DAA Unveils Icon Program For California Privacy Law
- by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, November 25, 2019
An ad industry self-regulatory group on Tuesday unveiled a new icon aimed at helping companies comply with California's privacy law.
The icon, which is green but otherwise resembles the DAA's existing privacy and political-ad icons, will take consumers to a page where they can access a tool to opt out of receiving ads targeted based on web-browsing activity and app usage.
The DAA recommends in guidance released Tuesday that companies accompany the icons with text links with language like “CA Do Not Sell My Info.”
California's new privacy law, slated to take effect in January, gives consumers the right to learn what personal information has been collected about them by companies, to have that information deleted, and prevent the sale of that data to third parties.
The bill's definition of “personal information” includes data that could potentially be linked to individuals, including data used for ad targeting. The measure also defines “sale” as including transfers or disclosures to third parties.
Once the bill goes into effect, companies that collect data from California residents will be required to place links stating “Do Not Sell My Personal Information” or “Do Not Sell My Info” on sites or mobile pages.
The DAA says its new tool “will allow users to opt out of the sale of their personal information by any or all of the participating companies ... including third parties collecting and selling personal information through the publisher’s site or app.”
The organization plans to release new guidelines and technological specs for the icon in the coming weeks.
The program is comparable to the DAA's AdChoices -- a nearly 10-year-old initiative that relies on blue icons to inform consumers about advertisers' use of tracking data, and allow people to opt out of receiving behaviorally targeted ads.
Last year, the DAA extended the icon initiative to electioneering ads, creating a new, purple “Political Ad” icon for ads that expressly urge people to vote for or against particular candidates.
