AdChoices is a
self-regulatory program for
online interest-based advertising that exists in the United States, Canada and across Europe. The program calls for
advertising companies The advertising industry is the global industry of public relation and marketing companies, media services and advertising agencies - largely controlled today by just a few international holding companies (WPP plc, Omnicom, Publicis Groupe, Interp ...
to establish and enforce responsible
privacy practices for
interest-based advertising, aimed to give consumers enhanced transparency and control. Companies adhere to a set of principles
that are enforced by accountability programs.
"Interest-based advertising" (also known as "online behavioural advertising" or "
behavioral targeting
Targeted advertising is a form of advertising, including online advertising, that is directed towards an audience with certain traits, based on the product or person the advertiser is promoting. These traits can either be demographic with a focus ...
") selectively displays ads based on browsing history, primarily using
cookies
A cookie is a baked or cooked snack or dessert that is typically small, flat and sweet. It usually contains flour, sugar, egg, and some type of oil, fat, or butter. It may include other ingredients such as raisins, oats, chocolate chips, nuts ...
, to users most likely to identify with and respond to the ad's specific content. The AdChoices icon is shown automatically by companies part of the self-regulatory program, and is meant to indicate to consumers when interest-based advertising data is being collected or used. By clicking on the icon (which is usually found in the top right corner of an online advertisement), a consumer can learn more about the ad or a website's collection practices, and be provided with the ability to opt-out of such targeting.
Although it is possible to opt out of interest-based advertising through the AdChoices program(s),
opting out does not block advertisements nor prevent tracking of web browsing history by use of other ways (e.g.
Flash cookies
A local shared object (LSO), commonly called a Flash cookie (due to its similarity with an HTTP cookie), is a piece of data that websites that use Adobe Flash may store on a user's computer. Local shared objects have been used by all versions of ...
). The US and Canadian AdChoices programs require that participating companies not use Flash cookies or similar locally shared objects for online interest-based advertising purposes.
History
In 2009, the
Federal Trade Commission
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is an independent agency of the United States government whose principal mission is the enforcement of civil (non-criminal) antitrust law and the promotion of consumer protection. The FTC shares jurisdiction ov ...
began looking into internet advertising platforms and suggested that the industry develop guidelines for self-regulation. The
American Association of Advertising Agencies
The American Association of Advertising Agencies (4A's) is a U.S. trade association for advertising agencies. founded in 1917. It serves over 700+ member agencies across 1,300 offices, which control more than 85% of total U.S. advertising spend.
...
, the
Association of National Advertisers
The Association of National Advertisers (ANA) represents the marketing community in the United States. Its headquarters is in New York City and it has another office in Washington, D.C. ANA's membership includes over 600 companies with 25,000 br ...
(ANA), the
American Advertising Federation
The American Advertising Federation (AAF), headquartered in Washington, D.C., is the oldest national advertising trade association in the United States. The AAF also has 15 district operations, each located in and representing a different region o ...
(AAF), the
Direct Marketing Association
The Data & Marketing Association (formerly, Direct Marketing Association), also known as the DMA, is a trade organization for marketers. In 2017 their web site stated "Yes, 100 years ago we were the Direct Mail Marketing Association and then the Di ...
(DMA), the
Interactive Advertising Bureau
The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) is an American advertising business organization that develops industry standards, conducts research, and provides legal support for the online advertising industry. The organization represents many of th ...
(IAB), the
Better Business Bureau
Better Business Bureau (BBB) is a private, 501(c)(6) nonprofit organization founded in 1912. BBB's self-described mission is to focus on advancing marketplace trust, consisting of 97 independently incorporated local BBB organizations in the Unit ...
(BBB), and the
Network Advertising Initiative
The Network Advertising Initiative is an industry trade group founded in 2000 that develops self-regulatory standards for online advertising. Advertising networks created the organization in response to concerns from the Federal Trade Commissio ...
(NAI) joined together to form the Self-Regulatory Program for Online Behavioral Advertising. The alliance managing the program was called the Digital Advertising Alliance (DAA). The DAA's AdChoices program was launched in October 2010.
The program calls for companies to follow responsible privacy principles for internet-based advertising. Compliance with the DAA Principles is independently enforced for all companies in digital advertising by the Digital Advertising Accountability Program (DAAP) of the BBB National Programs and the accountability division of the Association of National Advertisers.
In July 2013, additional principles were launched by the DAA to address interest-based data collected from smartphones and tablets.
To give consumers a choice mechanism for that environment, in February 2015, the DAA officially launched AppChoices,
an opt-out app for mobile devices.
In September 2013, the Canadian version of the AdChoices program was launched by the
Digital Advertising Alliance of Canada (DAAC)
The Digital Advertising Alliance of Canada (DAAC) is a Canadian non-profit trade association.
Founded in 2013 by eight Canadian marketing and communications trade associations, the DAAC is responsible for the operations of the AdChoices self-reg ...
, composed of a similar set of marketing and communications trade associations
as in the US, to address the
Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC)'s guidelines for online behavioural advertising.
The AdChoices program can be implemented in a manner consistent with existing Canadian privacy laws and the OPC's guidelines for online interest-based advertising.
Participants
The AdChoices self-regulatory programs have over 200 participants.
Participants include
AOL
AOL (stylized as Aol., formerly a company known as AOL Inc. and originally known as America Online) is an American web portal and online service provider based in New York City. It is a brand marketed by the current incarnation of Yahoo (2017â ...
,
AT&T
AT&T Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications holding company headquartered at Whitacre Tower in Downtown Dallas, Texas. It is the world's largest telecommunications company by revenue and the third largest provider of mobile tel ...
,
Bloomberg Bloomberg may refer to:
People
* Daniel J. Bloomberg (1905–1984), audio engineer
* Georgina Bloomberg (born 1983), professional equestrian
* Michael Bloomberg (born 1942), American businessman and founder of Bloomberg L.P.; politician and ma ...
,
Comcast
Comcast Corporation (formerly known as American Cable Systems and Comcast Holdings),Before the AT&T merger in 2001, the parent company was Comcast Holdings Corporation. Comcast Holdings Corporation now refers to a subsidiary of Comcast Corpora ...
,
Conde Nast
Conde may refer to:
Places
United States
* Conde, South Dakota, a city
France
* Condé-sur-l'Escaut (or simply 'Condé'), a commune
Linguistic
''Conde'' is the Ibero-Romance form of "count" (Latin ''comitatus'').
It may refer to:
* Count ...
,
Dow Jones Dow Jones is a combination of the names of business partners Charles Dow and Edward Jones.
Dow Jones & Company
Dow, Jones and Charles Bergstresser founded Dow Jones & Company in 1882. That company eventually became a subsidiary of News Corp, and ...
,
Facebook
Facebook is an online social media and social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. Founded in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with fellow Harvard College students and roommates Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin M ...
,
General Motors
The General Motors Company (GM) is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automotive manufacturing company headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, United States. It is the largest automaker in the United States and ...
,
Google Inc.
Google LLC () is an American multinational technology company focusing on search engine technology, online advertising, cloud computing, computer software, quantum computing, e-commerce, artificial intelligence, and consumer electronics. I ...
,
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational technology corporation producing computer software, consumer electronics, personal computers, and related services headquartered at the Microsoft Redmond campus located in Redmond, Washing ...
,
Procter & Gamble
The Procter & Gamble Company (P&G) is an American multinational consumer goods corporation headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, founded in 1837 by William Procter and James Gamble. It specializes in a wide range of personal health/consumer hea ...
,
Taboola
Taboola is a public advertising company headquartered in New York City. The CEO of Taboola is Adam Singolda, who founded the company in 2007. It provides advertisements such as "Around the Web" and "Recommended For You" boxes at the bottom of man ...
,
Yahoo!
Yahoo! (, styled yahoo''!'' in its logo) is an American web services provider. It is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California and operated by the namesake company Yahoo Inc., which is 90% owned by investment funds managed by Apollo Global Man ...
, and many others.
Lists of Canadian and European program participants are found on their official websites.
Reception
A study conducted by Parks Associates and discussed in
AdAge
An adage (; Latin: adagium) is a memorable and usually philosophical aphorism that communicates an important truth derived from experience, custom, or both, and that many people consider true and credible because of its longeval tradition, i.e. ...
found that three years after the introduction of the AdChoices icon, most consumers were unaware of it, and in fact, awareness had grown only from 5% in 2011 to 6% in 2013. According to a
TRUSTe TrustArc (formerly TRUSTe) is a privacy compliance technology company based in San Francisco, California. The company provides software and services to help corporations update their privacy management processes so they comply with government laws a ...
survey from 2015: "However, research also showed that awareness of the AdChoices icon, part of the Digital Advertising Alliance (DAA) Self-Regulatory Program for OBA
nline behavioral ads, or interest-based adsjumped to 37% – a significant increase from 21% the previous year. This program provides users with more control over their online ad experience with the option to opt-out of personal targeting." Furthermore, in 10 of 13 European countries surveyed by
TRUSTe TrustArc (formerly TRUSTe) is a privacy compliance technology company based in San Francisco, California. The company provides software and services to help corporations update their privacy management processes so they comply with government laws a ...
and the European Interactive Digital Advertising Alliance in December 2015, at least 1 in 4 consumers who are aware of the icon say they have clicked on it.
References
{{reflist
External links
* YourAdChoices.com (US)
* TuPublicidadDigital.org (sister organization for users in Argentina)
* YourAdChoices.ca (sister organization for users in Canada)
* (sister organization for users in the EU and the )
Online advertising
Self-regulation