1. What is "profile" or "preference" marketing?
2. Is Internet advertising really a threat to my privacy?
3. What is personally identifiable information?
4. What is "non-personally identifiable information?"
5. Can PII and Non-PII be merged?
6. What are cookies?
7. What are Web beacons?
8. What is a "3rd party ad network?"
9. How does the NAI "Opt-out" Tool work?
10. How do I know which networks have placed cookies on my computer?
11. Will I ever need to renew my opt-out or opt out again?
12. Does the NAI Opt-out stop spam, junk mail, or pop-ups?
13. Can my browser interfere with the use of the NAI "Opt-out" Tool?
14. Will I still get ads if I opt out using the NAI tool?
15. What do I do if I think an NAI member has violated the NAI Privacy Principles?
16. What do I do if I have a problem with the "opt out" tool?
17. What can I do to opt-out of 3rd party advertising programs that aren't part of the NAI "Opt-out" program?
18. Will using the NAI Opt-out Tool automatically delete all of an NAI member's cookies from my computer?
19. Why don't I see an Undertone Networks opt out cookie after I have opted out from that network?

1. What is "profile" or "preference" marketing?
The companies that provide advertising for Websites typically gather data about consumers who view their ads. Often, that data is anonymous - linked only to a numbered cookie on a user's computer. Networks collect and analyze this data to make a variety of inferences about each consumer's interests and preferences. The result is a profile that attempts to predict the individual consumer's tastes, needs, and purchasing habits. That profile enables the advertising companies' computers to make split-second decisions about how to deliver ads directly targeted to the consumer's specific interests. The NAI refers to this practice as "Online Preference Marketing" or "OPM."

2. Is Internet advertising really a threat to my privacy?
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 the 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. All that consumers see are the Websites they visit and the advertising that is shown on those Websites. Unless the Websites visited by consumers provide notice of the ad network's presence and data collection, consumers may be unaware that their activities online are being monitored. That is why compliance with the notice and choice requirements of the NAI Principles is important to consumer privacy.

3. What is "personally identifiable information?"
Personally Identifiable Information (PII) is data used to identify, contact or locate a person, including name, address, telephone number, or email address.

4. What is "non-personally identifiable information?"
Non-Personally Identifiable Information (Non-PII) is information that is anonymous or not linked to a particular person. Used for OPM by network advertisers, this data consists mostly of click-stream information (sites you have visited or links you have clicked) compiled as you move across different Web sites or a single site.

5. Can PII and Non-PII be merged?
It is possible to merge PII and Non-PII for OPM and other uses. However, no NAI member ad networks currently engage in this practice. In addition, the NAI Principles call for notice and consent prior to such a use of data.

6. What are cookies?
Cookies are small chunks of data created by a Web server, delivered through a Web browser, and stored on your computer. They provide a means for Websites that you visit to keep track of your online patterns and preferences, as well as identify you as a return visitor. Cookies make the personalization of your Web experiences possible. For example, without the use of cookie files, it would be virtually impossible to maintain an online stock portfolio. You would need to re-enter your information from scratch upon each visit to that Web site.

Network advertisers use cookies to track users' Web preferences and characteristics and tailor ads for them.

7. What are Web beacons?
Generally, a Web beacon consists of a small string of software code that represents a graphic image request on a Web page or email. There may or may not be a visible graphic image associated with the Web beacon and often the image is designed to blend into the background of a Web page or email. Web beacons can be used for many purposes - including site traffic reporting, unique visitor counts, advertising auditing and reporting, and personalization. A significant majority of Web beacons collect only anonymous data. However, some may be used to collect PII, particularly in the case of email that contains a Web beacon. In such cases, the data collected through the Web beacon may be linked to the recipient's email address or other information identifying the recipient.

8. What is a "3rd party ad network?"
Many of the banner ads displayed on Web pages are not selected and delivered by the Website visited by a consumer, but by network advertising companies that manage and provide advertising for numerous unrelated Websites. The NAI refers to these companies as "3rd party ad networks."

9. How does the NAI Opt-out Tool work?
The NAI Opt-out Tool replaces a network advertiser's unique online preference marketing cookie on your browser with a general opt-out cookie. It does not delete individual cookies nor does it necessarily replace other cookies delivered by network advertisers, such as those that are used for aggregate ad reporting or mere ad serving purposes. Such cookies allow network advertisers to change the sequence of ad banners, as well as track the aggregate number of ads delivered (impressions).

10. How do I know which networks have placed cookies on my computer?
The opt-out tool automatically scans your computer to locate the ad targeting cookies of each of our member ad networks. Simply go to the opt-out page to check your system.

11. Will I ever need to renew my opt-out or opt out again?
If you ever delete the "opt-out cookie" from your browser, buy a new computer, or change Web browsers, you'll need to perform the opt-out task again. It's only when the network advertiser can read an "opt-out" cookie on your browser that it can know you have decided not to participate.

12. Does the NAI Opt-out stop spam, junk mail, or pop-ups?
No. The NAI Opt-out works only with participating 3rd party ad networks using cookies to target advertising. We do not maintain opt-out programs for postal or electronic mail or for pop-ups.

13. Can my browser settings interfere with the use of the NAI "Opt-out" Tool?
Yes. Your browser must be set to accept 3rd party cookies in order for the NAI "Opt-out" tool to work. The following links show how to adjust the browser settings of commonly used browsers:

Internet Explorer 7.x and Internet Explorer 6.x: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/283185
Netscape 8.x: See Firefox link below.
Firefox: http://www.mozilla.org/support/firefox/options#privacy
Safari: http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=Safari/2.0/en/ibr30.html

Attention Safari users: Apple presets the Safari browser to block cookies from sites other than those you visit directly. As a result, the NAI opt out tool, which uses third party cookies, will not work for browsers left in this default setting.

Safari users have two (2) options should they wish not to participate in third party ad programs. First, you may confirm that your browser is set to accept only first party cookies and do nothing. This default setting will block all third party cookies, including those of our member ad networks and those of other, non-member ad networks.

Choose "Preferences" from the Safari menu
Select "Security" icon
Cookie settings are shown in the window - If your cookie setting is "Accept Cookies: Only from sites you navigate to," you are blocking all third party cookies and you need to do nothing.

Alternately, you can change your cookie settings to allow all cookies and then use the NAI opt out tool. An opt out cookie for the selected ad network(s) will be placed on your computer. You can change your cookie settings back after completing this action, if desired.

Choose "Preferences" from the Safari menu
Select the "Security" icon
Cookie settings are shown in window - Select: "Accept Cookies: Always"
Go to http://www.networkadvertising.org/managing/opt_out.asp
Select the networks from which you wish to opt out and hit "Submit"

Attention Internet Explorer 7 users: Yahoo! has a security path that allows IE7 to block its ad network (third-party) cookies when a user's browser privacy setting is set to "Medium High" or "High." As a result, the NAI opt out tool, which uses third-party cookies, cannot place an opt-out cookie for browsers in this setting.

IE7 users that have their browsers configured in this manner have two (2) options. First, confirm that your browser is configured in this way. If so, all Yahoo! Ad Network cookies will be blocked, so there will be no need to opt out.

Choose "Tools" from the IE7 menu bar
Select the "Privacy" tab
The slider on the left can be adjusted from "accept all cookies" to "block all cookies." If your privacy setting is "Medium High" or "High," IE7 is blocking all Yahoo! Ad Network cookies. You need to do nothing.

Alternately, you can visit the Yahoo! Website and opt out there. An opt out cookie will be placed on your computer.

14. Will I still get ads if I opt out using the NAI tool?
Yes. By opting out from an ad network via the NAI opt-out tool; you only remove yourself from that ad network's targeted advertising program. You will still see banner ads any time you visit a site whose ads are provided by that ad network. Because the ad network no longer maintains a targeting cookie on your computer, the ads will be general in nature and could be repetitive.

15. What do I do if I think an NAI member has violated the NAI Privacy Principles?
Please contact NAI staff! We rely in part on consumers' help to report perceived violations by NAI members of the NAI Principles. To file a complaint about a member, contact our complaint manager.

16. What do I do if I have a problem with the "opt-out" tool?
If you encounter technical difficulties while trying to opt out, we ask that you first try again. You may also try to opt out directly from any member ad network by clicking its link on the opt-out page. If you continue to experience problems, you can submit an email to the NAI. Provide as much information as you can, including operating system (Mac or Windows), Web browser, error messages, etc.

17. What can I do to opt-out of 3rd party advertising programs that aren't part of the NAI "Opt-out" program?
Some 3rd party ad networks offer their own private opt out mechanism. You can generally determine if a network offers an opt out by looking at their posted privacy policy. Alternately, some browsers allow you to block cookies from specific domains (e.g. www.3rdpartyadnetwork.com). The links below provide instructions for blocking cookies from specific domains for several common browser types:

Internet Explorer 7.x and Internet Explorer 6.x: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/283185
Netscape 8.x: See Firefox link below.
Firefox: http://www.mozilla.org/support/firefox/options#privacy
Safari: http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=Safari/2.0/en/ibr30.html

18. Will using the NAI Opt-out Tool automatically delete all of an NAI member's cookies from my computer?
Not necessarily. Some NAI members offer services such as email or online photo-hosting on their own Websites, in addition to providing ad serving for other Websites. Typically, different cookies are used for these services. The opt-out cookie replaces the ad network cookie used to help tailor ads that appear on other Websites, but leaves the cookies used for these other kinds of services untouched.

19. Why don't I see an Undertone Networks opt out cookie after I have opted out from that network?
Undertone Networks uses third-party ad serving technology provided by Zedo, Inc. As such, all cookies placed by Undertone Networks, including the opt out cookie, appear as Zedo Cookies. Opting out of the Undertone Networks data collection and targeting program will also opt you out of all similar programs operated by Zedo, Inc. and Zedo's clients.