Leading SEO Companies Sign up to Cookie Tracking Code of Practice
Google, Yahoo and Bing are amongst the SEO giants that have signed up to a new code of practice that will bring regulation to a number of advertising standards, allowing users to opt out of receiving behavioural based adverts as well as disabling cookie tracking.
39 firms have signed up to the code ahead of the introduction of new regulations to the European market, with the regulations requiring the consent of users to install cookies on their system.
The firms that have signed on have agreed to place a symbol on any advert that is based on the behavioural system, which can also be used to turn off the adverts if the user chooses.
These regulations will require the consent of users to install cookies on their computers. Firms signing up will be hoping that the code is seen as going far enough by European regulators.
The participating firms agree to display an icon on any advertisement which signifies that behavioural advertising is being used and, if that icon is clicked, users are sent to a site where they can stop this.
IAB Europe president Alain Heureux explains “Online advertising techniques require the trust of consumers. The Online Behavioural Advertising Framework will introduce cross-industry self-regulation for behavioural advertising across Europe, backed up by a compliant and enforcement mechanism. This initiative is the culmination of 18 months’ planning and collaboration with European organisations.”
Companies that have signed up to the code must meet their obligations by July 2012.
