AP Promises To Heed Do-Not-Track Header

privacy

The Associated Press has decided to honor Firefox's new do-not-track header across 800 Web sites belonging to its news registry.

The AP does not currently serve targeted ads or personalized content through its news registry. But the organization does collect data about readers for analytic purposes, including compiling profiles of them.

Todd Martin, vice president and chief technology officer at the AP, says the company will no longer correlate users' activity across more than one site in the registry if they have the do-not-track header turned on. He adds that the wire service is supporting Firefox's initiative because it offers users a simpler way of avoiding online tracking than opting out of sites one by one. "It makes a lot more sense from a user's perspective," he says.

The AP's move indicates that the browser-based do-not-track header is gaining traction -- although whether it will find widespread acceptance remains uncertain.

Firefox's header alerts Web sites that visitors don't want to be tracked. But that system is voluntary, meaning that it only works if the Web companies that use tracking data agreed to honor the headers. So far, few Web companies have publicly said whether they intend to do so.

Industry self-regulatory groups maintain that users should be able to opt out of online ad targeting, but have not yet embraced the idea of a browser-based mechanism. Instead, the Network Advertising Initiative and Digital Advertising Alliance offer users a page where they can set an opt-out cookie that's honored by more than 60 ad networks.

But privacy advocates criticize this system because many users regularly delete their cookies. In addition, not all companies that collect data or compile profiles offer opt-outs through the NAI or DAA. Current estimates hold that at least 300 companies are involved in collecting data used for online behavioral targeting, or sending ads to users based on their activity at other sites.

Firefox creator Mozilla also is seeking to work with the DAA, which includes the Interactive Advertising Bureau, Direct Marketing Association, Association of National Advertisers and American Association of Advertising Agencies.

If the DAA decides to include Mozilla in discussions about how best to ensure compliance with self-regulatory privacy principles, the group potentially could end up requiring members to honor do-not-track headers.

Next story loading loading..