Google and Yahoo set guidelines in Britain

Google and Yahoo and other internet companies have signed up to a set of targeted advertising guidelines in the United Kingdom to provide consumers with greater privacy and protection.

Targeted or behavioural advertising, where adverts are sent to a consumer based on internet browsing activity, made headlines in Britain last year when the advertising technology firm Phorm announced partnerships with leading internet providers.

The Phorm agreements with BT, Virgin Media and Carphone Warehouse prompted some to warn that online privacy would be eroded, a concern that Phorm denies as it says it looks at Web users' anonymous browsing trends.

Internet advertising has grown rapidly in recent years, and brands hope to develop it further by providing consumers with more relevant adverts based on their previous browsing activity.

A web user going on holiday could be sent adverts for hotels, car hire and restaurants in their desired location, for example.

The Internet Advertising Bureau, (IAB)UK, says that behavioural advertising makes up about 20 per cent of the online display advertising market.

Last year, the IAB in Britain said it had launched a set of good practice principles after working with key internet players such as Google, AOL, Microsoft, Phorm and Yahoo.

The practice principles included the proposals which said that all online behavioural advertising platforms must clearly inform a consumer before taking any data. It was necessary to provide a way for users to decline behavioural advertising and preferably seek a consumer's consent. They should also provide information, explaining what they do with the data.