Washington
– Several consumer advocacy groups, including the Center for Digital Democracy
(CDD), have asked the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to investigate online ad
exchanges and privacy issues related to the sale of user data for targeted
advertising.
Along with CDD, U.S. PIRG and the World Privacy Forum are asking
the FTC to investigate the online ad exchanges operated by Microsoft (NASD: MSFT), Google (NASD: GOOG)
and Yahoo (NASD: YHOO), as well as companies that support the collection, targeting and
auction of consumer data, including BlueKai, Rubicon Project, AppNexus,
PubMatic, TARGUSinfo, MediaMath, Exelate and Rocket Fuel.
The consumer groups
wants the FTC to regulate user data collection by the ad exchanges and make the
exchanges be more up-front about their practices.
They also want an opt-in for
consumers on use of their data in advertising, and argue that consumers should
be compensated for the revenues generated through use of their personal data.
Related Links:
http://snipurl.com/vc2mb
http://www.democraticmedia.org/files/u1/20100407-FTCfiling.pdf
(PDF)
http://snipurl.com/vc22l
(PaidContent)
