Is another Ad Network Driven Privacy Solution Good for the Industry?

By: Linda L. Goodman

The Digital Advertising Alliance (“DAA”), a self-regulatory trade group, announced on June 19, 2014, that it has developed an app that enables mobile consumers to opt-out of behavioral advertising on smartphones and tablets. The app is expected to be released later this year. But the question is whether such app is needed or is this industry driven initiative. Several privacy for profit companies have similar apps that allow mobile users to opt-out of behaviorally targeted mobile ads. So, why the push for a new one now?

The answer is likely that along with this app will soon come an AdChoice opt-out icon for mobile apps. Thus, the question becomes one of is there a need by consumers or a need by self-regulatory agencies to continue promoting their policies? Another question is why the need for another icon when the largest mobile operating systems come with built-in controls that enable people to avoid cross-app targeting?

Apple, for instance, offers a “limit ad tracking” setting, which conveys to ad networks when users don’t want to be tracked. Apple requires developers to honor that setting — meaning that they don’t serve ads to users based on their activity across a variety of apps. Google also offers a comparable feature for Android devices. In addition, they limit mobile developers ability to access unique device identifies and offer “advertising identifiers” which consumers control by resetting or deleting.

So is this an example of an alarm bell ringing by the industry itself, or are consumers calling for the measures? Will the mobile ad industry be better off if the federal legislature decides to renew its concern about user privacy? Is this just an ad network curtailment to stop progress of serving ads to consumers that actually relate to that consumers interest? Is the shark eating its own tail to prove it still has a purpose?

Check out airpush’s new findings on how consumers are driving a new acceptance of mobile advertising at: http://www.airpush.com/how-consumers-are-driving-a-new-acceptance-of-mobile-advertising/.

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This article is a publication of The Goodman Law Firm and is intended to provide information on recent legal developments. This article does not create an attorney-client relationship, nor should it be construed as legal advice or an opinion on specific situations. This may constitute “Attorney Advertising” under the Rules of Professional Conduct and under the law of other jurisdictions.

Linda L. Goodman is the founder of The Goodman Law Firm, concentrating its practice in internet business and law. Her firm’s clients include Advertisers, Affiliates, Affiliate Networks, and ISP’s.