Blogs

It's been two years since CDD and USPIRG filed a complaint at the FTC on mobile marketing and privacy.  While its establishment of a mobile forensics lab to investigate mobile data and privacy issues was a good step, more must be done.  Google, Apple and others involved in mobile data collection for targeted marketing must create meaningful privacy and consumer protection rules.  Otherwise, the merging of behavioral and mobile and location data for targeting, which w

The growth of data targeting of consumers & citizens across nearly all major platforms and services continues.  Last month, Omnicom (the second largest ad holding company) announced "data alliances" to "enhance targeting" with Microsoft, AOL and Yahoo.  Consumers and citizens likely don't know--let alone control--how their data will be used on behalf of Omnicom's many

Both the FCC and FTC have been laggards on the mobile privacy front.  It's time they acted to protect consumers.  Much of mobile phone marketing is configured to collect, profile and target us while we are on the go.   Look at what mobie marketing company Medialets says it does:

As Apple confronts its own iSpy moment, it's important to connect the digital data collection dots.  Apple is heavily involved in mobile advertising, through its iAd network product.  Apple acquired leading mobile ad network Quattro and then unveiled iAds.  Apple informs advertisers they can obtain a range of user information, including:

Online marketers want it both ways--to be able to closely track and target you in the short-term and also store longer term data profiles.  We believe that's one reason why Yahoo!

Data minimization is one of the core values in Fair Information Principles for Privacy.  Yahoo!s flip flop on its data retention practices reflects both the digital marketing anything goes "Big Data" collection era we confront, as well as its need to boost revenues from one of its few assets--the information collected from its users.  Just tw

Today, CDD sent a letter to the FTC and FCC asking these agencies to address both the privacy and consumer protection issues raised by the proposed AT&T acquisition of T-Mobile.  Mobile marketing requires a number of safeguards, including transparency, meaningful consumer privacy rules, and mechanisms for user control.  We will be offering insights into AT&T (and the rest of the mobile industry) as the merger is reviewed.   Here's an excerpt from Motricity's mini-case study on

Stu Ingis and I don't generally agree.  Mr. Ingis is the DC attorney representing the Direct Marketing Assn, the Interactive Ad Bureau and the new Digital Ad Alliance promoting self-regulation.  But Mr. Ingis and I, it appears, hold similar views on the real-world impact of the new privacy bill just introduced by Senators Kerry and McCain.  Mediapost reports that Mr.

While Facebook negotiates to expand its presence in China, it also is adding well-connected advertising experts to help large advertisers better take advantage of the service.  As Ad Age explains:  "Facebook has plucked another executive from adland.

Here's a very useful discussion of online advertising via a recent Google post [excerpt]:  "Consider online advertising, which is based on principles from algorithmic game theory and online auctions. The Internet has enabled advertising that is more segmented and measurable, making it more efficient than traditional advertising channels, such as newspaper classifieds, radio spots, and television commercials.