Mobile Version / Subscribe / Back Issues / About Us / Contact Us / Advertise

Thanks for choosing DMNews.com! Sign up for your FREE account now and join the thousands of other marketing professionals who rely on us for all the latest industry news and innovative ideas for direct and digital strategy. Simply fill out the fields below.

Keep me logged in Forgot your password?

Please wait...

Please wait...

 Regulations

Controlling customers: both freaky and futile

March 29, 2012

At SES New York last week, I heard a lot of talk about how "sales and marketing need to come together," but it really needs to be a trifecta of sales-marketing-customer service.
 

White House unveils "Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights"

February 23, 2012

The Obama administration released its "Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights" for web consumers on Feb. 23, aimed at giving people more control over how their personal information is collected and used online.
 

Upromise settles with FTC over data collection charges

January 06, 2012

Upromise agreed to settle with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) over charges that the Sallie Mae-owned rewards program collected consumers' personal information "without adequately disclosing the extent of the information it is collecting," the federal agency said on Jan. 5.
 

Facebook settles with FTC over privacy violations

November 29, 2011

Facebook agreed to settle with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) on Nov. 29 over charges that it violated the Federal Trade Commission Act by making public to advertisers consumers' private information.
 

Up in smoke

November 10, 2011

Sure, smoking cigarettes will most likely kill you — if a misstep off the curb in front of a city bus or some other misadventure doesn't grim-reap you first. But this reality — nor the $12-15 per-pack price in New York City, nor the glares of nonsmoking New Yorkers, nor the various outdoor smoking bans — seem to be swaying smokers from their vice of choice.
 

DAA should partner with browsers on Do Not Track, says FTC chairman

November 08, 2011

The Digital Advertising Alliance should work to implement its online behavioral advertising opt-out mechanism on a browser level, said Federal Trade Commission (FTC) chairman Jon Leibowitz on Nov. 8.
 

DAA expands data collection principles

November 08, 2011

The Digital Advertising Alliance (DAA) debuted a set of principles on Nov. 7 that would extend the organization's governance beyond data collected to target online behavioral ads (OBA) to include any online behavioral data collected from a unique computer or device across non-affiliated sites.
 

On the issue of online privacy, where do industry and government agree?

Peter Kosmala, managing director, Digital Advertising Alliance October 31, 2011

Several points of alignment between government officials and industry executives emerged at a recent hearing on consumer online privacy.
 

FTC, COPPA and PII, oh my

October 18, 2011

The Federal Trade Commission's proposed revisions to the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act could open the door to broader online advertising implications.
 

Quantcast expands reach of industry opt-out icon

July 06, 2011

Audience-measurement company Quantcast Corp. will enable small- and medium-sized online publishers to adopt the Digital Advertising Alliance's (DAA) Advertising Option icon for free this month, the company said July 6. The partnership will expand the reach of the trade group's self-regulation program to a majority of Quantcast's 25 million-plus publisher customers.
 

Q&A: Peter Kosmala, managing director, Digital Advertising Alliance

June 26, 2011

With nearly 10 digital privacy bills introduced this Congress, Peter Kosmala, managing director of the Digital Advertising Alliance, discusses what the organization is doing to raise consumer awareness of the industry's self-regulation program, responds to its reported challenges and explains how the industry plans to address mobile privacy.
 

GroupM develops mobile privacy guidelines

June 22, 2011

Media agency GroupM has issued privacy guidelines for mobile marketing vendors aimed at preventing the need for government regulation, the firm said June 22. WPP Group-owned Group M developed the guidelines with its mobile marketing agency Joule.
 

More Congressional action, same industry inaction

June 20, 2011

Congress is finally wrapping its head around mobile devices' GPS capabilities. Last week saw two bills introduced that would outlaw nonconsensual location tracking and sharing.
 

Rockefeller-sponsored Do Not Track Senate bill includes mobile opt-out

May 09, 2011

US Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) introduced an online privacy bill May 9 that would mandate the creation of a Do Not Track mechanism to allow consumers to opt-out of behavioral tracking online and on mobile devices. The Do Not Track Online Act of 2011 calls for the Federal Trade Commission to create the requirements for a Do Not Track mechanism.
 

Eliminating the online fear factor

Steve Castro-Miller, president and CEO, Bold Software March 21, 2011

The frenzy surrounding online privacy and behaviorally-targeted online advertising brought me to the same conclusion FDR reached upon our entry into World War II: "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself."
 

Know the risks in affiliate marketing

Linda Goldstein, partner, Manatt, Phelps & Phillips March 16, 2011

The use of affiliate marketers is a highly efficient and effective way for marketers to generate online traffic and new customers. The lack of control that a marketer has over the actions of its affiliates, however, creates increased risk of regulatory action.
 

Good news, bad news for marketers reading Do Not Track tea leaves

March 09, 2011

Marketers waiting with bated breath to see what will become of prospective Do Not Track legislation received both good and bad news this week.
 

Are marketers who play by rules falling behind?

Matt Saunders, search/media manager, Rosetta March 07, 2011

Webmasters have been looking for ways to artificially manipulate organic rankings since the inception of search engines.
 

Defining Do Not Track so it doesn't 'break' the Internet

Steven Vine, chief privacy officer, Datran Media March 02, 2011

Things move fast in the digital world, so it can be easy to miss the emergence of revolutionary change. A revolution in online advertising has happened over the past couple months, the significance of which many in our industry have missed. But it is not too late to negotiate peace with the revolutionaries.
 

Deal in 'black hat' tactics and risk Google's wrath

Brian Goffman, CEO, Optify February 18, 2011

Although it was JCPenney who recently made headlines for its involvement in "black hat" SEO, it is certainly not the only company to use these methods to drive website traffic
 

When SEM goes wrong

Lorne Landsman, VP, Elite SEM February 15, 2011

The New York Times article on search engine marketing this past weekend showed that JCPenney was getting so much traffic even Google knew something was up.
 

FTC extends comment period on Do-Not-Track

January 24, 2011

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has extended the deadline for the public to submit comments on its proposal to increase the level of control consumers have over their online data to February 28.
 

Brands should self-regulate to avoid government steps

Pam Horan, president, Online Publishers Association January 01, 2011

The Federal Trade Commission recently released a framework for balancing consumer privacy and innovation online, which includes a "Do-Not-Track" mechanism.
 

EBureau partners with BlueKai for online audience targeting

Ben Comer December 08, 2010

Predictive analytics and data firm eBureau will use BlueKai's data auction and ad network partnerships to offer marketers a more precise target audience for online campaigns, the companies said today in a joint statement.
 

Discover's telemarketing practices in question

December 08, 2010

Discover Financial Services' telemarketing practices came under fire this week as the Minnesota attorney general filed a suit alleging the credit card company made "aggressive, misleading and deceptive," calls on a variety of products, The Wall Street Journal reported.
 

FTC moves ahead with 'Do-Not-Track'

December 01, 2010

The Federal Trade Commission called for the implementation of a universal "Do-Not-Track" option that would allow consumers to opt out of all third-party online tracking and behavioral targeted advertising. The FTC chided the marketing industry for having "fallen short" in self-regulation.
 

FTC updates 'Green Guides' to environmentally friendly marketing

October 06, 2010

When a company promotes itself as "green" or "environmentally friendly," a common reaction from consumers is probably, "Who isn't?" Or as the Los Angeles Times puts it, "many businesses that say they're green are more interested in greenbacks."
 

Industry groups celebrate lack of FTC expansion in financial reform compromise

June 25, 2010

House and Senate members approved a compromise version of financial reform legislation that does not significantly expand the Federal Trade Commission's powers on June 25. Marketing industry groups lobbied against any FTC power expansion.
 

Mailers plan coalition to fight postal rate increase

Kate Muth June 24, 2010

The unprecedented nature of the US Postal Service's forthcoming "exigent" rate case is uniting the business mailing community in a way few other issues have.
 

FTC slaps Kellogg's again for health marketing claims

June 04, 2010

For the second time in a year, the Federal Trade Commission has criticized the marketing claims of Kellogg's cereals.