Published: February 2019

Advocates tackle data-driven discrimination

Big Data has the potential to create racial and social inequalities, and make existing discrimination even worse. While civil rights protections have existed in brick-and-mortar commerce for decades, they are largely missing from the internet economy. Online services should not be permitted to use consumer data to discriminate against protected classes or deny them opportunities in commerce, housing, employment, or full participation in our democracy.

Consumer Action joined over 40 advocate organizations in urging Congress to protect civil rights, equity, and equal opportunity in the digital economy. As members of Congress continue to hold hearings and introduce legislation on digital privacy, they must address the data security and privacy abuses that disproportionately harm marginalized communities, including deceptive voter suppression, housing and employment discrimination in online advertising, and exploitative notice-and-choice practices.

Lead Organization

The Leadership Conference on Civil & Human Rights

Other Organizations

Access Humboldt | Access Now | ACLU | Action Center on Race and Equity (ACRE) | Algorithmic Justice League | Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAJC | Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood | Center for Democracy & Technology | Center for Digital Democracy | Center for Media Justice | Center on Privacy & Technology at Georgetown Law | Color Of Change | Common Cause | Common Sense Media | Consumer Action | Consumer Federation of America | Consumer Watchdog | Demand Progress | Electronic Privacy Information Center | Ella Baker Center for Human Rights | Fight for the Future | Free Press Action | Human Rights Campaign | Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law | Media Alliance | Media Mobilizing Project | NAACP | National Consumer Law Center (on behalf of its low income clients) | National Hispanic Media Coalition | National Organization for Women (NOW) Foundation | National Urban League | New America Public Interest Technology | New America’s Open Technology Institute | Open MIC (Open Media and Information Companies Initiative) | Organization United for Respect | Partnership for Working Families | Public Citizen | Public Knowledge | Race Forward | Ranking Digital Rights | Stop Online Violence Against Women | The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies | The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights | UnidosUS | United Church of Christ, OC Inc. | Upturn

More Information

Click here to read the letter in full.

For more information, please visit the Leadership Conference on Civil & Human Rights.

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