AdChoices

AdChoices is an icon shown and associated program participated in by Internet advertisers on some advertisements to indicate that the ad is an instance is "interest-based advertising", i.e., the advertisement is based on information gathered about the user's interest via tracking of the user's browsing history, possibly across websites other than the current website.[1] The program is created and managed exclusively by the Digital Advertising Alliance as part of its Self-Regulatory Program for Online Behavioral Advertising.[1][2][3] It is possible for users to opt out entirely from AdChoices. This will not stop them from seeing ads but rather will not use their online behavior in determining what ads they are shown.[1][4]

History

In 2009, the Federal Trade Commission began looking into online advertising and suggested that the industry develop guidelines for self-regulation. The American Association of Advertising Agencies, the Association of National Advertisers (ANA), the American Advertising Federation (AAF), the Direct Marketing Association (DMA), the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), the Better Business Bureau (BBB), and the Network Advertising Initiative (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).[4] The AdChoices program was launched in March 2011.[5]

In April 2013, a mobile app giving users control over what information of theirs could be used by advertisers in the AdChoices program was launched.[6]

Participants

The most prominent participant in AdChoices is Google Inc., which uses the AdChoices label on Google Adsense ads.[7] Other participants include Yahoo!,[8] Microsoft,[9] Procter & Gamble,[10] AT&T, Bloomberg, Comcast, Conde Nast, Dow Jones, General Motors, and many others.[11] Google also lists the AdChoices icon as one of the standard third-party icons that advertisers using online behavioral targeting can use in their ad units, and requires that advertisers using the icon comply with the requirements used by the AdChoices program.[12]

Reception

A study conducted by Parks Associates and discussed in AdAge found that, three years after the introduction of the AdChoices icon, most consumers were unaware of it, and in fact, awareness had grown only marginally, to 6% in 2013 from 5% in 2011.[13]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Frequently Asked Questions". Your AdChoices - how interest based advertising finds you. Retrieved January 20, 2015.
  2. ↑ "Principles". Digital Advertising Alliance. Retrieved January 20, 2015.
  3. ↑ "AdChoices: Learn More About Our Ads". The Weather Channel. Retrieved January 20, 2015.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Sagin, Erin (January 22, 2014). "All About AdChoices: What Is AdChoices? How Does it Affect Advertisers & Consumers?". WordStream. Retrieved January 20, 2015.
  5. ↑ Parker, Pamela (March 22, 2011). "Goodbye "Ads By Google" & Hello "AdChoices" As Google’s Backs Industry Label Effort". Search Engine Land. Retrieved January 20, 2015.
  6. ↑ Bachman, Katy (April 11, 2013). "Want to Opt Out of Targeted Mobile Ads? There's an App for That. Meets forthcoming DAA mobile privacy standards". Retrieved January 21, 2015.
  7. ↑ "About Google Ads". Retrieved January 20, 2015.
  8. ↑ "Why This Ad?". Yahoo!. Retrieved January 20, 2015.
  9. ↑ Feehan, Townsend (May 11, 2012). "AdChoices icon will bring greater transparency to Online Behavioral Advertising". Retrieved January 20, 2015.
  10. ↑ "About Interest-Based Advertising". Procter & Gamble. Retrieved January 20, 2015.
  11. ↑ "Companies Using the Your AdChoices Icon". Retrieved January 20, 2015.
  12. ↑ "Requirements for third-party ad serving (see section "Online Behavioral Advertising Icon Option")". Google Inc. Retrieved January 21, 2015.
  13. ↑ Kaye, Kate (January 29, 2014). "Study: Consumers Don't Know What AdChoices Privacy Icon Is. After Three Years Just 6% Awareness Of the Industry's Opt-Out Program". AdAge. Retrieved January 20, 2015.

External links