Abstract
A growing body of academic literature explores the implications of the adoption of big data analytics technologies in the area of political marketing and communication. While academic and public discourse on privacy focuses on the individual level, this paper explores a scarcely studied issue: group privacy. We elaborate on the importance and role of group privacy and we identify and analyse threats to group privacy that stem from exploiting big data for political purposes. This paper argues that the use of big data analysis technologies in a political context can have severe implications for group privacy such as (political) targeting of particular groups and biased decision making based on group behaviour. We also show that threats to group privacy may have long term implications for society, e.g. with regard to the impact of populist movements.

Abstract
The vast amount of accumulated information and the technologies that store, process and disseminate it are producing deep changes in society. The amount of data generated by Internet users poses great opportunities and significant challenges for political scientists. Having a positive effect in many fields, business intelligence and analytics tools are used increasingly for political purposes. Pervasive digital tracking and profiling, in combination with personalization, have become a powerful toolset for systematically influencing user behaviour. When used in political campaigns or in other efforts to shape public policy, privacy issues intertwine with electoral outcomes. The practice of targeting voters with personalized messages adapted to their personality and political views, has already raised debates about political manipulation; however, studies focusing on privacy are still scarce. Focusing on the democracy aspects and identifying the threats to privacy stemming from the use of big data technologies for political purposes, this paper identifies long -term privacy implications which may undermine fundamental features of democracy such as fair elections and political equality of all citizens. Furthermore, this paper argues that big data analytics raises the need to develop alternative narratives to the concept of privacy.

Abstract
User profiling with big data raises critical issues regarding personal data and privacy. Until recently, privacy studies were focused on the control of personal data; due to big data analysis, however, new privacy issues have emerged with unidentified implications. This paper identifies and analyzes privacy threats that stem from data-driven profiling using a multi-level approach: individual, group and society. We analyze the privacy implications stemming from the generation of new knowledge used for automated predictions and decisions. We also argue that mechanisms are required to protect the privacy interests of groups as entities, independently of the interests of their individual members. Finally, this paper discusses privacy threat resulting from the cumulative effect of big data profiling.

Abstract
A growing body of literature has recently focused on the adoption of personalization methods and tools traditionally used in e-commerce, in the area of political marketing and communication. However, the impact of adopting personalization applications for political purposes has not been studied yet. This paper contributes to filling this gap, by analyzing privacy threats stemming from the use of personalization tools for political purposes and identifying their impact on individuals and society. This paper also identifies issues that need further research, as big data, individual targeting, the development of behavioral science and sophisticated personalization techniques are reshaping political communication and pose new privacy risks.