How to use targeted advertising on social media without violating privacy?

You open Instagram and an ad pops up for sneakers. Not just any sneakers—the exact ones you were looking at yesterday. Coincidence? Magic? Or just a smart use of your data?

Segmentation in digital advertising has reached a level of precision that’s almost scare. Today, social networks have become a key tool to make this possible. Platforms like Meta (Facebook and Instagram), TikTok or LinkedIn offer huge segmentation capabilities. But how far can we really go? What are the legal limits of this hyper-segmentation? And how can we strike the right balance between personalisation and respect for privacy?

In this article, we explore the balance between effectiveness and responsibility in digital segmentation. Because good segmentation is not just about marketing—it’s about building trust.

Segmentation: the soul of digital marketing

One of the main advantages of social media advertising is its ability to reach highly specific audiences. Nowadays, you can design campaigns targeted only at people in a specific city, within a specific age range, with particular interests, or even based on recent digital behaviours (like visiting a website or interacting with a post).

This level of precision is incredibly valuable for brands—especially for those with limited budgets or very specific products.

But this ability to segment has also sparked an important debate: are we going too far? How is all this perceived from the user’s perspective? And what are the implications in terms of trust and brand perception?

From impact to risk: when targeting stops being an advantage

You’re probably thinking: the more segmented the ad, the more effective it is. And that can be true—but you also need to tread carefully, because the risks increase too.

One of them is user perception. We’ve all experienced it: seeing an ad that seems to know exactly what we want at that moment. Sometimes it’s helpful, but often it just feels uncomfortable. That fine line between personalisation and invasion of privacy is crucial—and it can seriously impact user trust. If people feel like you know too much, it can backfire.

Another risk lies in bias. Over-segmentation can lead to the unintentional exclusion of certain groups. For example, if a training company only targets young men with university degrees because it sees them as its ideal audience, it’s leaving out many people who could also be interested.

What about data protection?

You don’t need to be a legal expert, but as a marketer, you should know that the data you work with isn’t just numbers or metrics—it’s personal information.

When you create segmented campaigns—especially when using first-party data (like customer email lists or data collected through forms)—It's important to ensure that the information has been obtained transparently, with proper consent, and for a clear purpose in order to comply with the GDPR.

For instance, if someone gives you their email to receive a newsletter, that doesn’t mean you can include them in a social media retargeting campaign—unless they’ve been clearly informed of that possibility.

Social media platforms also collect and use large amounts of user data. And while they offer powerful segmentation tools, that doesn’t relieve brands of their own responsibility. The idea of “I’m just using what the platform allows” is not a valid excuse if it ends up negatively affecting users’ rights or privacy.

Best practices: target smart, but with care

So, you might be asking: how can we make the most of segmentation without crossing sensitive lines or putting the brand’s reputation at risk? Here are some key tips:

1. Know your audience well: Before you start targeting, be crystal clear about who you want to reach and why. Sometimes, less segmentation can actually be more effective—if your message is well crafted and your product has clear value.
2. Transparency above all:The clearer you are, the better. Let users know on your website and social media that you may use their data to improve their ad experience.
3. Avoid hyper-personalised targeting: The less “intrusive” the message feels, the better it will be received. In many cases, success lies in the content, not in the surgical precision of your segmentation.
4. Review your tools and internal policies: If you’re uploading custom audiences to platforms (like email lists to Meta or Google), make sure you have the proper permissions. And when in doubt, work hand in hand with your legal or privacy team to clarify any concerns around data usage.
5. Assess the long-term impact: A campaign might perform well in the short term thanks to aggressive targeting—but be careful. Causing discomfort or mistrust can damage your brand image over time.

Conclusion

It seems the trend is moving toward greater privacy protection and giving users more control over how their data is used.

The ability to target won’t disappear—but it will need to be done with more intelligence, more ethics, and more creativity. Social media segmentation will continue to be one of the most powerful tools in digital marketing. But its success won’t just depend on the technology—it will depend on how responsibly we use it. Understanding where the boundaries lie is essential to building trust with users.

It’s not about stopping segmentation. It’s about doing it better.

At Lawwwing, we help you ensure your website's Privacy Policy is compliant—so you avoid any legal surprises.