EA Worldwide Acquisitions Calls for More Transparency in Behavioural Advertising

As the Advertising Standards Authority warns that the behavioural advertising industry is failing to give consumers transparency about their ability to opt out, customer acquisition firm EA Worldwide Acquisitions highlights why data protection for customer is important.

The Advertising Standards Authority has warned that the behavioural advertising industry is failing to give consumers transparency about their ability to opt out. In the ASA’s half year report into behavioural ads, it reported that from monitoring the industry, the ASA believes that 77% of companies signed up to self-regulation could potential be found in breach of transparency rules.

Behavioural advertising refers to a range of technologies and techniques that are used by online advertisers, which allows them to increase the effectiveness of their campaigns by capturing data generated by website visitors. When this is done without the knowledge of users, it may be considered a breach of browser security and data protection laws.

EA Worldwide Acquisitions is an outsourced customer acquisition firm that specialises in direct marketing campaigns. As consumers demand more transparency in advertising in today’s day and age, EA Worldwide Acquisitions agree that there needs to be more options available to consumers in order to protect their personal information; for example through the use of emails, encryption, web browsing, social networking, location data and search engines.

EA Worldwide Acquisitions comply with data protection rules set out for direct marketing strategies for many reasons. Firstly, if the rules are not complied with, it can result in brand damage for their clients or a bad reputation amongst potential customers. Secondly, if the firm do not comply with data protection rules, there is the potential for legal action by consumers or competitors. EA Worldwide Acquisitions put the needs of their customers first and if their data is not used correctly, it may lead to disappointed customers and a loss of consumer confidence in their client’s brand.

It is the job of marketing agencies and brand strategists to find out how to target consumers. Data collection companies make fortunes collecting information about shopping habits and behavioural advertising utilises this knowledge to tailor advertisements to a consumer according to their interests. Last year, new EU legislation meant that the use of ‘cookies’ had to be explicit and accepted by consumers and new voluntary OBA (online behavioural advertising) rules of advertising conduct mean that consumers have the right to choose to have their behaviour tracked online. At EA Worldwide Acquisitions, the firm advocate the implication of this rule and believe that it will be good for consumers and the protection of their data online.