Don't Ignore That Little "i" Icon Beside Online Ads -- It Means Opt-Out.

You log online to read and browse, only to be bombarded by ads eerily targeted to exactly what you're reading and where you are browsing. What if advertisers gave you the power to stop those ads? All through the simple click of an icon? That's the new reality for concerned consumers thanks to an industry-initiated program that gives them a way to "opt-out" of releasing their private information to advertisers. Under the new program, announced today by the advertising industry's largest trade organizations, an icon will be displayed near online advertisements and on Web pages that collect data on users' Web viewing for online behavioral targeting purposes. Consumers will be able to click on the "Advertising Option Icon" to see an explanation of why they are seeing that particular ad and choose whether they want their data used to receive such targeted ads. Leading the program are trade groups such as the American Advertising Federation and the American Association of Advertising Agencies that represent more than 5,000 companies, including Coca-Cola,Â Microsoft Corp. and American Airlines. Online users should begin looking for the icon, a lowercase letter "I" inside a triangle that is pointing right, on Web sites immediately. In the future, consumers will also be able to visit www.AboutAds.com directly to learn more about the advertising practices and choose to opt-out of some or all participating companies' online behavioral ads, according to the trade groups. The self-regulatory program is another example of the advertising industry's efforts to stay a step ahead of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) as it continues to investigate the industry-wide practices of tracking consumer Web browsing and tailoring advertising accordingly. The industry released its own "Self-Regulatory Principles for Online Behavioral Advertising" in July 2009 in response to the FTC's calls for more regulation, transparency and choice for consumers. The trade groups will launch a national education campaign targeted at advertisers to promote widespread adoption of the plan. Some groups have already announced they will make participation mandatory among their members. Have a complaint with the program? Sorry, consumers, those will have to wait until next year when the Better Business Bureaus group and the Direct Marketing Association will step in to handle consumer complaints and monitor enforcement and company compliance.

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Don't Ignore That Little "i" Icon Beside Online Ads -- It Means Opt-Out.

Katie Kindelan

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Katie Kindelan