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A new report by the US Competition Authority (FTC) brings to light an alarming reality: giants in the field of social platforms and the Internet practice mass surveillance to capitalize on users' personal data. The study, carried out over several years, reveals that these companies collect and store huge amounts of information, sometimes with the help of personal data operators, without clear time limits for their retention.
According to the FTC, big companies like Meta (Facebook), YouTube (Google), Snap, Amazon (via Twitch), ByteDance (TikTok), and Twitter (now X) are engaged in massive personal data collection, encouraged of an economic model based on targeted advertising. This model, while highly profitable, has the direct effect of compromising users' privacy, exposing them to risks such as identity theft and harassment. Lina Khan, president of the FTC, said in a statement that the report highlights the seriousness of these practices and the lack of adequate measures to protect children and adolescents online. "These practices can endanger people's privacy and threaten individual liberties," she pointed out. A key aspect mentioned in the report is that the data collected by these companies is used to fuel targeted advertising, which allows the firms to generate billions of dollars in profits. In this context, many companies prioritize financial gains over protecting user privacy. On the other hand, David Cohen, head of the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), a digital advertising industry organization, expressed his disappointment with the FTC's findings. He argued that Internet users understand that targeted advertising gives them free or low-cost access to various online services. At the same time, the IAB stated that it supports the adoption of a comprehensive national law on the confidentiality of personal data, according to the recommendations of the report. A Google spokesman, Jose Castaneda, dismissed the allegations of mass surveillance, saying that Google adheres to the strictest privacy standards and does not sell personal information.
This report highlights the need for stricter regulations to protect personal data in the digital age, especially with regard to the safety of the most vulnerable users - children and teenagers.
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