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Overview[]

The Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) is a cooperative of online marketing and analytics companies committed to building consumer awareness and establishing responsible business and data management practices and standards. It was formed in 1999 in response to consumer concerns over the use of profile-based targeted online advertising. The NAI has worked with the online advertising industry to provide consumers with explanations about data collection, data usage, and choice. Central to its standards are the privacy concepts of notice, consent, control, and dispute resolution.

In conjunction with industry leaders, regulatory agencies, federal and state legislators and others, the NAI addresses the business dimension of the privacy debate through the development of actionable self-regulatory standards that establish and reward responsible marketing behavior. To date, the NAI has developed standards for third party advertising networks and cookies, spam, and Web beacons.

In July 2000, the FTC endorsed the NAI’s "Self-Regulatory Principles Governing Online Preference Marketing,"[1] which were aimed at addressing some of the above privacy concerns. The U.S. Department of Commerce also endorsed NAI's Self-Regulatory Principles and encouraged online companies to use privacy policies and develop privacy codes of conduct.

The NAI published its principles in 2001 and revised them in 2008.[1]

The NAI currently has 66 member companies and offers a consumer opt-out service[2] that allows consumers "to 'opt out' of the behavioral advertising delivered by our member companies."[3]

References[]

  1. NAI, 2008 NAI Principles: The Network Advertising Initiative's Self-Regulatory Code of Conduct (2008) (full-text).
  2. NAI, Opt Out of Behavioral Advertising (full-text).
  3. Id.
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