Transcript

Friday April 11, 2008

Ad Industry Group & FTC Move To Restrict Certain Ad Targeting

The topic of behavioral targeting has been a heated one, especially in terms of what type of data should be off limits to ad targeting systems. A group of 14 large advertising networks, under the Network Advertising Initiative guidelines, are no longer permitted to target ads for related drugs to users with certain conditions, including AIDS or cancer. However, the exception does not apply to those with other conditions including Parkinson’s disease or congestive heart failure. The N.A.I. is hoping that its approach to self-regulation will head off stricter government mandates and comes at a time when the Federal Trade Commission works to establish its own self-regulation rules that will apply to all behavioral ad practitioners. In a recent poll conducted by Harris Interactive, 60 percent of 2,513 people in the United States questioned said they were uneasy with information about personal online activity being used to tailor advertisements or content.

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/04/10/ad-industry-bans-targeting-people-with-cancer-ads-to-dead-people-allowed/index.html?ref=technology
http://www.networkadvertising.org/networks/principles_comments.asp
http://www.clickz.com/showPage.html?page=3629081
http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUSN1019747820080411

comScore Data Shows Increase In Online Video Viewing

According to comScore data, online video viewing in the UK is on the rise, with recent figures showing 87% of the online UK population, or 9 out of 10 UK Web users watched video online in December. ComScore, which recently extended its video measurement service outside the US, said Canada has the highest reach of video by web users, with 89% of the population regularly watching video online during December. The US has the smallest proportion of video users at 78%. YouTube, owned by Google, is still the market leading video site in the UK, US, Canada, France and Germany. ComScore said the figures show the viability of video as a medium for advertisers and marketers who want to reach an engaged but often elusive online audience.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/apr/10/web20.digitalmedia

[edited by: Vanessa_Zamora at 9:16 pm (utc) on April 11, 2008]