DeepSummary
The episode explores how smart TVs are now capable of tracking what viewers watch and how this data is being used by political campaigns for targeted advertising, often without transparency. Investigative reporter Maggie Severns discusses her reporting on this topic, revealing that while traditional TV ads have certain regulations, streaming ads face little oversight, allowing campaigns to narrowly target specific voter groups with tailored messaging.
Severns explains that smart TVs contain technology that logs viewing habits, and this data is then sold to data brokers. Campaigns can purchase this data to identify which ads viewers have seen, categorize them into groups, and retarget them with specific ads across devices. Major campaigns like Biden's 2020 run have utilized this technology, pouring significant ad budgets into streaming platforms.
While the ability to micro-target voters raises concerns about disinformation and defamatory ads flying under the radar, Severns notes that campaigns view these data-driven advertising methods as an essential tool. However, the lack of transparency around their use makes it difficult to monitor potential abuses or understand the full implications of this emerging ad-targeting landscape.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- Smart TVs now have technology that tracks viewers' habits and sells this data to brokers.
- Political campaigns are using this data to micro-target voters across devices with tailored streaming ads.
- Major 2020 campaigns like Biden's utilized this ad targeting, pouring significant budgets into streaming platforms.
- Traditional TV ads face regulations, but streaming political ads operate in a 'regulatory black space' with little transparency.
- This enables potential for misinformation, defamatory content to be narrowly targeted with no oversight.
- Outside influence groups like super PACs could also exploit this technology to sway elections.
- There are growing concerns over privacy violations and lack of accountability in this space.
- More awareness, regulation, and monitoring may be needed as this ad targeting becomes more widespread.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “You generally consent to having tracking software on your television that is recognizing what you watch, and it is logging that information and oftentimes selling it.“ by Maggie Severns
- “There are opportunities, I think, that some kind of watchdog folks fear for disinformation campaigns or for things that are just false or defamatory to be targeted to voters and no one really know about it.“ by Maggie Severns
- “They bragged that they had been able to identify 82,000 voters in Arizona that hadn't been hit by broadcast ads and then give them ads on streaming and digital.“ by Maggie Severns
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Episode Information
SHIFT
SHIFT
7/3/24
Smart TVs that track what people watch and how they watch it give political campaigns a new trove of data to exploit, with little transparency on how it’s happening.
We meet:
Investigative Reporter Maggie Severns speaking about her article:
https://www.notus.org/2024-election/streaming-tv-campaign-ads
Credits:
This episode of SHIFT was produced by Jennifer Strong and Emma Cillekens, and it was mixed by Garret Lang, with original music from him and Jacob Gorski. Art by Anthony Green.