Groundbreaking Alternatives for Robust Prior and Direct Consumer Notification and Advanced Opt-Out Technology Further Empower Consumers to Control Internet Browsing Experience
Redwood City, CA – July 8, 2008 – NebuAd, an online media company that provides state-of-the-art online privacy protection for consumers, today announced it is introducing new industry-leading online privacy protections, offering alternatives for robust, direct consumer notification and unprecedented innovations in opt-out technology. This move further empowers Internet service provider (ISP) subscribers to control their web experience. In addition, it reinforces NebuAd’s commitment to delivering world-class innovation in Internet advertising by setting unparalleled standards in online consumer privacy protection.
New Online Notice Option and Breakthrough Opt-Out Technology
NebuAd has developed a means to offer consumers direct, initial online notification and periodic reminders – thereby equipping users with more opportunities to make informed decisions about their web experience. While current mail and email notification practices remain the most reliable and acceptable means of ensuring consumer awareness for many companies, the ability to offer online notice adds another method of direct communication that NebuAd’s partners may find appropriate in a variety of circumstances.
In addition to its new direct online notification system, NebuAd is also developing a network-based opt-out mechanism that is not reliant on web browser cookies. Leveraging this advanced technology, ISP partners can offer this to their subscribers in order to honor their opt-out choices in a more persistent manner than current systems widely used today.
“NebuAd is committed to driving innovation in online advertising while pioneering industry-leading privacy practices,” said Bob Dykes, CEO of NebuAd. “As such, we have taken significant measures to increase awareness and protection of Internet subscribers and offer our ISP partners a means of providing prominent, advance online notice and new technology advancements that provide greater persistency of consumers’ opt-out selections.”
NebuAd’s Core Privacy Principles
From its inception, NebuAd has architected its advertising systems and worked with privacy experts to adhere to the core principles of consumer privacy, including: no collection or use of personally identifiable information (“PII”); robust state-of-the art security; and transparency to consumers about advertising services with informed consent mechanisms that allow for control over their online experience.
NebuAd contractually requires that its ISP partners provide their subscribers with advance, direct notice with an opportunity to make an informed choice before its service takes effect, and on-going notice and choice mechanisms within an ISP’s privacy policy. With NebuAd systems architected and its operations based on principles essential to strong privacy protection, NebuAd meets both the letter and spirit of all relevant privacy requirements, including the Cable Communications Policy Act and Title III of the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (“the Wiretap Act”).
“Based on my experience in the field of privacy, it is my opinion that NebuAd has established industry-leading privacy controls and practices to protect consumer privacy and safeguard personal information,” said Dr. Larry Ponemon, Chairman of the Ponemon Institute. “Through its consistent consideration of privacy issues and design of privacy protections into their product from the earliest design stage, NebuAd ranks among the most privacy conscious vendors we have worked with in the online advertising industry.”
NebuAd has always approached the market as a responsible and responsive member of the Internet advertising ecosystem – respectful of the insights expressed by consumers, the advocacy community, regulators and legislators. NebuAd operates in a long-established and acceptable manner typical of Internet advertising as well as other technologies that work within an ISP network. NebuAd previously eliminated the page-appended mechanism for pixel tag distribution, referred to in recent media reports, as it was not essential to the business, and the company will continue to use standard means of pixel tag distribution, such as that used by ad networks.
“NebuAd has brought in the most highly respected privacy experts in the industry, such as Ponemon Institute, to review our systems and policies,” said Bob Dykes. “We will continue to expand these reviews through the use of additional privacy audit experts from a major accounting/audit firm. NebuAd remains dedicated to continued innovation in delivering relevant online advertisements that incorporate privacy practices and exceed industry standards.”
About NebuAd, Inc.
NebuAd is an online media company founded by Internet security and online advertising experts to create a greater market opportunity for the entire Internet advertising ecosystem including consumers, advertisers, publishers and Internet service providers (ISPs). Through its unique technology and ISP partnerships, NebuAd anonymously observes a subset of consumer activity across the Internet and uses multi-dimensional analysis to develop deeper, richer insights into consumer behavior. NebuAd’s category-driven online advertising solutions deliver naturally relevant online ads that benefit consumers and meet or exceed industry benchmarks for consumer privacy protection. NebuAd’s innovative suite of behavioral advertising solutions enables advertisers to reach target markets with highly relevant messages. Publishers benefit from increased value and sell-through of their overall ad inventory. NebuAd is funded by Menlo Ventures and Sierra Ventures with headquarters in Redwood City, CA and global offices in the United Kingdom. For more information, visit www.nebuad.com.
