Internet Advertising after Sorrell v. IMS Health : A Discussion on Privacy and the First Amendment

This Article examines the scope of Sorrell v. IMS Health, its potential impact on legislative efforts to enact comprehensive consumer privacy legislation, and its implications for targeted Internet advertising. Part I provides a general overview of ad-targeting technology, emphasizing the tension between its capacity to fuel economic growth and its tendency to neglect consumer privacy interests. Part II traces the development of growing public concern over consumer privacy, subsequent proposals to enact legislation, and the proliferation of widespread speculation about Sorrell's impact upon such legislative reform. Part III goes beyond the hype around the case to provide a detailed analysis demonstrating why Sorrell does not preempt current legislative proposals to enact consumer privacy. Accordingly, this Article concludes that policymakers should embrace Sorrell as a blueprint for formulating regulations that strike an appropriate balance between freedom of expression and consumer privacy interests