IAB push to ease online ad fears

The UK online advertising industry is launching a consumer campaign aimed at reversing negative perceptions of behavioural ads by educating the public about how the technique works, and its benefits.
Designed by Mediacom for the Internet Advertising Bureau UK (IAB), the campaign promotes the AdChoices icon, which has been appearing on behavioural ads in the UK and EU markets for over a year but is not without its critics.
The initiative – worth an estimated £3m in media spend – features a series of online zip ads which carry statements such as “How do websites know which adverts suit your interests?” and “Find out what goes on behind the ads you see online.” The zip opens to reveal the blue icon.
When the ad is clicked, it links to a landing page explaining the role of online advertising and how privacy can be safeguarded. The landing page also features a short video helping people to understand ‘interest-based’ advertising.
The icon links to information about how data is collected and used to serve these types of ads and ways consumers can control this, including via the Your Online Choices website. Among those donating free ad inventory to the campaign are AOL, CBS Interactive, Expedia, Financial Times, Guardian, Microsoft Advertising, Specific Media, Telegraph Media Group, ValueClick Media and Yahoo.
Nick Stringer, director of regulatory affairs at IAB UK, said: “There are two key points people should be aware about. Firstly, advertising helps to pay for the content and services consumers receive for little or no cost, and interest-based ads are more relevant to the user’s likely interests. Secondly, which many are mistaken about, is that interest-based advertising is based upon the sites previously visited and not on any personal information that identifies the user.
“The research is very clear: once consumers are aware of these points and know they are in control, they are far more open to interest-based ads. Over half a million people a month now visit the UK Your Online Choices site to find out more.”
The campaign, which will initially run for six to 10 weeks, also has the support of the Government and client body ISBA.
Ed Vaizey MP, UK Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries, said: “I welcome this European advertising campaign – with the UK leading the way – to promote greater awareness of the ad icon which can empower consumers to control their data.”
Meanwhile ISBA marketing services manager David Ellison said: “The AdChoices icon is all about empowering online consumers, giving them control over whether they want their online behaviour tracked or not in order to serve them interest-based ads.
“The initiative shows how a responsible and collaborative approach from industry – in this case advertisers, agencies, media owners and ad tech companies from across Europe – can work well without the need for state interference.”
However, the European Commission’s Article 29 Working Party – made up of data protection chiefs from individual EU states – has warned the industry that the current approach does not comply with Europe’s recently revised ePrivacy laws.
There has been a sustained attack on the icon-based scheme virtually since launch. Some commentators claimed it was just a ‘fudge’ to avoid tighter regulation, while in 2011 the Article 29 Working Party itself deemed it ‘meaningless’.