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Last week, the Interest-Based Advertising Accountability Program (Accountability Program) released a compliance warning regarding the use of online-behavioral advertising (OBA) in conjunction with native advertisements. The compliance warning states that native advertisements tailored to a consumer based on the consumer’s browsing history (i.e., OBA) must comply with the Self-Regulatory Principles for Online Behavioral Advertising (“OBA Principles”), just like any traditional-based advertisement utilizing OBA would. Enforcement of the compliance warning will begin January 1, 2015.

The Accountability Program was developed by leading industry associations in order to regulate online behavioral advertising across the Internet. The Program issues compliance warnings to provide guidance on how to comply with the OBA Principles. The two key pillars of the OBA Principles are transparency and consumer control. The transparency principle requires companies to ensure that consumers are aware when their data is being collected for OBA purposes. The consumer control principle requires companies to provide consumers with an easy-to-use mechanism to opt out of having their data collected.
Continue Reading OBA Principles Have Gone Native!

The countdown is underway to the deadline when the digital marketing ecosystem needs to be in compliance with the Digital Advertising Alliance guidelines for Online Behavioral Advertising. Failure to comply may expose brands and companies to actions by the Online Interest-Based Advertising Accountability Program and potentially negative press releases.
Continue Reading The Countdown to Compliance Has Begun

In its first ever compliance warning, the Online Interest-Based Advertising Accountability Program Council (“Accountability Program”) noted that many website operators are omitting notices of data collection for online behavioral advertising (“OBA”) on their websites where third parties, such as ad networks, are not able to provide notice without the website operator’s assistance. Such notices are required under the Self-Regulatory Principles for Online Behavioral Advertising (“OBA Principles”).

In an effort to encourage compliance, the Council has delayed enforcement against first parties that fail to provide the required enhanced notice beginning until January 1, 2014.
Continue Reading BBB Accountability Program Reminds Advertising Industry to Act Now to Comply with Enhanced Notice

The Digital Advertising Alliance (DAA), the self-regulatory program for online behavioral advertising (OBA), was busy last week, releasing four formal review decisions.

The cases discussed below highlight DAA’s commitment to spreading consumer awareness about OBA, educating consumers on OBA activities, and providing consumers with options regarding the collection of their data. The cases were initiated by DAA itself, and not by competitors or consumers. OBA activity is a relatively unregulated area, and consumer protection authorities have largely relied on businesses self-regulating to protect consumers. To avoid heavier regulation, it is important that businesses make concerted efforts to be aware of and comply with DAA’s Self-Regulatory Principles for Online Behavioral Advertising (OBA Principles).
Continue Reading DAA Continues Focus on Obligations for Website Operators Employing OBA

The Digital Advertising Alliance (“DAA”), a self-regulatory group that represents marketing and media organizations, released new guidance this week for advertisers in the mobile space. Entitled “Application of Self-Regulatory Principles to the Mobile Environment,” the guidance builds on well-known principles such as notice (or transparency) and choice (or control), and tailors them to the unique challenges that face the mobile environment.
Continue Reading Mobile in the Spotlight with Digital Advertising Alliance Guidance

Kim Kardashian is notorious for setting Twitter trends with her fashion-forward tweets. But would a consumer buy the same product knowing she was paid up to $20,000 for tweeting it?

The term “native advertising” refers to when an advertiser masks ads as editorial content in an effort to market more seamlessly to consumers. The intent behind this practice is to make advertisements less intrusive and to associate a brand with an experience.
Continue Reading The Risks of ‘Native Advertising’

CARU’s West Coast Conference 2013 is scheduled for April 10 at the Beverly Hills Hilton, and once again promises to be a not-to-be-missed event. Confirmed speakers include Mamie Kresses, Federal Trade Commission; Katie Ratte, The Walt Disney Company; Jeannette Neumann, Mattel; Cynthia Nishimoto, Bandai; Stevan Levy, Kabillion; and Ryan Shadrick Wilson, The Partnership for a Healthier America. CARU believes if there is one conference to attend this year, this is the one, particularly in view of the impending COPPA modifications. CARU will devote a panel to the COPPA changes and will have detailed, lively discussions about the impact to the industry at-large. Indeed, rather than just a panel discussion, CARU hopes it will be more of a training session to prepare advertisers and website operators for the changes. Additionally, panelists will examine domestic and global challenges to self-regulation in the areas of social media, mobile marketing, sweepstakes, and food and beverage advertising.
Continue Reading CARU’s 3rd Annual Children’s Advertising & Online Privacy Conference

This post was also written by Christine Nielsen.

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After a swift left to the chin in early September from the Republican-controlled House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair, Rep. Fred Upton, David Vladeck, the FTC Director of the Bureau of Consumer Protection, testified before the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade, and the Subcommittee on Health, October 12, 2011, discussing the International Working…