Addressing the privacy issues related to advertising technology and online tracking has been a key focus since FPF’s founding. Increasingly, the mobile advertising space, geo-location tracking, and indoor positioning technologies are at the forefront of online data management, retail, and new consumer offerings. Thus, it is not surprising that regulators, industry leaders, and advocates are taking a hard look at questions about how to appropriately collect and handle consumer data for advertising, location-based targeting, and audience measurement. Additionally, as public awareness of targeted and personalized advertising grows, organizations are pushed to deliver more helpful, relevant ads by less intrusive means. FPF curates a gallery of leading practices, provides up-to-date analysis of emerging and evolving technologies, convenes stakeholders in a monthly working group call, and works with policymakers, advocates, and other stakeholders to support leading privacy practices for the use of location data.
FPF Survey: Free Mobile Apps Better than Paid on Privacy Policies
“We weren’t surprised to discover that free apps were doing better than paid apps, because free apps are more likely to be dependent on advertising and tracking and have more to disclose than paid apps,” explained Polonetsky. “Although a privacy policy isn’t the final word when it comes to communicating with consumers about how their data is used, companies providing policies show that they have taken an essential step to document their practices and provide legal accountability for their actions,” he added.
“With resources for app developers like our resource site, applicationprivacy.org, and privacy policy generators provided by TRUSTe and PrivacyChoice.org, there is no excuse anymore for app developers not to provide consumers with privacy policies,” said FPF Co-Chairman Christopher Wolf.[…]
Industry Leaders Discuss Benefits of Self-Regulation for OBA
On Tuesday afternoon, the Information Technology Innovation Foundation (ITIF) unveiled a new paper titled, “Benefits and Limitations of Self-Regulation for Online Behavioral Advertising” at a Microsoft event on self-regulation in the online behavioral advertising (OBA) environment. In the paper, author and ITIF senior analyst Daniel Castro explains, “[S]elf-regulation benefits the economy by creating a more […]
Omer Tene
Omer Tene Omer Tene is an Associate Professor at the College of Management School of Law, Rishon Le Zion, Israel; Affiliate Scholar at the Stanford Center for Internet and Society; and Visiting Fellow at the Berkeley Center for Law and Technology and the Institute for Jewish Law and Israeli Law, Economy and Society. He is Managing […]
Nov. 23, 2011 – Publishers Leak Usernames, IDs To Third Parties, Mediapost
Despite promising that they won’t reveal users’ personal data, some of the most highly trafficked Web sites transmit usernames, email addresses, addresses, and even birth dates to ad networks and other third parties, a new study confirms
Nov. 17, 2011 – BrightTag Allows You To Opt-Out Of Your Behavior, Adotas
This feature enables marketers and website owners to provide effective privacy regulations on a global basis. In conjunction with the BrightTag ONE platform, the new offering provides a privacy toolkit that enables brands to:
W3C Work Group Releases “Do Not Track” Draft Documents
Yesterday, the World Wide Web Consortium’s (W3C) Tracking Protection Working Group released the first public working drafts of a proposed “Do Not Track” (DNT) standard. According to the W3C’s press release, the group seeks to find the appropriate balance to “address both the privacy concerns of users and regulators, and the business models of the […]
Google To De-Mystify Ad-Targeting
Wired quoted FPF’s Jules Polonetsky today in an article on Google’s new program called “Why These Ads.” Google announced the new feature to help consumers understand why they receive certain ads. To see the full article and read Jules’ quotes, please click here.
Research Released on Usability of Internet Privacy Tools
Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University released a study today titled, “Why Johnny Can’t Opt Out: A Usability Evaluation of Tools to Limit Online Behavioral Advertising.” ”All nine of the tools we tested have serious usability flaws,” said Lorrie Cranor, director of the CyLab Usable Privacy and Security Laboratory (CUPS). Read the full press release here.
FTC Says Significant Steps Made For DNT- Still Work To Be Done
FTC Commissioner Julie Brill spoke at the Online Trust Alliance (OTA) Forum today and noted that the “industry has really stepped up to the plate” since the Commission released its Staff Report in Dec. 2010. Since the Report, browser companies including Microsoft, Mozilla, and Apple have implemented different models of Do Not Track. On the […]
The State of Mobile: The What and Where of Mobile Privacy
FPF Director and Co-chair, Jules Polonetsky presented along with other leading industry professionals at the OTA Forum Workshop titled, “The State of Mobile: The What and Where of Mobile Privacy. Redefining the role of business and industry.” Jules Polonetsky highlighted some of the issues with having mobile privacy policies. “Is anyone actually eager to read […]