Some Irish digital firms want self regulation on behavioural ads

This icon will let web users know a site uses OBT

The three great pillars of the web as it stands in 2011 are Search; Social; and Behavioural Targeting.
Google, Bing and Yahoo! dominate the Search world. Facebook and Twitter dominate the Social sphere and all major online publishers utilize Behavioural Targeting.
However, Behavioural Targeting brings with it all kinds of concerns relating to invasion of privacy, spam and the collection of sensitive personal data.
IAB Europe, the body that represents major online publishers and advertising agencies, recently published a framework for the industry to self-regulate when it comes to Online Behavioural Advertising (OBA).
It’s a lengthy document (IAB Europe OBA Framework_merged-3-2) but the main points are this:
• The publishers that sign up for this self regulation will be open and honest about data collection and how it’s used for OBA
• Web users will be able to switch on or switch off the OBA ads
As Alain Heureux, President IAB Europe, put it, “Online advertising techniques require the trust of consumers.” It certainly does and when you’re targeting people with ads you assume they will appreciate, honesty is the best policy.
The publishers that have signed up to this have agreed that any OBA display ads will contain an icon (above) that shows consumers OBA is used. When the icon is clicked, the consumer will be directed to a company site with further information and the possibility to turn off the OBA ads.
The question is, why would people want OBA ads directed at them? The answer isn’t so easy to understand but as far as the IAB is concerned targeted ads save time and money both for the advertiser, the publisher and the consumer. The web is a better place with OBA (see video below). “The value of the services users receive, which has been estimated in a McKinsey report to be €100bn in 2010 for Europe and the US and is expected to grow to €190 by 2015,” said Kimon Zorbas, Vice President IAB Europe.
Some Irish digital firms have signed up to the self-regulation IAB framework (see below). At the end of the day the proof will be in the pudding. Once consumers have the option to turn off OBA ads the privacy invasion concerns should be diminished. ‘You know that we know – so long as you know,” so to speak.