Digital Advertising Accountability Program (DAAP)

The Digital Advertising Accountability Program (DAAP) enforces industry self-regulation principles for data privacy in web and mobile advertising. To build trust in the marketplace, consumers need to have transparency and choice about the collection and use of their data for interest-based ads. DAAP, developed to support the Digital Advertising Alliance (DAA), holds companies accountable to the DAA’s Self-Regulatory Principles for online privacy.

Case Decisions

DAAP monitors how companies are collecting or using data about individuals’ web-surfing and app usage behavior and, in cases of non-compliance, DAAP brings formal inquiries to resolve privacy issues. The results of all formal cases and compliance warnings are published publicly.

Principles & Procedures

Program Standards

As this technical space evolves, DAAP continues to have a significant impact on consumer privacy and the advertising industry because of:
  • Substantive Standards: The standards meaningfully address online privacy by providing consumers with real-time notice about interest-based advertising, enabling them to opt out.
  • Government Backstop: Non-compliant companies and app publishers are referred to the appropriate federal or state regulatory agency when necessary.
  • Public Accountability: The outcomes of all formal inquiries are made public, building confidence in industry accountability.
  • Industry Support: Digital advertising industry leaders developed the standards for this program and voluntarily comply.

Political Advertising

Online political advertising is a major medium of democracy, helping candidates reach their voters through a variety of tools and platforms. DAAP enforces the DAA’s Political Advertising Principles so consumers know when they are seeing certain political ads and who paid for them.

File a Complaint

DAAP processes thousands of business and consumer complaints each year, manages the complaint resolution process, and takes enforcement action when it is necessary to bring a company into compliance.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

See All FAQs

What is "interest-based" advertising (IBA)?

Interest-based advertising (IBA), sometimes called targeted advertising, uses information gathered about your visits over time and across different websites or apps to help predict your preferences and show you ads that are more likely to be of interest to you. With data about your browsing as a starting point, advertisers make educated guesses about the ads you will be most likely to find interesting or relevant and serve those to you.

What are the Digital Advertising Alliance (DAA) Principles?

The Digital Advertising Alliance (DAA) Principles are the self-regulatory rules that major online advertising trade associations agreed upon as a baseline standard for companies engaged in IBA. As of 2024, the DAA Principles consist of four documents:

  1. The Self-Regulatory Principles for Online Behavioral Advertising
  2. The Self-Regulatory Principles for Multi-Site Data
  3. The Application of Self-Regulatory Principles to the Mobile Environment
  4. The Application of the Self-Regulatory Principles of Transparency and Control to Data Used Across Devices

 

These privacy principles cover IBA on the desktop and mobile web, in mobile applications, and in the cross-device context. Importantly, they include rules about transparency (ensuring that consumers have up-front notice when IBA is taking place) and choice (requiring companies to allow consumers to opt out of IBA). 

The DAA Principles are self-regulatory (the online advertising industry has agreed to abide by this set of best practices for IBA online). DAAP enforces industry's commitment to these rules through monitoring websites and apps, bringing them into compliance, and publishing the results in formal decisions.

What is "AdChoices"?

AdChoices is a self-regulatory program for online IBA. The program calls for advertising companies to follow responsible privacy principles for IBA. The principles, promulgated by the DAA, the industry association that runs the AdChoices effort, are designed to give consumers enhanced transparency and control over IBA.

How do you submit a consumer complaint?

Submit your complaint via the DAAP consumer complaint form.

This page will have several questions with dropdown, tick-box, and text entry fields to help you to report your concerns. Pay particular attention to the link to "attach a file." This link will let you attach a screenshot of what you are seeing (an ad, an opt-out error, etc.) in order to better show us what sort of trouble you are having.