1. I (do not) consent to behavioural advertising
By Evangelia Mesaikou

2. What is behavioural advertising?
Collection of data from the user’s terminal equipment (usually with the use of cookies) in order to create a profile with his interests and provide him with tailor made advertisements
Companies increase their profits
Users get to know more products they are interested in

3. Example

4. How does this work in practice?
Three factors involved:
Publishers
Advertisers
Advertising network providers
Main tracking method: cookies

5. So what is the problem?
Users are usually not aware that they are being tracked and profiled They do not know who has access to which data and for how long They have not consented to that tracking

6. Legal requirement of consent
Article 5(3) of the e-Privacy Directive: Member States shall ensure that the storing of information, or the gaining of access to information already stored, in the terminal equipment of a subscriber or user is only allowed on condition that the subscriber or user concerned has given his or her consent, having been provided with clear and comprehensive information, in accordance with Directive 95/46/EC, inter alia, about the purposes of the processing. This shall not prevent any technical storage or access for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network, or as strictly necessary in order for the provider of an information society service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user to provide the service.

7. Proposed technical solutions to obtain consent
Default settings of internet browsers
Users’ consent cannot be implied if they do not change their settings
Do-not-track lists
Honour system favourable in the US
Warning Icon
Icon providing information and links with opt out choices
Opt- in mechanisms
Site with information and categories of advertisements with opt it and opt out choices

8. Recommendation: Layered approach
Default opt – in settings of internet browsers
Clear and comprehensive notice by internet websites about their practices
Innovative solutions to obtain consent from users (preferably not by pop up windows)
Display of warning icon, such as:
User friendly choice mechanisms

9. Thank you!