Digital Advertising Alliance (DAA) Enhances Privacy Controls in the Mobile Marketplace with Launch of Two New Tools for Consumers

NEW YORK, Feb. 25, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The Digital Advertising Alliance (DAA) today launched two new mobile tools for consumers – "AppChoices" and the "DAA Consumer Choice Page for Mobile Web." These innovations supplement the self-regulatory organization's advertising transparency and choice mechanisms already used by millions of consumers for their desktop browsers. This evolution in the DAA's choice platforms adapts consumer-friendly, independently enforceable privacy controls to the fast-growing mobile medium.

With the new tools, U.S. consumers now have a simplified means to control data collection and use across Web sites (in "desktop" and mobile Web) and apps on a particular device.  The tools were developed to provide a consistent user experience across these channels, the DAA reports. The enhanced transparency will leverage the DAA's Icon, and enable consumers to exercise choice with individually-named DAA companies on the Consumer Choice Page for Mobile Web and the new AppChoices app – or they may choose all participating companies at once. Currently the DAA Icon is served globally more than 1 trillion times every month across desktop and mobile platforms. 

The two new mobile enhancements will help ensure that users have access to simple control mechanisms for mobile browsers and in-mobile applications, the DAA announced. Starting today, AppChoices is available as a free download from major online mobile app storefronts, Google Play^TM, Apple App Store^SM, and Amazon Store.

"Our new mobile choice tools deliver the same reliable, independently enforced, privacy control experience where consumers and brands engage, both across the desktop Internet and on the go," DAA Executive Director, Lou Mastria, CIPP, CISSP, said. "The DAA's ubiquitous icon signals a set of safeguards to the consumer, among them easy-to-use choice mechanisms which give consumers control over data collection and use in the evolving world of the mobile Internet and across mobile apps – just as the icon helps deliver access to those same protections on desktops. Today's announcement reflects the DAA's continued efforts to deliver consistent, privacy-friendly solutions backed by robust independent accountability."

The DAA also announced that it expects its independent accountability programs – the Council of Better Business Bureaus (CBBB) and the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) – to commence enforcement under the Mobile Guidance by late summer.

Based on the same self-regulatory principles underlying the DAA's existing Consumer Choice Page for desktop Web browsers, AppChoices provides an easy-to-use interface to allow users to set their preferences for data collection and use across apps for interest-based advertising and other applicable uses.  The DAA Consumer Choice Page for Mobile Web is an updated, mobile-optimized version of the desktop Consumer Choice Page already used by millions of consumers; and which will allow consumers to set their own preferences for data collection and use easily across the mobile sites they visit. 

"We believe these new tools for transparency and choice will lead to greater trust and engagement between brands and consumers no matter which screen is being used to interact," DAA General Counsel Stu Ingis said.  "According to recent polling, seven in ten consumers want tools available that provide them transparency and choice over data collection wherever and however they access the internet, and nearly as many want to pick and choose which companies bring them relevant offers. The DAA has evolved to help companies meet such consumer preferences – just as consumers are relying more and more on mobile apps and sites.  The result will bolster both consumer trust and marketplace growth."

Google Play is a trademark of Google Inc. Apple and the Apple logo are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc.  AppChoices and the DAA Advertising Option Icon are trademarks of Digital Advertising Alliance.

More on the DAA's mobile choice tools enhancement from founding association leaders:

"Our members know the value that interest-based advertising adds for their clients. As mobile usage skyrockets, our industry has taken steps to enable a consistent user experience across platforms for consumers and brands. No matter which way users access the mobile Web and the apps they choose to use, DAA's new tools ensure every user has a choice." – Nancy Hill, President and CEO, 4A's

"These new tools from DAA show our industry's dedication to transparency and self-regulation. This commitment at both the national and local grassroots levels – backed by robust enforcement mechanisms – represents an ever-growing need for consumer control in the digital world. The DAA is equipping consumers with tools to better manage their advertising experience." – James Edmund Datri, President and CEO, American Advertising Federation

"Mobile media has become foundational to the growth and effectiveness of consumer marketing. By launching a suite of new mobile privacy tools, DAA gives consumers comprehensive control over the interest-based advertising that they experience across the Internet. Marketers know consumers have become increasingly mobile. DAA's important innovations ensure that consumers can confidently manage how they receive interest-based ads across all desktop and mobile media. We are very proud of this major step forward – a step that improves the quality and trustworthiness of our self-regulatory system." – Bob Liodice, President and CEO, Association of National Advertisers

"As more consumers turn to mobile, they expect the same protections they enjoy on their desktop computers. BBB commends the DAA for bringing transparency and choice about data collection and interest-based advertising to mobile computing. BBB has been providing independent accountability with the DAA's standards since the program began, and we will vigorously enforce the DAA Principles on mobile platforms to ensure that all businesses meet these industry business standards." – Mary E. Power, President and CEO, Council of Better Business Bureaus

"As both a founder of the DAA and one of two accountability programs enforcing its self-regulatory codes, the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) is proud to support and contribute to today's leap forward in meaningful consumer choice.  DAA's new mobile choice tools highlight the value of self-regulation in enabling robust communication between consumers and data-driven marketers through fast-evolving mobile technology.  DMA will continue to work closely with the DAA and its members to ensure that self-regulation remains a viable tool in protecting consumers and fostering innovation – across the mobile environment and beyond." – Tom Benton, CEO, Direct Marketing Association

"We're pleased that consumers now have mobile tools to help them understand how they can control their own online experience. Bringing greater transparency to all digital venues will both build consumer trust and enhance the efficacy of online interest-based advertising." – Randall Rothenberg, President and CEO, IAB

About The DAA Self-Regulatory Program
The DAA Self-Regulatory Program (http://www.youradchoices.com) was launched in 2010 by the Digital Advertising Alliance (DAA) (http://www.digitaladvertisingalliance.org), a consortium of the nation's largest media and marketing associations including the 4A's [American Association of Advertising Agencies], 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), with the advice of the Council of Better Business Bureaus (CBBB). These associations and their thousands of members are committed to developing effective self-regulatory solutions to consumer choice for online data.

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SOURCE Digital Advertising Alliance

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