Groups’ efforts to meet data rules criticized

Europe’s data protection body has slapped down efforts by Internet advertising companies such as Google, Yahoo and WPP to meet tough new privacy rules.

The Internet Advertising Bureau Europe has made its YourOnlineChoices.eu website a key plank of its members’ attempts to comply with the European Union’s e-privacy directive, which requires websites to gain consent for the collection of users’ data through cookies, which can then be used to target advertising based on browsing behavior. The Article 29 working party, a group of data protection officials from EU member states that advises the European Commission on online privacy, said on Wednesday that YourOnlineChoices “does not result in compliance with the current e-privacy directive” and misleads consumers. “The working party stresses that the code and the website create the wrong presumption that it is possible to choose not to be tracked while surfing the web. This wrong presumption can be damaging to users, but also to the industry if they believe that by applying the code they meet the requirements of the directive. The IAB said it would consider the group’s recommendations. Its website has aimed to provide a one-stop shop to consumers for “information about how behavioral advertising works, further information about cookies and the steps you can take to protect your privacy on the internet.”