Let's Take the City of Hamburg, Ad-Free: A Community-Led Crusade Against Digital Ads
Gathering Petitions for Hamburg's Citizen-led Movement to Eliminate Advertisements - "Hamburg Residents Campaign for Free Advertising, Voicing Widespread Demands"
It's full steam ahead for the three-week-long signature drive on the citizen-led movement "Hamburg Ad-Free." The goal? Gather a whopping 80,000 signatures (a sizable surplus of the required 66,000) to put their vision into motion.
But why, you ask?
The residents of Hamburg are sick of being barraged by digital advertising’s overwhelming visual dominance in public spaces. This citizens' initiative aims to address this issue by making amendments to the Hamburg Building Code. Here's the lowdown on what that entails:
- Ban on digital advertising displays: Say goodbye to those giant, obnoxious screens.
- Modifying light installations: The city will revamp its lighting to reduce the eyesore that digital ads create.
- Reduction in the number of advertising displays, especially on public streets: Good news for pedestrians and drivers who simply want to enjoy the scenery.
- Design guidelines: To ensure that what remains—traditional advertising pillars, shop windows, event announcements, and political advertising—is aesthetically pleasing.
According to the initiative's driving force, Antonia Petschat, "digital outdoor advertising is manipulative, pointless, threatens traffic safety, wastes immense amounts of energy, and primarily benefits large corporations." She adds, "No one will miss the ugly, giant advertising screens once they're gone."
A triumph in court
In 2022, the initiative collected the necessary 10,000 signatures required for the initial step in the citizens' legislation process. A court battle by the Senate against the initiative was unsuccessful. The Hamburg Constitutional Court ruled that the citizens' initiative is in line with higher-ranking laws, is content-wise viable, and won't significantly impair the budget rights of the Citizens' Assembly.
If the Citizens' Assembly doesn't agree to the "Advertising Regulation Act" even with a successful citizens' initiative, the path to a referendum is clear. Then, residents of Hamburg will cast their votes directly on the issue.
- Hamburg
- Citizens' Initiative
- Digital Advertising
- Referendum
- Constitutional Court
European Perspective
The harmonious balance between digital advertising, user rights, and privacy is a hot button topic in the European Union. Regulators like the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) are exercised about the imbalance of power between dominant online platforms and users. Users, in many cases, may not be able to freely opt out of providing consent for data processing connected to advertising without facing repercussions, such as restricted access to essential services or the demand for ad-free versions at an added cost or data collection.
The EDPB highlights the need for "equivalent alternatives" that provide users with genuine choice—for example, a personalized advertising-free version at no extra cost or data collection. This developments is a reflection of the ongoing regulatory debates that could set the stage for initiatives like the ad-free campaign in Hamburg[2].
Hamburg's Future Tech Vision
As the city looks ahead to a more sustainable and technology-driven future, its digital and mobility strategy takes center stage. Targeting improvements in public transport accessibility, traffic safety, and autonomous vehicle integration by 2030, Hamburg aims to create a city that seamlessly blends technology with everyday life in ways that benefit its residents.
While the initiative itself is not directly addressed in this strategy, Hamburg's focus on user-centric digital public services suggests a willingness to consider issues like digital advertising and the desire for ad-free citizen initiatives[1].
Despite the lack of specific information about the "Hamburg Ad-Free Citizens' Initiative," the broader focus on sustainable public services, digital rights, and privacy in the European Union could provide a legal framework for such initiatives in the future.[2][1]
[1] Source: Hamburg digital and mobility strategy document[2] Source: European Data Protection Board (EDPB) annual report (2024)
- The "Hamburg Ad-Free" initiative, a community-led movement, is currently gathering signatures with the aim of reaching 80,000 signatures to modify the Hamburg Building Code, thereby reducing digital advertising in public spaces.
- According to Antonia Petschat, the driving force behind the initiative, digital outdoor advertising is manipulative, pointless, threatens traffic safety, wastes energy, and benefits large corporations.
- In 2022, the initiative successfully collected the required 10,000 signatures for the initial step in the citizens' legislation process, even amid a court battle by the Senate.
- If the Citizens' Assembly doesn't agree to the "Advertising Regulation Act" even with a successful citizens' initiative, a referendum will be held, allowing residents of Hamburg to cast their votes directly on the issue.
- The European Union is grappling with the balance between digital advertising, user rights, and privacy, with regulators like the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) advocating for equivalent alternatives that provide users with genuine choice.
- Hamburg's focus on user-centric digital public services and its strategy to create a city that seamlessly blends technology with everyday life could provide a legal framework for ad-free initiatives in the future, aligning with the ongoing regulatory debates in the EU.
