Small Businesses Urge Improvement to Federal Privacy Bill
Internet for Growth Coalition Advocates for Digital Advertising in Letter to House Energy & Commerce Leaders
June 23, 2022
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Internet for Growth, a coalition of small businesses and creators who depend on digital advertising sent a letter urging members of the House Energy & Commerce Committee to consider how the American Data Privacy and Protection Act (ADPPA) could impact jobs and the economy on Main Street. Internet for Growth supports federal data privacy legislation to solve a complex patchwork of state laws, but ADPPA in its current form could restrict common, cost-effective online advertising tools, raising costs and the risk of financial penalties for ordinary Americans, says Internet for Growth’s Executive Director in a letter to congressional leaders.
“Most concerning for Internet for Growth members are potential restrictions on personalized advertising, one of the most important tools for small businesses and creators to find new customers, sell products, and grow their businesses,” wrote Brendan Thomas, Internet for Growth’s Executive Director. “We fear the ADPPA’s prohibitions on targeted advertising as currently defined will undermine the ability of small businesses and creators across the country to continue serving their communities and generating jobs. We appreciate the effort to improve privacy protections but urge you to consider the concerns of America’s small businesses as you develop this legislation.”
“Internet advertising has enabled us to grow our business to what it is today, but proposed regulations limiting advertisers’ ability to reach target audiences would hurt media publishers like us,” said Brian Spears, Co-founder & CEO of Baby Chick and Internet for Growth member. “The readership experience would suffer if site visitors weren’t seeing ads relevant to their interests and Baby Chick’s unique content. If Congress enacts restrictions on using data for advertising, it would be extremely difficult to deliver the content our customers enjoy and to pay our staff.”
The internet has redefined how small businesses operate. Small businesses and individually owned firms represent the largest share of 17 million internet-related U.S. jobs, many of which depend on data and digital advertising.
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Internet for Growth, an initiative of the Interactive Advertising Bureau, supports the transformative role the advertising-supported internet plays in empowering America’s small businesses, helping entrepreneurs bring their ideas to life. Supported by a diverse community of over 700 IAB members including marketers, agencies, publishers, platforms and ad tech providers, as well as hundreds of small businesses and creators, we highlight the benefits the internet delivers to local economies, expanding opportunities for innovators to reach markets far beyond their neighborhoods. Our work ensures people understand the limitless opportunity the internet provides for creativity and commerce, fair competition, and connecting with consumers on mutually shared values and interests, no matter the background or geography.
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Brendan Thomas