Microtargeting

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Microtargeting is the use of online data to tailor advertising messages to individuals, based on the identification of recipients’ personal vulnerabilities. Such tactics can be used for promoting a product or a political candidate.^[1] Direct marketing data mining techniques that are used often involve predictive market segmentation (aka cluster analysis). Microtargeting's tactics rely on transmitting a tailored message to a subgroup on the basis of unique information about that subgroup.

Microtargeting is increasingly used by political parties and in election campaigns,^[2] including Australia,^[3] the United States Republican and Democratic political parties, as well as candidates who track individual voters and identify potential supporters. They use various means of communication such as direct mail, phone calls, home visits, television, radio, web advertising, email, and text messaging, among others, to communicate with voters, crafting messages to build support for fundraising, campaign events, volunteering, and eventually to turn them out to the polls on the election day.

Microtargeting can also be used, sometimes by foreign actors, to spread disinformation about political candidates and events among target groups.^[4][5][6] For example, during the 2016 U.S. election, Russian disinformation campaigns targeted Facebook followers and now-defunct Cambridge Analytica exploited their data.^[7][8][9] Concerns about the legality and restriction of microtargeting have been raised in both Europe and the United States.^[10][11][12]