Behavioural Advertising

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On January 3, the city of Los Angeles accused TWC Product and Technology, LLC (“TWC”) (an International Business Machines Corporation subsidiary) of violating millions of American consumers’ privacy. In the civil lawsuit, Los Angeles City Attorney Michael Feuer alleged TWC misled users of its Weather Channel app to turn on precise location tracking by suggesting,…

As a follow-up to our previous article, the Indianapolis Colts are moving to move venues in a federal class action lawsuit to Indiana.  The plaintiff alleges that the beacon technology integrated in the Colts mobile application secretly recorded all user’s audio, including private oral conversations, for purposes of targeted advertising.  In the latest development…

Responding to news reports that journalists were able to purchase advertising on Facebook targeted to ethnic groups, Facebook announced several new changes to the company’s advertising products. The move highlights heightened scrutiny of advertising practices surrounding the increasing use of big data in many aspects of marketing and advertising.

Facebook’s response grew out of a…

On October 27, 2016, the FCC adopted a new set of privacy and data security regulations applicable to “broadband service providers and other telecommunications carriers.”

The rules place new restrictions on internet service providers’ (“ISPs”) ability to use and share their customers’ data. The Commission established two data classifications: (1) sensitive information, and (2) non-sensitive…

In 2007, Google bought online ad network DoubleClick, which uses cookies to collect and store data about Google users from their browsing history, to best place clients’ ads. This past June, Google revised its privacy policy to state that users’ activities on other sites tracked by DoubleClick “may be associated with [their] personal information.”  This…

This month, the Indianapolis Colts, app developer Yinzcam, Inc., and ultrasonic technology provider Lisnr, Inc., were hit with a federal class action lawsuit in Pennsylvania for violating the Electronic Communications Privacy Act by allegedly allowing the Colts fan app to listen in on users’ personal phone conversations, and use that information for advertising purposes without…

Earlier this week, a putative class action was brought against the NBA’s Golden State Warriors concerning the team’s mobile application. According to the complaint, the free app provides an interactive experience for fans by delivering scores, news and other information relevant to the Golden State Warriors. The plaintiffs allege that the app contains certain Bluetooth…

Earlier this month the ASA published its half-year report into compliance with the new Online Behavioural Advertising (OBA) rules. By way of background, the rules apply to advertisers that collect and use web viewing behavioural data in order to deliver online ads that are more likely to be of interest to a consumer. The rules

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The Advertising Standard Authority’s remit will shortly cover Online Behavioural Advertising (OBA). The Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) has extended the CAP Code to cover this increasingly developed form of targeted advertising with a new series of Rules. OBA involves the collaboration of advertising networks and third parties to deliver customised advertising based upon deep…

It is not good news for advertisers, search engines, digital agencies and affiliates. The European Data privacy regulators have published an Opinion (22nd June 2010) which states that behavioural advertising, which drives more than 23 billion dollar revenues on the Internet , must change its approach to collecting data on web users and cease delivering advertising to children.

What is clear is that Regulators and Politicians across Europe and internationally are aware of the growing public concern about online data privacy, whether justified or not. Authors of the Opinion state that what is at stake is that many consumers are not aware that their surfing behavior is being monitored and data are being stored for advertising purposes.

The  EC press release states that although online behavioural advertising may bring advantages to online business and users alike, its implications for personal data protection and privacy are significant.

In a strong rebuttal, Europe’s media and advertising industry united to reject the Opinion, which the Word Federation of Advertisers, the IAB and EACA and others claim is out of step with the relationships that businesses and consumers are building online and flies in the face of the reality of the Internet.  The authors of the Opinion say that while they do not question the economic benefits that behavioural advertising may bring for stakeholders’, such practice must not be carried out at the expense of individuals’ rights to privacy and data protection.

The 22 June Opinion also recommends a total ban on behavioural advertising directed at children.

“This opinion takes no account of the support we get from our consumers for interest-based advertising nor of the exchange in value they receive between effective advertising and access to high quality media content for free.” said Stephan Loerke, Managing Director, World Federation of Advertisers (WFA).

Why does this Opinion matter? It could of course impact on how national governments interpret the ePrivacy Directive and implement national law making opt in a requirement. In practical terms, in the worse case scenario for marketers and consumers, such a requirement would mean that Internet users would have to confirm every single cookie placed on their PCs!Continue Reading EU Demands Opt In for Online Behavioural Advertising