The Evidon Weeky Digest 2/29/12
Last week, the White House announced that the Digital Advertising Alliance was now formally supported by the Obama Administration. In our blog post from the 23rd, you can find a common sense, plain-English explanation of what the new means for your company. In short, for now, nothing has changed. In the next 
nine months, DAA program participants will need to recognize the browser-based header, also known as Do Not Track, as a compliment to the AdChoices program, not a replacement. Futhermore, the DAA has not endorsed the Administration's Privacy Bill of Rights. There’s no need to be concerned about your DAA license obligating you to comply with this proposal from the Administration.
Lost in all the hoopla from DC, mobile was also top of mind. Google, RIM and Apple agreed to California Attorney General Kamala Harris’ request to post privacy policies alongside the applications that are distributed through their platforms. Also, Mozilla announced its support for Do Not Track on mobile devices during the Mobile World Congress. This will change the way apps are made and is an important step forward.
Also, fallout continued last week from Google’s circumventing privacy controls in the mobile Safari browser. The UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office is now getting involved.
Opt-Out Provision Would Halt Some, but Not All, Web Tracking – New York Times - Last Thursday federal regulators, members of advertising trade groups and technology companies gathered in Washington to announce new initiatives to protect consumers’ privacy online. But, as it turns out, privacy is in the eye of the beholder.
Obama Administration Moves Forward With Privacy Bill of Rights – AdAge – As the online-privacy winds continue to swirl around Washington, the Obama administration announced on Wednesday a blueprint for a Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights that it hopes to turn into law. Meanwhile, the Digital Advertising Alliance said it will support a push for a do-not-track option for web browsers.
White House Proposes Web Privacy Legislation – WSJ – The White House on Thursday called for legislation to create a "privacy bill of rights" that would give people greater control over their data—marking a turning point in online privacy efforts but likely setting off a long battle over how exactly the new policies will take shape.
Online privacy bill remains elusive – Politico – Every time there is another public uproar over an Internet company collecting, using or sharing consumer data, lawmakers want to point fingers.
Big Tech, Obama And The Politics Of Privacy – PaidContent - The White House announced major privacy initiatives this week amidst a growing hubbub over how technology companies use consumers’ personal data. The news sheds light on both the privacy debate and on how the players involved are attempting to maintain political control of the issue.
Do-Not-Track Advances, But Debate About Meaning Of 'Tracking' Continues – MediaPost – This week, after years of debate, the ad industry has agreed to support a universal, easy-to-use, do-not-track tool that will enable consumers to opt out of all behavioral targeting.
Statement from CEOs of Member Associations of the Digital Advertising Alliance (DAA) - (Press Release) - We are honored that the White House this morning has endorsed the work of the Digital Advertising Alliance and our participating associations - the American Association of Advertising Agencies (4A's), the Association of National Advertisers (ANA), the American Advertising Federation (AAF), the Direct Marketing Association (DMA), the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and the Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) - in creating robust self-regulation to protect consumer privacy rights and expectations in the advertising-supported Internet.
Mobile Platforms To Require Privacy Policies For Apps – MediaPost – Google, Apple, Research in Motion and other companies with app marketplaces have promised California Attorney General Kamala Harris that they will require developers to post privacy policies if their apps collect personal data from users.
Do Not Track goes mobile: Mozilla demos privacy preference at Mobile World Congress – The Mozilla Privacy Blog – As part of our week of exciting announcements for Mobile World Congress, Mozilla is demonstrating the world’s first implementation of Do Not Track for a mobile Web OS. We’re also presenting a mock-up of the new 3-state setting for Do Not Track, as envisioned by the W3C.
The Google Cookie That Seems to Come Out of Nowhere – WSJ –Two years ago, Mac user Stephen Frankel started noticing something strange: A mysterious Google “cookie” file kept popping up on his computer, even though he was blocking tracking cookies, had no Google accounts and wasn’t even visiting Google.
What Google's Privacy Snafu Means for Self-Regulation – AdWeek – Will Google's latest privacy misstep compromise the ad industry's self-regulation efforts? The discovery that Google and a handful of other companies were circumventing the privacy settings on Apple's Safari browser and had to recant has already brought back the privacy debate in Washington with a vengeance.
nine months, DAA program participants will need to recognize the browser-based header, also known as Do Not Track, as a compliment to the AdChoices program, not a replacement. Futhermore, the DAA has not endorsed the Administration's Privacy Bill of Rights. There’s no need to be concerned about your DAA license obligating you to comply with this proposal from the Administration.
Lost in all the hoopla from DC, mobile was also top of mind. Google, RIM and Apple agreed to California Attorney General Kamala Harris’ request to post privacy policies alongside the applications that are distributed through their platforms. Also, Mozilla announced its support for Do Not Track on mobile devices during the Mobile World Congress. This will change the way apps are made and is an important step forward.
Also, fallout continued last week from Google’s circumventing privacy controls in the mobile Safari browser. The UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office is now getting involved.
Opt-Out Provision Would Halt Some, but Not All, Web Tracking – New York Times - Last Thursday federal regulators, members of advertising trade groups and technology companies gathered in Washington to announce new initiatives to protect consumers’ privacy online. But, as it turns out, privacy is in the eye of the beholder.
Obama Administration Moves Forward With Privacy Bill of Rights – AdAge – As the online-privacy winds continue to swirl around Washington, the Obama administration announced on Wednesday a blueprint for a Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights that it hopes to turn into law. Meanwhile, the Digital Advertising Alliance said it will support a push for a do-not-track option for web browsers.
White House Proposes Web Privacy Legislation – WSJ – The White House on Thursday called for legislation to create a "privacy bill of rights" that would give people greater control over their data—marking a turning point in online privacy efforts but likely setting off a long battle over how exactly the new policies will take shape.
Online privacy bill remains elusive – Politico – Every time there is another public uproar over an Internet company collecting, using or sharing consumer data, lawmakers want to point fingers.
Big Tech, Obama And The Politics Of Privacy – PaidContent - The White House announced major privacy initiatives this week amidst a growing hubbub over how technology companies use consumers’ personal data. The news sheds light on both the privacy debate and on how the players involved are attempting to maintain political control of the issue.
Do-Not-Track Advances, But Debate About Meaning Of 'Tracking' Continues – MediaPost – This week, after years of debate, the ad industry has agreed to support a universal, easy-to-use, do-not-track tool that will enable consumers to opt out of all behavioral targeting.
Statement from CEOs of Member Associations of the Digital Advertising Alliance (DAA) - (Press Release) - We are honored that the White House this morning has endorsed the work of the Digital Advertising Alliance and our participating associations - the American Association of Advertising Agencies (4A's), the Association of National Advertisers (ANA), the American Advertising Federation (AAF), the Direct Marketing Association (DMA), the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and the Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) - in creating robust self-regulation to protect consumer privacy rights and expectations in the advertising-supported Internet.
Mobile Platforms To Require Privacy Policies For Apps – MediaPost – Google, Apple, Research in Motion and other companies with app marketplaces have promised California Attorney General Kamala Harris that they will require developers to post privacy policies if their apps collect personal data from users.
Do Not Track goes mobile: Mozilla demos privacy preference at Mobile World Congress – The Mozilla Privacy Blog – As part of our week of exciting announcements for Mobile World Congress, Mozilla is demonstrating the world’s first implementation of Do Not Track for a mobile Web OS. We’re also presenting a mock-up of the new 3-state setting for Do Not Track, as envisioned by the W3C.
The Google Cookie That Seems to Come Out of Nowhere – WSJ –Two years ago, Mac user Stephen Frankel started noticing something strange: A mysterious Google “cookie” file kept popping up on his computer, even though he was blocking tracking cookies, had no Google accounts and wasn’t even visiting Google.
What Google's Privacy Snafu Means for Self-Regulation – AdWeek – Will Google's latest privacy misstep compromise the ad industry's self-regulation efforts? The discovery that Google and a handful of other companies were circumventing the privacy settings on Apple's Safari browser and had to recant has already brought back the privacy debate in Washington with a vengeance.