Network Advertising Initiative releases new guidelines for Online Behavioral Advertising Networks.

For the first time in nearly eight years, the self regulatory group Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) has established a new code of conduct for their members. Consisting of many of the largest behavioral advertising networks in the world, including Advertising.com, Google, Yahoo, and many more, the NAI is responsible for setting the standards that guide the entire online advertising industry.

The new standards are meant to keep up with the ever changing behavioral advertising technologies and provide a framework for ensuring that consumers can maintain their privacy while still allowing advertisers to target them effectively.

The standards that all of the advertisers must adhere to according to the new NAI guidelines are:

• Advertisers must collect information anonymously. This means that names, addresses, and other personal information must not be stored.
• People must be informed about behavioral targeting and be given the opportunity to opt out.
• Explicit consent must be given for advertisers to use sensitive personal information even if that information is considered anonymous.
• Advertisers must be given parental consent to target anyone below the age of 13.
• Advertisers must not retain collected data for longer than necessary.

For a complete list of guidelines visit the 2008 NAI Principles Code of Conduct.