Employ transparent notice, accessible opt-out and consent for users regarding their data.

“Recent chaos at one of the biggest social media platforms shows us that the dangers of online racialized disinformation continue to threaten our communities and reinforce inequities across our technologies,” said Jacquelyn Mason, Director of Programs at Media Democracy Fund, which works to ensure an open, secure and equitable internet and convenes the Disinfo Defense League. “The members of the Disinfo Defense League are demanding that our rights, identities, and personal information be protected against those seeking to further consolidate their power and wealth through extraction, exploitation, and surveillance.”

DDL lifted up recommendations from its policy platform, which it released nearly a year ago, to codify policy principles designed to rein in technology companies’ extractive data practices and to safeguard privacy and civil rights on social media platforms with comprehensive digital-privacy measures. The platform outlines steps Congress and other regulatory bodies, including the FTC, should take to adopt comprehensive digital-privacy protections for digital civil rights.

While DDL commends the FTC leadership for opening this comment period, it is essential that action be taken to protect data from unscrupulous tech companies, data brokers, and other private entities, many of which engage in a widespread pattern of unfair and deceptive practices especially harmful to historically marginalized communities. DDL’s comment demands that FTC remedies harm caused to real people by companies which strips individual users of equal opportunity, access, and agency. These companies’ practices directly undermine our nation’s democracy.

“How data is collected, processed, retained, and sold has a direct impact on civil rights and economic opportunities. These issues fall squarely within the FTC’s authority, bolstered by its history of advising on complex privacy issues,” said Nora Benavidez, Senior Counsel and Director of Digital Justice & Civil Rights at Free Press. “We hope the DDL comments help build the record of harms in this proceeding to advance FTC rules that protect people and our communities.”

Organizations that signed the letter include:

“Digital spaces are essential. We make friends online, we organize online, we make meaning online, we define ourselves, and we build community online. As community organizers, we need to hold tech companies accountable to ensure that these spaces are safe for us, their users,” said Juanita Monsalve, Senior Marketing & Creative Director of United We Dream Action. “Immigrants, young people, and Black and brown people are often most impacted by harmful disinformation and abusive collection of data by tech platforms. This is why we are calling on the FTC to take power away from tech companies and give it back to the citizens it serves, especially Black and brown communities. The FTC must ensure that the power of these companies doesn’t go unchecked by providing oversight on pervasive data collection practices, digital discrimination, algorithm transparency, and creating opportunities for users to opt-out of services that gather and share our data without consent.”

Read Disinfo Defense League’s full comment here.

To connect with spokespeople from the Disinfo Defense League or members of the network, please contact Grace Goodwin at (207)544-9473 or grace@spitfirestrategies.com.

About the Disinfo Defense League

Disinfo Defense League (DDL) is a distributed national network for communities of color-based organizations that are disrupting disinformation campaigns deliberately targeting Black, Latinx, Asian American / Pacific Islander and other communities of color. DDL was created by and for these communities, and is supported by services and insight provided by expert partners. Launched in June 2020, DDL uses coordinated strategy, disinformation training, and research to support more than 200 member organizations with resources to fortify and scale current inoculation efforts and increase cohesion and collaboration in targeted communities. Learn more: https://www.disinfodefenseleague.org/