https://www.worldprivacyforum.
Top ten opt outs:
1. National Do Not Call Registry
2. Prescreened offers of credit & insurance
3. DMA opt outs
4. Financial institution opt outs
5. CAN SPAM
6. Credit freeze
7. FERPA
8. Data broker opt outs
9. Internet portal opt outs
10. Advertising opt outs, including RapLeaf & NAI
-----------------------------1. National Do Not Call Registry
What it does:
The National Do Not Call Registry is a national list of phone numbers that telemarketers aren't supposed to call.If you put your home phone number on this list, telemarketers aren't supposed to call you. The Federal Trade Commission manages the Do Not Call Registry. Home & mobile numbers can be on the Do Not Call list, but you can’t opt out a phone at your place of business (unless you work from home using your home phone number.) Also, Do Not Call opt out doesn't stop you from being called by anyone you've done business with in last 18 months. If you make an inquiry of a merchant, the merchant can call you for 6 months. Charities & politicians aren't covered by Do Not Call list rules.
Under DNC rules, telemarketers are required to give consumers an easy & interactive way to opt out of pre-recorded telemarketing calls, for example, an opt out through a voice command or a keypress. If telemarketing calls are left on an answering machine, pre-recorded message must contain a toll-free number that allows you to call the number & opt out immediately. Any types of telemarketing calls already subject to Federal Trade Commission’s rules for telemarketers are subject to new amendments. HIPAA-covered businesses, like doctors & hospitals, are still exempt, as are political calls, & some calls made by banks or telephone companies. Even if you have an established relationship with a business, if they leave you a pre-recorded message, they have to offer you an opt out, as long as they aren't exempt from rules.
How to opt out:
You can get on Do Not Call List by phone (call from number you want to get opted out) or you can sign up online. We prefer phone opt out, not online service. To opt out online you must provide an email address for verification, & your email address will be kept & can be shared with other federal, state, or local agencies “for any regulatory, compliance, or law enforcement purpose.”- Opt out by phone: Call 1-888-382-1222
- Opt out online: https://www.donotcall.
gov/default.aspx - To opt out of pre-recorded telemarketing calls from companies who already have a business relationship with you, you should be able to activate a voice or keypress command to opt out. If pre-recorded telemarketing call is left on a voice mail service or machine, the message should include a toll-free number to call where you can then use an automated system to opt out immediately.
More about Do Not Call List:
See FTC info page:http://www.ftc.gov/donotcall
See FTC page on prerecorded telemarketing calls:
http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2008/
2. Opt out of prescreened offers of credit & insurance (5 years or permanently, at your choice)
What it does:
Opting out of prescreened offers will stop you from receiving offers for credit & insurance.Prescreened (sometimes also called “preapproved” or “prequalified”) offers come in one of 2 ways from credit reporting files maintained by credit bureaus:
- A creditor or insurer may ask a credit bureau for a list of consumers who meet certain criteria, for example, a minimum credit score.
- A creditor or insurer may submit a list of names to a credit bureau to screen for consumers who meet certain criteria.
How to opt out:
(Note: you will be asked to give your Social Security Number to complete this opt-out.)- Opt out by Phone: 1-888-5OptOut (1-888-567-8688). This is an automated phone system. You will have 3 choices: you can remove your name for 5 years, add your name back in, or permanently remove your name. When you call in, you will be asked to verify & provide some information such as your name & home phone number. You'll also be asked for your Social Security Number.
- Opt out online: https://www.
optoutprescreen.com/?rf=t Note : If you've previously opted out of pre-screened offers, you can also opt back in through this web site.
More about opting out of pre-screened offers of credit:
See FTC Privacy Choices for your Financial Information:http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/
See FTC Prescreened Offers of Credit & Insurance page:
http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/
See FDIC Financial Privacy page:
http://www.fdic.gov/consumers/
See Privacy Rights Clearinghouse:
http://www.privacyrights.org/
3. Direct Marketing Association Opt out Services (DMA opt outs)
What it does:
The DMA is largest U.S. association of marketers – invoking DMA opt outs can diminish receiving marketing mail & catalogs.Only businesses that are members of the DMA will comply with an opt out request through the DMA programs. The DMA offers several flavors of opt outs. It offers a Mail Preference Service opt out, an email list opt out, & an opt out that lets you remove names of deceased people from mailing lists. The Mail Preference Service shouldn't affect your receipt of mail & catalogs from companies that you already do business with.
How to opt out:
You can opt out of DMA lists by visiting DMA web site. One of lists requires a $1.00 fee if you mail in the opt out via postal mail.- Mail Preference Service, usable by anyone. This
service is called EDDM, or every door direct mail opt out, & US
Postal Service & DMA have worked together to create this service.
This opt out reduces mail such as catalogs, etc. It also gets your name
off of some prospect mailing lists. Online form: https://www.dmachoice.
org/register.php. Opting out is free if you opt out online. You can opt out via postal mail for $1.00. - DMA Email List Opt out. This list will get you off of some mailing lists & may help reduce some unwanted commercial email. Online form: https://www.dmachoice.
org/index.php# Good for 5 years. This list will not act as a total cure for spam. - Deceased Do Not Contact List. By signing up for this list, you'll remove names of deceased individuals from marketing lists. Online form:https://www.ims-dm.com/
cgi/ddnc_form.php.There is no fee for list, but you'll be asked for a credit card number to verify your identity. - DMA Do Not Contact Service for Caregivers: For those seeking to remove names of individuals in their care from commercial marketing lists. Online form:https://www.ims-dm.com/
cgi/dncc.php.
More about DMA opt outs:
If you opted out & are still getting mail or email from DMA members, you can file a complaint with DMA by emailing them at privacypromise@the-dma.org. However, remember that it can sometimes take one month or more until putting in an opt out will have an effect, depending on type of list. Be patient.See information about all DMA lists:
https://www.dmachoice.org/
See Information about US Postal Service & DMA mailing opt out list, detailed:
http://postandparcel.info/
4. Bank/Financial Institutions opt out (This section applies to banks, credit card companies, brokerage firms, insurance companies, & other financial institutions.)
What it does:
If you opt out, you limit extent to which a financial institution can provide your personal financial information to non-affiliates.The financial institution opt outs are among most important to understand, but they can also be challenging to understand. If you don’t opt out, assumption is that financial institution can share your data in some circumstances. To quote from FDIC:
Unless you opt out, your financial company can provide your personal financial information (for example, information on kinds of stores you shop at, how much you borrow, your account balances, or dollar value of your assets) to non-affiliates for marketing & other purposes. (FDIC Privacy Choices page, http://www.fdic.gov/consumers/A non-affiliate is generally defined as a company that is unrelated to your financial company. The FDIC notes that a non-affiliate may include “Service providers …., joint marketers–companies that have an agreement with your financial company to offer you other financial products or services, or other third-party non-affiliates–which could include companies that may want access to your financial company’s mailing list to tell you about other products & services.” (FDIC Privacy Choices page.)privacy/privacychoices/index. html#yourright)
There is a great degree of variability between financial institutions. Some don't share customer information with non-affiliates, so they don't offer an opt out. Some take an extra step & offer customers ability to opt out of both unaffiliated & affiliated marketing. Because type of available opt outs vary from institution to institution, you'll need to read privacy notice closely. Financial institutions are required to provide privacy notices. These notices can sometimes be difficult to understand. The opt outs are controlled in part by Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, a federal law that provides some privacy protections for customers of financial institutions.
How to opt out:
You may have received a privacy notice in mail from your bank or other financial institution. If you missed it, simply ask for a copy of company’s privacy notice. They're required to have one. The privacy notice may also be posted on financial institution’s web site. Read notice closely, & follow company’s directions for opting out. You can opt out at any time. By law, you're required to opt out in way financial institution determines you should, whether by letter or phone or online. We haven't listed all financial institutions here, just some of largest.- Bank of America: Opt out online: https://www6.
bankofamerica.com/privacy/ Preferences.do Opt out by phone: 1.888.341.5000.
- Citibank: Opt out by phone: 1-888-214-0017 The Citi menu will prompt you through your choices. No affiliate online opt out found. To see privacy notice, go to https://online.citibank.
com/US/JRS/portal/template.do? ID=Privacy & click on Citi bank consumer privacy notice for more information. Note: The Citi privacy policy will allow you to opt out of online marketing & cookies. But this opt out isn't same as affiliate opt out.
- Chase: Opt out online: https://chaseonline.
chase.com/public/privacy/ privacyfilter.aspxOpt out by phone: 1-888-868-8618
- Wells Fargo: Info at https://www.wellsfargo.com/
privacy_security/privacy/ individuals Note: Online banking customers may log on to a secure session at wellsfargo.com, & choose “Change Privacy Preferences” under “Account Services” tab to opt out. Opt out by phone: 1-888-528-8460. Note: you can opt out of affiliate marketing & limit direct marketing.
More about financial institution opt outs:
See FDIC’s Your Rights To Financial Privacy Page, includes information about opt outs:http://www.fdic.gov/consumers/
See FTC’s Privacy Choices for your Personal Financial Information:
http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/
See FDIC’s Privacy Choices page, this page has an excellent section on opt out:
http://www.fdic.gov/consumers/
See FDIC’s Financial Privacy Page FAQ:
http://www.fdic.gov/consumers/
See Privacy Rights Clearinghouse How to Read Opt Out Notices page:
http://www.privacyrights.org/
5. Use the CAN-SPAM Opt out
What it does:
The federal CAN-SPAM Act requires that a commercial emailer give each email recipient an opt out method.A commercial emailer must provide a return email address or another Internet-based response mechanism that allows a recipient to ask emailer not to send future email messages to recipient’s email address. The law requires that commercial email be identified as an advertisement & include sender’s valid physical postal address. The message must contain a clear & conspicuous notice that message is an advertisement or solicitation & that recipient can opt out of receiving more commercial email. It also must include a valid physical postal address.
The federal spam law doesn’t work very well to deter most spam. However, any legitimate company using email for advertising is likely to comply. If you receive an email from someone you recognize as a legitimate company & it has an opt out, you can stop that company from emailing you again. This is a very powerful tool because it flatly prohibits more commercial email from that sender to your email address.
How to opt out:
Check to make sure email is a CAN-SPAM compliant email. Some emails offer opt outs, but opt outs are fake. How to tell difference?- First, a CAN-SPAM compliant email will be labeled as an advertisement.
- Second, it will include a valid postal address for sender.
- Third, it will include a workable opt out link of some type.
More information about CAN SPAM:
See FTC CAN SPAM resource mini-site:http://www.ftc.gov/spam
6. Credit Freeze (also Security Freeze)
What it does:
A credit freeze (sometimes called a security freeze) lets you stop disclosure of your credit report by a credit bureau.The result of a credit freeze should be that neither you nor anyone else can open a new credit account in your name. (A freeze will not stop your existing credit cards from working.) A credit freeze can also prevent insurance companies or employers from obtaining your credit data. That’s why if you're actively seeking new employment or insurance, you may want to think carefully about enacting a credit freeze unless you're currently a victim of identity theft.
The credit freeze is widely considered by consumer & privacy advocates as a potent measure to prevent some forms of identity theft. A credit freeze can be especially helpful to individuals who are having persistent problems with identity theft. Credit freeze isn't for everyone, & not everyone has right at this point to set a credit freeze.
The way a credit freeze works is that access to your consumer credit report & your credit score are locked when you put a freeze on files. A lender or merchant will normally not issue new credit if it can't access your credit report or score. The benefit of a freeze is that you can stop thieves from getting credit in your name. The downside is that you're also stopped from getting credit unless you “thaw” the freeze. You can unlock your security freeze by using a PIN to unlock access to credit file. Some states require “thaw” to take no longer than 15 minutes. Some allow longer times.
The ability to freeze your credit is available nationwide through credit reporting bureaus. There is some variability in cost & details state-by-state due to variance in state law. (For information about which states have a freeze law, see “More about credit freeze” below.)
How to opt out:
Here are 2 ways to find out how to opt out for your state:
1. The World Privacy Forum’s Credit Freeze page has
a list of states that either have a credit freeze law, or have passed a
law. Each state links to official state information page about how
to place a credit freeze, or to another information source for that
state. Many of official state information pages are excellent, &
provide tips & sample letters. Even if you aren't in a state with a
law, as of Nov. 1, 2007, you can still set a security freeze.
http://www.worldprivacyforum.
http://www.worldprivacyforum.
2. Consumer’s Union has
an excellent & frequently updated page on all current state freeze
laws & requirements, with a link on how to opt out for each state &
sample letters.
http://consumersunion.org/
http://consumersunion.org/
More about credit freeze:
See the FTC Credit Freeze page:http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/
See Consumer’s Union frequently updated page on all current state freeze laws & requirements, with a link on how to opt out for each state & sample letters.
http://consumersunion.org/
See the PIRG state freeze page:
http://www.pirg.org/consumer/
See California Office of Privacy Protection. Even if you don’t live in California, this is an excellent page to learn more about how credit freeze works. If you're a California resident, you'll find sample letters ready for you to print out.
http://oag.ca.gov/idtheft/
7. FERPA opt out (students)
What it does:
The FERPA opt out stops schools from releasing student directory information (Name, home address, date of birth, & other information) without consent, with some limitations.FERPA stands for Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act. If you're a K-12 student or a college student, or parent or guardian of a student under 18, you should know about FERPA opt out. While some parts of school records may be given out only with written consent, schools still have the right to give out what is called “directory information” without student consent, including potentially giving information out overe phone.
Directory information includes student’s name, school & permanent address, school & permanent home telephone number, school mail box address, major, dates of attendance, degree(s) received & dates of conferral, & other personally identifying information. There is some variability; some schools also consider weight & height of athletes, school email address, & participation in officially recognized activities to be directory information.
If there is a FERPA opt out form on file for student, the student can prevent public disclosure of his or her directory information. Then, only legitimate employers or law enforcement professionals or others with a legitimate interest should be able to access that sensitive directory information. Victims of domestic violence may find filing a FERPA opt out to be crucial to them.
How to opt out:
FERPA opt outs are often done with a FERPA form supplied by school. Usually school records offices will have FERPA information for you, or will know where to send you to find that information. Colleges & some other schools may post form online. For students under 18, parents have to sign FERPA forms. This will limit how students’ home address & other directory information can be released.If you search the web for “FERPA” plus the name of your school, you may find detailed information about how to file a FERPA opt out for your school available online. FERPA opt outs may also be called “Restriction of Directory Information” at some schools. The US Department of Education has a good FERPA opt out sheet available for parents here: http://www2.ed.gov/
More about FERPA opt outs:
See U.S. Department of Education’s FERPA site:http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/
You can find more information about FERPA here, & you can find information about filing a complaint if you've opted out of FERPA & you believe school violated opt out.
See World Privacy Forum FERPA tips for jobseekers:
http://www.worldprivacyforum.
Scroll to tip #8.8. Data Broker opt outs
What it does:
Some commercial data brokers allow some categories of consumers to opt out of some limited uses & disclosures of personal information.Commercial data brokers acquire, purchase, accumulate, & sell information about consumers. Many data brokers have large data files with some information on most Americans. The data brokers have multiple lines of business that use consumer data in different ways. Data brokers offer some very limited opt outs, & not all data brokers offer opt outs. If you're a victim of identity theft, a law enforcement professional, or a victim of domestic violence, opt outs may be important for you. Opt out policies can be challenging to find on the data broker sites. If these links below are stale, let us know & we'll locate the new links for you.
We've mixed views on data broker opt outs. On one hand, we think that a consumer who opts out does a good thing by exercising those few options that are available. Each consumer opting out helps to preserve opt outs for all consumers. However, data broker opt outs are generally quite limited, & it is nearly impossible to tell just what effect an opt out will actually have. When you read opt out offerings carefully, you'll see that they're often qualified. Consumers who are victims of identity thieves, victims of domestic violence, public officials, & others may have greatest interest in seeking what opt out options are available.
How to opt out:
Note: of data brokers in this list, Acxiom & Lexis Nexis are largest. If you're an identity theft victim, a law enforcement professional, or have a strong safety need to opt out of data broker databases, start with these companies first.- Acxiom: You can opt out of some of Acxiom’s marketing & directory products. You can read more about Acxiom opt outs at
http://www.acxiom.com/about-acxiom/privacy/us-consumer- choices.
- Lexis/Nexis: You can opt out of some of Lexis/Nexis products, with limitations. All consumers can opt out of Lexis/Nexis Marketing database. To opt out, go to Lexis/Nexis online form at x & then fill out form.
http://www.lexisnexis.com/privacy/directmarketingopt- out.asp
- LexisNexis also permits certain individuals to opt-out of KnowX®, & Accurint®,
2 very powerful information databases. Public & elected officials,
law enforcement officers (some cases) & private individuals who are
victims of identity theft or who face a substantial risk of physical
harm may opt out. Law enforcement officials will still have access to
information in Accurint databases. To learn more, see http://www.lexisnexis.
com/privacy/for-consumers/opt- out-of-lexisnexis.aspx.We note that this is one of the more challenging data broker opt outs. Here is what Lexis/Nexis says about this particular opt out:”This opt-out policy only applies to personal information that is available through LexisNexis-owned databases. Please note opting-out of our databases will not prevent other companies or public record agencies from collecting or disseminating your personal information.
The bases under which LexisNexis policy
allows such an opt-out – in addition to any opt-outs required by law –
are following: Public & elected officials, including law
enforcement officers, may request to opt-out in cases where official
is on a high-profile assignment, or under threat of death or serious
bodily harm or in cases where opt-out opportunities are required by
law.
Private
individuals who are facing a substantial risk of physical harm or who
are victims of identity theft may request to opt-out of having personal
information about themselves made available through KnowX® & having personal information about themselves made available to subscribers to our Accurint® product
(other than disclosures that may be made to our law enforcement
subscribers). Individuals who request to opt-out for these reasons may
submit their requests online or by mail.”
- Intelius: To opt out online, go to https://www.intelius.com/
optout.php. Intelius directs consumers to attach verification information, & provides step-by-step instructions. Fax a copy of your identification to (425) 974-6194
Or Mail a copy of your identification to
Intelius Consumer Affairs
P.O. Box 4145
Bellevue, WA 98009-4145
- Details from Intelius:
“The quickest & simplest way to have your information removed from our website is to send us a request online. You can also submit an opt-out request via fax or postal mail. Regardless of which method you choose, in order for us to suppress your personal information from appearing on our website, we need to verify your identity. To do this, we need proof of identity, consisting of either:
a copy of a government-issued ID with any photo or ID number crossed out. Examples: driver’s license, U.S. passport, U.S. military ID card, state-issued ID card, or employee ID card from a state agency, or a notarized Identity Verification Form.
We will only use this information to process your opt out request.
If you opt-out online, be sure to include your email address so that we can notify you both when your request is received & when we’ve completed your opt out. http://www.intelius.com/privacy.php“
- US Search Profile Opt Out: To opt out online, visit http://www.ussearch.com/
privacylock. You will need to find the exact record or records you want suppressed & follow the instruction prompts on screen. You'll also need to have a state-issued ID or driver’s license to prove your identity. US Search doesn't offer opt outs via phone or email. - Mail: US SEARCH
Privacy Officer
PO BOX 4145
Bellevue, WA 98009-4145 - email address: cservice@USSearch.com or call (877) 340-0211 for assistance.
More about data broker opt outs:
See WPF’s Data Broker Opt Out ListSee Privacy Rights Clearinghouse Info Brokers Opt Out page: http://www.
See CDT Opt Out Site: http://optout.cdt.org The CDT Opt out site was last updated in 2002, but it is still useful.
9. Internet & Social Media Opt Outs
What it does:
Some large online & social media sites allow a variety of opt outs. These opt outs can have varying effects, for example, some opt outs spare you from receiving unwanted email, other opt outs offer you ability to make posts private. The opt outs vary from simple to complex. We don’t take space to go into details about each opt out. Here, we point you in right direction & encourage exploration. The sites listed here offer plentiful options for opting out.How to opt out:
We don’t take space here to go into details about each opt out. Some of sites offer complex opt outs which would require a lot of explanation. Here, we point you in right direction & encourage exploration. The sites listed here offer plentiful options for opting out. The type of opt-out varies widely by service provider, & we recommend that you spend time familiarizing yourself with the opt outs available at each. The links below will lead you to more information about opt outs available.- Google: Click on Google’s privacy policy link at https://www.google.com/
policies/?hl=en-US. From there, click on Google Account Settings to view & explore your opt-out options at the Google Dashboard. The video instructions are here, & are readily available via YouTube. You'll need to have an account to view your Account Settings. You can also click on Account Editor to shape how your Google Profile will appear to others here. Note: If you don't have an account, you can click on Ad Settings to explore your choices for opting out & settings.
- Twitter: You need to have an account to use privacy tools. In your Twitter account, click –> Edit Profile –> Security & Privacy. The most important privacy settings for determining whether a tweet will be made public or not are located in privacy section. See screen shot below.
- Screenshot of Twitter privacy settings, (Sept. 26 2013.)
- Facebook: You'll need to have a Facebook account to use privacy tools. In Facebook, go to Account –> privacy settings. In Privacy Settings, you'll see a series of options & choices for privacy preferences. These choices change from time to time, & they're complex. Take your time, read carefully, & ask questions. WPF has a series of Facebook Privacy Guides available here.
- Amazon: Find out about choices at http://amazon.com/gp/help/
customer/display.html/102- 6769060-6468131?ie=UTF8& nodeId=468496#choices. There is a Customer Communications Preferences link at http://amazon.com/gp/gss/ ccp/. Note: you'll need to sign in before seeing Communications Preferences page.
- Ebay: After you've signed in to your Ebay account, you can make choices by finding Preferences link under My Account.
- Yahoo: Sign in to your Yahoo account & look for Options Link. Click on that link & then click on YAHOO! Delivers. You can then select or unselect what types of advertising email that you want by checking or unchecking boxes with descriptions. Note: if you don’t uncheck boxes, all boxes will be automatically selected, so watch this closely.
More about Internet portal opt outs:
We encourage you to read privacy policies of web portals. The opt outs can make a difference, & one of best ways to find out about opt outs that are available to you is to read privacy policy for that web site.10. Online Advertising opt outs
Advertising opt outs refer primarily to advertising that is sent to you based on information collected online about you. This kind of advertising is called “targeted” or personalized advertising. Some of this advertising is controversial because it can be based on information consumers didn't realize was being collected about them for future use. While there are many potential places to opt out, we've selected 2 key opt outs, RapLeaf, & NAI.
RapLeaf Opt out
What it does:
RapLeaf builds detailed dossiers on consumers tied to their email addresses. The information is scraped from social networking sites like Facebook & combined with public record data, like voting records. RapLeaf dossiers have been used in political campaigns & by other businesses. RapLeaf states its opt out will delete you entirely from their system.The privacy risks associated with RapLeaf profiles became highly visible through an October, 2010 Wall Street Journal expose of company. According to WSJ,
“Data gathered & sold by RapLeaf can be very specific. According to documents reviewed by Journal, RapLeaf’s segments recently included a person’s household income range, age range, political leaning, & gender & age of children in household, as well as interests in topics including religion, the Bible, gambling, tobacco, adult entertainment & “get rich quick” offers. In all, RapLeaf segmented people into more than 400 categories, the documents indicated.”Based on what we've learned about RapLeaf’s activities, we recommend consumers take advantage of RapLeaf opt out.
How to opt out of RapLeaf:
- Step one: you must accept third party cookies for Rap Leaf opt out to work, & have a working email address.
- Step two: go to https://www.rapleaf.com/
opt-out/
- Step three: Submit your email address where you see “Permanently Opt Out.”There is an option to opt out of RapLeaf cookies only. We don't recommend this option, as it will not completely remove you from RapLeaf database.
- Special note: if you're interested in finding out if you have a profile on RapLeaf, you can register with site to see it. If you do, we recommend that you also be sure to permanently opt out of RapLeaf.
More about RapLeaf opt out:
See Wall Street Journal, Digits blog, How to Get Out of Rapleaf’s SystemSee A Web Pioneer Profiles Users by Name, Emily Steele, WSJ.
Network Advertising Initiative opt out (NAI opt out)
What it does:
The Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) offers a centralized opt out system that allows Internet users to avoid some types of tracking of their web activities.Some online ads appear on multiple web sites — these ads are generally called network ads. If you browse with cookies turned on (as many people do) at a couple or more of web sites with network ads, or make some purchases or register at those sites, then your activities may in some situations be tracked. In some cases, things you do online can be linked back to you personally by name or email address & then merged with other information about you.
If you opt out of NAI tracking, it means that companies that have tracking ads at multiple web sites will no longer assemble a file of all of the places you have visited, will no longer link your web activities with you personally, & will no longer merge web activities connected with their ads with other information about you. This is how NAI describes it:
While advertising networks do collect data on consumers who view their advertising, this data is often anonymous. However, profiles derived from tracking consumers’ activities on Web can be linked or merged with “personally identifiable information” (PII). It can also be combined with offline purchase data or information collected via a survey, census, or registration form. These activities are most often invisible to consumers.The NAI opt out uses what is called an “opt out cookie” to tell advertisers not to track you. This opt-out can seem counter-intuitive: you accept a cookie on your computer to make sure you aren’t tracked using cookies.
(http://www.networkadvertising.org/ managing/faqs.asp)
How to opt out:
- Step one: You must accept third party cookies for this opt out to work. Open your web browser & check cookie settings to accept all cookies.
- Step two: Open following page: http://www.
networkadvertising.org/ managing/opt_out.asp. You'll see a prominent Consumer Opt Out area that shows you how many opt outs you currently have enabled. You can choose to opt out of all companies by clicking Choose All Companies button. The NAI opt out is relatively simple & straightforward, & is greatly improved from past versions.
- Note: After you've opted out, if you remove opt out cookies from your computer, opt out must be repeated. We reiterate: this opt out may be helpful & useful, but it also can be challenging.
More about NAI opt out:
See the NAI Frequently Asked Questions Page: http://www.See World Privacy Forum cookie page: http://www.
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Privacy Law Scholars Conference, WPF commenter
3-5 June, 2015, Berkeley, California -
Navigating the New World: The Most Important Things About Privacy to Know Right Now, Fiesole Conference, Berlin Germany, WPF speech
6-8 May 2015, Berlin, Germany -
Big Data & Fairness Structures, European Data Protection Days (Euroforum), Berlin Germany, WPF panelist
05 May 2015, Berlin, Germany
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New WPF Report — The Scoring of America: How Secret Consumer Scores Threaten Your Privacy & Your Future
To score is human. Ranking individuals by grades & other performance numbers is as old as human society. Consumer scores — numbers given to individuals to describe or predict their characteristics, habits, or predilections — are a modern day numeric shorthand that ranks, separates, sifts, & otherwise categorizes individuals &d also predicts their potential future actions. This new report by Pam Dixon & Robert Gellman explores this issue of predictive scores and privacy. -
WPF Report — Paying out of Pocket to Protect Health Privacy: A New but Complicated HIPAA Option; A Report on HIPAA Right to Restrict Disclosure
This Jan. 30, 2014 report discusses a new right to restrict disclosure of health information under updated HIPAA health privacy rule. The new provision called “Pay Out of Pocket,” also called “Right to Restrict Disclosure” gives patients the right to request that their health care provider not report or disclose their information to their health plans when they pay for medical services in full. Navigating new right will take effort & planning for patients to utilize effectively. This substance of this report is about new patient right to restrict disclosure, &d how patients can use it to protect health privacy. -
WPF Report – Data Brokers & Federal Government: A New Front in Battle for Privacy Opens, Part III in a series
This report focuses on government use of commercial data brokers, implications for that usage, & what needs to be done to address privacy problems. The government must bring itself fully to heel in area of privacy. If it is going to outsource its data needs to commercial data brokers, it needs to attach privacy standards it would've been held to if it had collected data itself. Outsourcing isn't an excuse for evading privacy obligations.
