European Union

I object to a company profiling me for advertising. Must they stop?

GDPR Art. 21(2)
Right to object
Immediate
Response time
Free of charge
No fee required
No justificatio
No need to explain
The Short Answer

Yes, under the GDPR, you have the right to object to profiling for direct marketing at any time—and the company must stop immediately.

What the Law Says

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) gives individuals in the EU a clear and enforceable right to object to profiling used for direct marketing.

Profiling means any form of automated processing of personal data to evaluate certain personal aspects — such as your preferences, behaviour, or interests — often used to target ads.

Under Article 21(2) of the GDPR, if your personal data is processed for direct marketing purposes, you have the right to object at any time. This includes profiling related to such marketing.

Once you object, the controller (e.g., the company) must stop processing your data for those purposes without delay — and they cannot charge you or ask for justification.

The company must also inform you clearly and separately about your right to object — including at the point of first collection and in privacy notices.

Statutory Text

Where personal data are processed for direct marketing purposes, the data subject shall have the right to object at any time to processing of personal data concerning him or her for such marketing, which includes profiling to the extent that it is related to such direct marketing.

— Regulation (EU) 2016/679, Art. 21(2) — Right to object
Statutory Text

Where the data subject objects to processing for direct marketing purposes, the personal data shall no longer be processed for such purposes.

— Regulation (EU) 2016/679, Art. 21(3) — Effect of objection

What to Do

1

Clearly state your objection — e.g., 'I object to profiling for advertising' — via email, web form, or other contact method.

2

The company must act without delay and confirm cessation of profiling for marketing.

3

If they fail to comply, file a complaint with your national Data Protection Authority (e.g., CNIL in France, ICO in UK pre-Brexit, or supervisory authority in your Member State).

Sources

statuteRegulation (EU) 2016/679, Art. 21(2) — Right to objectstatuteRegulation (EU) 2016/679, Art. 21(3) — Effect of objection

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Not legal advice. This article is general information based on publicly available sources, written for educational purposes. Laws change and individual situations vary. Consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction before acting on anything you read here. Last reviewed: 2026-06-08.