Web Advertisers' New Self-Regulating Policies -- Will They Work?
After Feds decided to step up their monitoring practices of Web ad companies that use behavioral advertising (which narrows ad content based on search terms, age ranges, and interests), a group of Web and media advertisers decided to launch new guidelines on privacy.
USA Today reports that more than 5,000 companies, along with the Better Business Bureau and the American Association of National Advertisers, developed seven main principles for self-policing, allowing surfers to 'opt-out' of any behavior advertising and showing what type of data is being collected, and by whom. Often, free services share search terms to sustain themselves, and most users are unaware of this policy.
The benefit, of course, is that Internet businesses are getting a jump on lawmakers before they enact legislation without their input. Also, ads will become more effective. Industry attorney Stu Ingis told USA Today that, "Businesses are using information to deliver ads more relevant to consumers. This will make it a more a more efficient process to deliver content and services that consumers want."
Like Hulu allowing watchers to choose what commercials they see, the notion is, search engines are powered by revenue, so why not advertise to those that might actually be interested in the products? Self-regulation is ideal, as long as ad people stick to being as transparent as possible, explaining exactly how data is being used.
This, of course, assumes that individuals are as educated as possible, knowing where to opt out and why -- a step that Internet companies, search engines, and data collectors are going to have to seriously make for any regulations to make sense at all. Especially when it's often unclear that searchers even 'opt in' in the first place. [From: USAToday.com]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
rick said 2:36PM on 7-02-2009
Are you kidding?
Most of these companies and their execs make bankers and politicians look ethical.
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Eric said 4:04PM on 7-02-2009
Not only does this article provide good information on web policy-making, it also provides the first photographic evidence of a werewolf using a computer! Excellent work switched.com!
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alex said 8:11PM on 7-02-2009
I wonder if this type of initiative will have an effect on sites like craigslist.org and backpage.com, and other classifieds sites, that bring together strangers in the name of commerce and trade. There have been so many negative headlines recently associated with craigslist regarding murder, rape, assault, and scams, so I hope we'll be seeing less of these crimes when these oversight measures take root.
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jacksarmir said 6:04PM on 7-05-2009
don't buy off th the internetand ask the co. to not put me on net.
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