March 15, 2011

Stu Ingis quoted on refining opt-out program to include tracking for advertising and analytics

2 min

Venable partner Stu Ingis was quoted in a March 11 ClickZ article discussing the Digital Advertising Alliance's (DAA) Do Not Track program and efforts to refine its scope to include the ability to block the tracking of ads for advertising and analytics purposes.

Ingis, who represents the DAA, said that the self-regulatory collective recognizes the FTC's focus on the program's capabilities in regards to these nuances, and they are "working on further guidelines to be very clear about that." He added, "What we've committed to do is work on sensitive areas more broadly. We're literally working through that." He added, "What we've committed to do is work on sensitive areas more broadly. We're literally working through that."

Ingis also said he believes companies participating in the self-regulatory program agree with the FTC that data collected for advertising or analytics "shouldn't be used for eligibility [related purposes]." He further noted that he hasn't seen companies collecting data for ad targeting actually use that data or sell it for such purposes.

He explained that as it exists currently, the program overseen by the alliance allows consumer to opt out from data collection and use for behavioral advertising. However, when companies involved in the program use data for purposes such as analytics, they may continue tracking and collecting data from people who have opted out through the program, even though those individuals will no longer receive behaviorally targeted ads.