A Cross Industry Group comprised of six of Australia’s leading online, marketing and advertising industry bodies has been formed to develop industry guidelines and standards for online behavioural advertising (OBA) in Australia. Working to develop a scheme that will apply consumer-friendly standards to OBA, the Cross Industry Group’s initiative is underway and proceeding quickly, examining a range of issues which will impact upon the final guidelines.
The group includes the Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA), Australian Direct Marketing Association (ADMA), The Communications Council, Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), Internet Industry Association (IIA) and Media Federation of Australia (MFA).
Cross Industry Group spokesperson Scott McClellan said: “The combined efforts of these industry associations clearly show our commitment to developing a workable set of guidelines which will address the issues around OBA. We plan to share these guidelines with the Senate Environment and Communications Committee, and the industry as a whole as soon as practicable.”
While OBA does not involve the collection of personal information or information that identifies the individual using an internet enabled device, the new guidelines will explain the industry’s position and ensure consumers are aware of what OBA is. Where an individual’s personal information is known in an online instance, the Privacy Act 1988, and the full protection that it provides, applies.
An exact date for completion has not been confirmed however the Cross Industry Group hopes to make the OBA Guidelines widely available in early 2011.
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