Washington, D.C. — The American Economic Liberties Project today released the following statement in response to news that Facebook plans to ban advertisers’ ability to target advertisements based on users’ interactions with content related to health, race and ethnicity, political affiliation, religion, sexual orientation, and other topics.

“Don’t fall for Facebook’s latest attempt to trick policymakers and the public into thinking they can right their own wrongs,” said Sarah Miller, Executive Director of the American Economic Liberties Project. “This change will not stop Facebook — or anyone willing to pay enough — from stalking users across the internet. And it does nothing to address the serious market power issues or the business incentives that make Facebook so pernicious.”

“Policymakers must break up Facebook, ban surveillance advertising outright, and launch criminal investigations into Facebook executives for fraud,” added Miller.

Learn more about Economic Liberties here.

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The American Economic Liberties Project works to ensure America’s system of commerce is structured to advance, rather than undermine, economic liberty, fair commerce, and a secure, inclusive democracy. Economic Liberties believes true economic liberty means entrepreneurs and businesses large and small succeed on the merits of their ideas and hard work; commerce empowers consumers, workers, farmers, and engineers instead of subjecting them to discrimination and abuse from financiers and monopolists; foreign trade arrangements support domestic security and democracy; and wealth is broadly distributed to support equitable political power.