Berlin data protection authority reprimands four German parties over 2021 political microtargeting

The Berlin Data Protection Authority has reprimanded the CDU, SPD, Bündnis 90/Die Grünen and DIE LINKE for using people’s political interests to target personalised advertising during the 2021 federal election, according to noyb, which filed the complaints more than three years ago.

According to noyb, the authority found no legal basis, such as consent, for targeting users on the basis of their personal political interests, and concluded that the parties’ processing of personal data was unlawful. The complaints drew on data logged by viewers through a browser extension promoted by ZDF Magazin Royale, which had reported that all Bundestag parties used microtargeting on Facebook.

The complaint against the AfD is still open. noyb says the party challenged the authority’s investigative powers, but the Berlin administrative court ruled it must provide the requested information. According to noyb, the authority did not directly issue a ban on microtargeting.

Editor’s note: This article relies solely on noyb, the advocacy group that filed the complaints; the Berlin DPA’s decisions were not reviewed directly.