The EU self-regulation of online behavioural advertising

What is it?

• EU advertising & media trade bodies launched a self-regulatory

initiative in April 2011 to enhance transparency & consumer control.

• Its aim was to provide both consumers and businesses with a

consistent approach – joining up with other similar initiatives (eg US).

• Initiative covers all EU (and EEA) markets and covers seven key

principles. Details at www.youronlinechoices.eu/goodpractice.html.

• At the heart of the initiative is an ‘icon’ in or around ads / on web

pages, linked to information on data collection / use & control

mechanisms including pan-EU site www.youronlinechoices.eu.

• Many businesses across Europe are committed. See:

http://edaa.eu/participating-companies.

• Initiative backed up by robust pan-European enforcement and tried &

tested independent complaints handling.

The Icon

• The icon is now appearing in and round ads / on web pages

across all EU (and EEA) markets.

• Two provisionally approved providers – TRUSTe and Evidon – are

serving 10bn icons a month across Europe (as at December

2012).

• In mid-2013, the EU ad industry will launch a consumer campaign

to raise awareness of what the icon is and does.

• The icon provides contextual information and user control, all a

few clicks from the ad / web page itself.

• It will offer consumers easy to understand information on data

collection / use and links to ways to control / manage it.

Some Examples

Transparency – Case Study: Yahoo!

Transparency – Case Study: Criteo

Transparency – Case Study: RocketFuel

Control – Case Study: Google

Control: www.youronlinechoices.eu

Education: www.youronlinechoices.eu

The European Interactive Digital Advertising Alliance (EDAA)

• The EDAA - www.edaa.eu - has been established to administer /

finance the EU programme.

• Businesses wishing to use the icon across EU / EEA markets &

participate on the user-choice website (www.youronlinechoices.eu)

need to register with the EDAA to do so -

http://edaa.eu/certification-process/apply-for-licence.

Compliance & enforcement - auditing

• The EU initiative will introduce a new and independent

compliance mechanism across EU markets.

• Businesses will self-certify their compliance and then be audited on

an ongoing and real-time basis.

• Compliant businesses will be awarded a trust seal (see below) to

show the ad market that they are delivering on their commitments.

• Advertisers and agencies will play an important role in trading with

those businesses that have the trust seal…

• …and encouraging those that do not thereby providing a

commercial incentive to comply.

• Further details: http://edaa.eu/certification-process/trust-seal.

Compliance & enforcement – complaints handling

• From 4 February 2013, the UK Advertising Standards Authority

(ASA) will administer new rules in the UK which require:

notice to be provided to web users in or around the

advertisement;

choice via an opt out mechanism to prevent data from being

collected and used for behavioural ad purposes.

• The rules are complementary to the EU Framework and ensure

that users have recourse via an independent complaints handling

mechanism.

• Similar self-regulatory organisations across Europe will be

implementing similar rules to ensure a consistent approach across

markets.

• In the event of an escalated complaint, businesses would only

need to deal with one self-regulatory organisation.

• More details: www.iabuk.net/policy/briefings.

What do policy-makers think?

“We are also supporting cross-industry work on the use of third party cookies in behavioural advertising.” “And this is an example of where industry-led solutions can provide an answer… the icon is exactly the sort of industry developed solution that we see as critical to the UK's ability to meet the requirements of the Directive.” Speech by Ed Vaizey, UK Communications Minister, to CBI – 29 March 2011

“I am impressed with the way in which the advertising industry has succeeded, in a short time, in putting in place a new, effective self-regulatory framework. The principles, procedures and tools help to manage online behavioural advertising and to raise citizens’ awareness. Together, these efforts will contribute significantly to empowering internet users in the management of their privacy across Europe.”

Robert Madelin, Director General, DG CONNECT, Launch of EDAA – 12 October 2012

Further information

Visit www.iabuk.net or www.edaa.eu

Contacts:

Nick Stringer, Director of Regulatory Affairs, IAB UK – nick@iabuk.net

Ionel Naftanaila, Project & Technical Manager, EDAA - ionel.naftanaila@edaa.eu Dave Barron, Project Officer, EDAA – dave.barron@edaa.eu