NEW YORK (July 2, 2008)—As online consumer privacy, particularly regarding behavioral targeting, becomes a big issue in state legislatures and the Federal Trade Commission, the Interactive Advertising Bureau seeks to sharpen its self-regulatory fangs. One way marketers can cope with consumer privacy concerns is to try to temper them, says a new eMarketer report.

Behavioral targeting is a way of tracking an Internet user’s behavior online and then serving an ad that matches that user’s interest. Consumers want ads that are relevant to their needs, but they have mixed feelings about how that relevancy should be determined.

One way to ensure that consumers welcome rather than reject behaviorally targeted ads is to ask them to give their consent to receive them. Tell them about the real benefits of saying yes, including more-relevant advertising, says the new report, “Behavioral Targeting Attitudes: The Privacy Issue.” Another way is to offer them free, valuable services such as access to movies and prime TV shows, downloads and discounts, and the opportunity for users to express themselves on social networking platforms.

For more information on behavioral targeting or to receive a copy of the new report, reach out to the media contacts listed below.

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