Behavioural Targeting Issues Rumble On

In the UK, the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Communication (APPGC) has launched an investigation into developing areas of Internet practice including behavioural targeting and online privacy. The BBC and AT&T have also been in the news for behavioural targeting activity.

The APPGC, chaired by John Robertson MP and Derek Wyatt MP, has listed five questions summarising the areas it will investigate, including the use of Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) systems, such as that used by UK-based Phorm. They also include coverage of areas like traffic filtering / Network Neutrality, and the adequacy of measures to prevent the spread of child abuse images. The final report from the process is expected this autumn.

Specifically, the group asks two questions relating to advertising and privacy: 'Should the Government be intervening over behavioural advertising services, either to encourage or discourage their deployment; or is this entirely a matter for individual users, ISPs and websites?' and 'Is there a need for new initiatives to deal with online privacy, and if so, what should be done?'

Phorm, which supplies its Webwise tracking technology to ISPs including BT, has issued a statement welcoming the decision and continuing: 'We look forward to working with the Group, some of whose members we have met in the last year. In those meetings and going forward we will be happy to explain the enormous potential of Phorm's internet advertising service with its industry leading privacy standards... Consumers will be given a clear choice over whether to participate in a system that uniquely stores no personal data such as browsing histories or IP addresses.' It concludes: 'We shall be in touch with John Robertson, MP and Derek Wyatt, MP in due course to make arrangements to offer our expert opinion.'

Meanwhile the BBC has commissioned behavioural targeting platform Audience Science to help optimise and exploit its international sites. Information about the sites users visit, the articles they choose to read and the searches they undertake will contribute to targeted BBC advertising campaigns for its 26m users globally.

Audience Science, which worked successfully on a similar project for the Corporation's UK magazine sites last month, has also been in the news in the last week because of its relations with AT&T. The giant US carrier has been a prominent critic of ISPs for their gathering of behavioral data on consumers for advertising, and has now received requests from government to explain its own policy. Rep. Anna Eshoo (D., Calif.), a member of the House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet, sent a letter on Friday to AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson asking for clarification of the company's stance on behavioral targeting. Underlining the complexity of the issue, AT&T says that as a marketer it buys such ads, contracting with online ad networks including Audience Science, and requires consumers to opt out; however, as an Internet-service provider, it does not track its customers' data across Web sites to create a profile for behavioral advertising or hire other firms to do so on its behalf.

The European Commission recently launched legal action against the UK government over its failure to force behavioural ad technology firm Phorm to comply with EU data protection and privacy rules.

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.

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