LinkedIn backpedalled on its “social ads” effort and the FTC announced that it had settled a suit with a mobile app developer for $50,000 over a COPPA violation. On top of these two stories, ClickZ featured an interesting piece on the recent bout of fear, uncertainty and doubt washing over consumers and the FTC put out a statement that they are supportive of the BBB’s enforcement efforts. This latter story is a big deal, as it clears the way for the BBB to become much more active in bringing companies into compliance. In EU news, The Guardian reported on the difficulties of imposing new privacy regulations, and The New York Times ran an article that looked into various EU nations’ agendas for, and reactions to, web privacy. Also, Evidon made some waves in the EU as New Media Age announced that we were rolling out locally tailored ad notice across Europe. LinkedIn Backs Off Ad Scheme Over Privacy Gaffe – WSJ – LinkedIn Corp. backed away from an advertising scheme that exploited users' photos and recommendations, marking a rare privacy gaffe for the social network. Feds Give Tentative OK to Behavioral Ad Program-- Consumer Affairs -- No one seems to know quite what to make of behavioral advertising. ... In the midst of all this, the Federal Trade Commission's Bureau of Competition has ...

• FTC Staff: No Present Intention of Challenging Council of Better Business Bureaus' Accountability Program for Online Behavioral Advertising as Anticompetitive --The Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Competition has issued an advisory opinion letter stating that it has no present intention to challenge the Council of Better Business Bureaus’ (CBBB) proposed “accountability program,” which would hold companies engaged in online behavioral advertising accountable for compliance with the “Self-Regulatory Principles for Online Behavioral Advertising.”

Mobile Apps Developer Settles FTC Charges It Violated Children's Privacy Rule – FTC – A developer of mobile applications, including children’s games for the iPhone and iPod touch, will pay $50,000 to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that it violated the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and the FTC’s COPPA Rule by illegally collecting and disclosing personal information from tens of thousands of children under age 13 without their parents’ prior consent. Privacy Whitewashing, History Sniffing, and Zombie Cookies, Oh My... – ClickZ – There's a great deal of fear, uncertainty, and doubt (FUD) in the hearts and minds of consumers regarding their privacy online. While not totally unmerited, this FUD is fueled by mainstream media sources like The Wall Street Journal and USA Today, that typically paint the issues with a stark black and white perspective. Unfortunately, this perspective corrals all advertisers, website operators, and would-be digital trackers into a single category of shameful voyeurs. Evidon tailors industry privacy icon information for local markets - NMA - Wider take-up of the online industry’s new privacy icon has moved a step further after ad specialist Evidon announced its technology now allows consumer information to be served in local languages. Cookie crumbles: Confusion over data regulation – The Guardian – Simon McDougall explains how to negotiate the difficult waters of online data privacy law. On Its Own, Europe Backs Web Privacy Fights –NYT – Mr. Werro says many Europeans, including himself, are broadly uncomfortable with the way personal information is found by search engines and used for commerce. When ads pop up on his screen, clearly linked to subjects that are of interest to him, he says he finds it Orwellian.