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.
Dear John Letter
John Squire Chief Strategy Officer Coremetrics Dear John: Whassup? I read on the privacychoice blog that you take privacy seriously. That is good to hear. There is another Jon who like you takes privacy seriously. He is at the FTC. I think he might say that if you are helping your clients sell clickstream […]
Behavioral Advertisers Need to Change Their Behavior
Behavioral Advertisers Need to Change Their Behavior Roll Call By Jules Polonetsky June 22, 2009 On Thursday, two House Energy and Commerce subcommittees held a joint hearing to discuss something called “behavioral advertising,” the tracking of users’ Web site visits and searches in order to deliver tailored online advertisements. Almost a decade ago to the […]
FTC Cites FPF Work in Letter to Congress Regarding Behavioral Ads
Today, the Commission sent the Energy and Commerce Subcommittees holding a joint hearing examining behavioral ads a letter, noting that the FTC is closely monitoring industry efforts to step up privacy efforts. Within the letter, they also reference the FPF research project underway. After members gave opening statements, the hearing was interrupted by a series […]
FTC Letter to Congress regarding Behavioral Ads
The Commission today sent the Energy and Commerce Subcommittees holding a joint hearing looking in to behavioral ads a letter , noting that it is closely monitoring industry efforts to step up privacy efforts. They also reference the FPF research project underway. After members gave opening statements, the hearing was interrupted by a series of […]
FPF Launches Leading Practices Gallery
Today, two House Energy and Commerce Subcommittees are holding a joint hearing to discuss behavioral advertising. Clearly, Congressional leaders continue to have concerns about the technologies used to track users Web activity and are dissatisfied with current practices. The FTC has repeatedly expressed its dissatisfaction with the status quo. And significant numbers of consumers themselves […]
Gallery of Leading Practices
In order to encourage companies to further develop innovative means of communicating with its users about data use and behavioral advertising, The Future of Privacy Forum highlights the following companies for taking the lead in providing transparency and control to its customers. If you are aware of other companies that deserve a “cheer”, please let […]
FetchBack – The Retargeting Company
Ad network FetchBack is now adding a link to its ads that take users to an informational and opt-out page. This is certainly another step in the right direction, so we offer our compliments. That being said, without a screenshot of what the little link on the ad looks like, the value to users of […]
Web Analytics Companies: Let Your Voices Be Heard!
Web Analytics Companies: Let Your Voices Be Heard! Over the past year, FPF and other groups including CDT , EFF and the Federal Web Managers Council have proposed revisions to the current limitations on use of cookies by the federal government.One area where many seem to agree is that allowing government to use […]
Economic Value of the Advertising Supported Internet
What is the value of all the advertising on the internet? The IAB has a report out. Some interesting facts and figures including a nice chart on where all those internet workers are located. One area that is not covered, and where a proper methodology would be hard but I think possible, would be drilling […]
Facebook Ad Network Crackdown
We are glad to see reports of Facebook cracking down on ad networks improperly using user data, as well as deceptive come-ons. We believe that many of the of the problems of the online advertising system have been due to publishers and advertising leaving privacy and ad quality issues entirely to their ad network partners. […]