Dutch political parties found using illegal tracking cookies

An investigation by Vrij Nederland and the Internet Cleanup Foundation has revealed that numerous Dutch political organizations are violating GDPR privacy regulations by using illegal tracking cookies. By analyzing over 6,000 URLs, researchers identified more than 40 websites—including regional branches and youth wings—that collect user data without consent.

This unauthorized data collection allows sensitive information, such as individual political preferences, to be shared with American technology companies like Google and YouTube. The PVV was identified as the largest offender with 28 problematic sites. Other parties involved include ChristenUnie, FVD, and JA21, which each had multiple violations, while D66, CDA, SGP, PRO, and De Nederlandse Alliantie each had one site flagged.

Computer science professor Felienne Hermans described the behavior as negligent, noting the irony that many of these parties publicly advocate for independence from American tech giants. Experts warned that Big Tech could use this data to create ideological echo chambers and highlighted security risks, as foreign entities could potentially use this information to identify the political sympathies of individuals.