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Online bill of rights steps in the right direction but not enough according to Anonymizer

cezanne — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 18:14:09 +0000

The recent release of the Obama Administration’s Online privacy “Bill of Rights” and Do Not Track is heading in the right but experts worry it’s not going to be enough to protect consumers. Though it’s very early in the process, the main issues seem to come down to enforcement. While Google, Microsoft, Yahoo! and other behemoth advertising players launched AdChoices in an offensive move to demonstrate that the community of commerce can be self-regulated. Problem is this isn’t quite covering the ensuing mobile and social implications.

The Obama administration laid out a set of principles covering the basics of privacy and it does a very good job in covering off on control, transparency, context, security, access and accuracy, limited liability and accountability. Where we believe it falls short is the the definition of personal data and whether the definition truly protects consumers’ privacy and how the framework can be enforced.

As it stands now, the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) will review practices of companies who voluntarily agree to the terms, though the White House stresses that they expect Congress pass official legislation protecting the public’s online privacy and personal data. We may be months away from seeing real-world implications of the Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights.

Our readers straddle both the advertising and consumer lines, so it’s good to see that there’s a discussion around consumer privacy. Lets make sure it continues. Lets hope we all think through implications holistically and ensure there’s enforcement. With social taking off and creating a whole new universe, the implications are greater than ever.

For those who haven’t reviewed the bill of rights, CNN Money has posted it, Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights.

In the meantime, Anonymizer, Inc. wants consumers to take online privacy matters into their own hands by employing a comprehensive Internet security strategy.

The recently announced consumer Privacy Bill of Rights and the browser-based Do Not Track button are designed to protect the online privacy of consumers and to set expectations for how companies should handle personal data. Anonymizer, Inc., www.anonymizer.com claims that while these initiatives will prevent some Web tracking, they will not stop all tracking. And, they still do not necessarily prevent advertisers from collecting and selling user data.

“We’re encouraged to see the consumer Privacy Bill of Rights and Do Not Track technology, but they are still not a 100% guarantee that consumers and their personal data will be protected,” said Lance Cottrell, Founder and Chief Technology Officer for Anonymizer, Inc. “While these initiatives are steps in the right direction, they should not be relied on exclusively. Consumers must take an active role in protecting their online privacy.”

In addition to opting out of tracking, consumers should adjust their browser privacy settings, block cookies, clear old cookies, and adopt a broad Internet security strategy that includes an online privacy product that prevents activities from being tracked based on their IP address. Products like Anonymizer Universal, www.anonymizer.com/homeuser/universal, help prevent unauthorized access to personal data on Wi-Fi hotspots and keep users anonymous online while at home, at work and on the go.

For more on Anonymizer, Inc.’s views on the Privacy Bill of Rights and Do Not Track initiatives, please visit:

About Anonymizer, Inc.
As the global leader in online privacy, anonymity, and identity protection solutions, Anonymizer continues to push the envelope with products that allow consumers and organizations to remain safe, secure, and anonymous each time they go online. The company’s proprietary technologies address the needs of home users and businesses. With a pristine 15-year history of protecting customer online identities, Anonymizer’s products have set the standard in Internet privacy, and protected billions of web searches and personal communications.

Sources:

Anonymizer
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Online advertising revenues hit $7.3 billion in Q1 of 2011

cezanne — Thu, 26 May 2011 15:50:41 +0000

Folks, while no mention of whether the ad revenue represents a particular region or continent, I’m going to assume this data represents US only. There’s also an interesting point that SearchEngineLand.com points that uses 2010 channel revenue breakdown and assumes Paid Search is half of the $7.3 billion which is great news, however, the caveat is that they compared to very different sets of data.

Internet advertising revenues in the U.S. hit $7.3 billion for the first quarter of 2011, representing a 23 percent increase over the same period in 2010, according to figures released today by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). This marks the highest first-quarter revenue level ever for the industry and a significant increase over last year’s first-quarter revenue level, which had been the highest on record to date.

“The consistent and considerable year-over-year growth we’re seeing demonstrates that digital media is an increasingly popular destination for ad dollars, and for good reason,” said Randall Rothenberg, President and CEO of the IAB. “As Americans spend more time online for information and entertainment purposes, digital advertising and marketing has emerged as one of the most effective tools businesses have to attract and retain customers.”

“The year-on-year 23 percent increase in first quarter revenues is not just impressive in its own right, but especially so when you take into account the fact that 2010 was a record-breaking year itself for Internet advertising revenue,” said David Silverman, a partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. “These numbers indicate that the interactive advertising field hasn’t simply bounced back since the recession; it’s growing with dynamic energy.”

The following chart highlights quarterly ad revenue since 1999; dollar figures are rounded.

The IAB sponsors the IAB Internet Advertising Revenue Report, which is conducted independently by the New Media Group of PwC. The results are considered the most accurate measurement of interactive advertising revenues because the data is compiled directly from information supplied by companies selling advertising on the Internet. The survey includes data concerning online advertising revenues from Web sites, commercial online services, free e-mail providers, and all other companies selling online advertising.

The full report is issued twice yearly for full and half-year data, and top-line quarterly estimates are issued for the first and third quarters. PwC does not audit the information and provides no opinion or other form of assurance with respect to the information. Past reports are available at www.iab.net/AdRevenueReport.

About the IAB
The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) is comprised of more than 500 leading media and technology companies who are responsible for selling 86% of online advertising in the United States. On behalf of its members, the IAB is dedicated to the growth of the interactive advertising marketplace, of interactive’s share of total marketing spend, and of its members’ share of total marketing spend. The IAB educates marketers, agencies, media companies and the wider business community about the value of interactive advertising. Working with its member companies, the IAB evaluates and recommends standards and practices and fields critical research on interactive advertising. Founded in 1996, the IAB is headquartered in New York City with a Public Policy office in Washington, D.C. For more information, please visit www.iab.net.

About the PwC Network
PwC firms provide industry-focused assurance, tax and advisory services to enhance value for their clients. More than 161,000 people in 154 countries in firms across the PwC network share their thinking, experience and solutions to develop fresh perspectives and practical advice. See www.pwc.com for more information.

© 2011 PwC. All rights reserved. “PwC” and “PwC US” refer to PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, a Delaware limited liability partnership, which is a member firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers International Limited, each member firm of which is a separate and independent legal entity.

comScore’s April 2011 U.S. search engine market share and rankings

cezanne — Wed, 11 May 2011 20:59:17 +0000

comScore, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCOR) released its monthly comScore qSearch analysis of the U.S. search engine marketplace. Google Sites led the explicit core search market in April with 65.4 percent of search queries conducted.

The April 2011 qSearch data reflect the impact of Yahoo! Search Direct, Yahoo!’s new feature that delivers search results in real-time while users type their query. Yahoo! Search Direct was available only on Yahoo! U.S. Web Search for the month of April.

U.S. Explicit Core Search – Market Share

Google Sites led the U.S. explicit core search market in April with 65.4 percent market share, followed by Yahoo! Sites with 15.9 percent (up 0.2 percentage points) and Microsoft Sites with 14.1 percent (up 0.2 percentage points). Ask Network accounted for 3.0 percent of explicit core searches, followed by AOL, Inc. with 1.5 percent.

More than 16.2 billion explicit core searches were conducted in April. Google Sites ranked first with 10.7 billion searches, followed by Yahoo! Sites with 2.6 billion, Microsoft Sites with 2.3 billion, Ask Network with 491 million and AOL, Inc. with 248 million.

U.S. Total Core Search Market Share
Google Sites accounted for 64.2 percent of total core search queries conducted (up 0.1 percentage points), followed by Yahoo! Sites with 17.9 percent and Microsoft Sites with 13.8 percent (up 0.2 percentage points). Ask Network comprised 2.7 percent of total search queries, followed by AOL, Inc. with 1.4 percent.

Americans conducted more than 18.0 billion total core search queries in April. Google Sites ranked first with 11.6 billion searches, followed by Yahoo! Sites with 3.2 billion and Microsoft Sites with 2.5 billion.

“Powered By” Reporting
In order to accurately represent the continued evolution of the search landscape, comScore is providing insight into the share of algorithmic explicit searches that are powered by Google and Bing, and branded as such to the consumer. Google’s “powered by” share is composed of searches conducted at Google entities, as well as branded searches at AOL and Ask. Bing’s “powered by” share is composed of searches conducted at Microsoft entities as well as branded Yahoo! entities.

In April, 67.8 percent of searches carried organic search results from Google, while 26.5 percent of searches were powered by Bing organic results.

About comScore
comScore, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCOR) is a global leader in measuring the digital world and preferred source of digital business analytics.

Source: comScore

comscore Media Metrix Top 50 March 2011 – Travel getting a boost due to warmer months

cezanne — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 16:59:23 +0000

comScore, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCOR), released its latest monthly analysis of U.S. web activity at the top online properties for March 2011 based on data from the comScore Media Metrix service. Green lifestyles were top of mind for many Americans in March as the country took part in the annual Earth Hour (March 26) amid rising fuel costs. Travel sites spiked as springtime rolled in, helping visitors to plan last minute spring break getaways and upcoming summer vacations.

“Green sites earned the #1 spot on the top gaining categories ranking in March — a result of Americans seeking ways to cut back on energy consumption beyond Earth Hour amid a backdrop of skyrocketing gas prices,” said Jeff Hackett, executive vice president of comScore Media Metrix. “Travel sites were also popular during the month as many Americans booked last minute spring break trips and looked ahead to plan summer vacations.”

Americans Paint the Web Green
Year-round tree huggers and gas price-conscious Americans alike had reason to visit Green sites in March. The category drew nearly 20 million visitors during the month, up 11 percent versus February to rank as the top gaining category. Planet Green Sites topped the category with nearly 2.9 million visitors, representing a 24-percent increase from the prior month. Care2.com came in second with 1.9 million visitors, followed by Shine Green with 1.7 million and Mother Nature Network with 1.5 million (up 3 percent). Matter Network grew 37 percent to 985,000 visitors, while EnergyGuide.com saw 870,000 and EPA.gov reached 833,000 (up 17 percent).

Travel Sites Spring into Action
Americans frequented travel sites in March, putting several of the travel subcategories among the top gainers. Travel Information sites attracted more than 61.4 million visitors, up 10 percent from the prior month. TravelAdNetwork took the top spot with 19.9 million visitors (up 8 percent), followed by Yahoo! Travel with 12.6 million (up 22 percent), Tripadvisor Sites with 10.0 million (up 14 percent) and AOL Travel with 6.5 million (up 63 percent).

Car Rental sites grew 9 percent to 6.0 million unique visitors in March, with Enterprise Rent-A-Car Company taking the #1 spot with 3.3 million visitors (up 9 percent) and Avis Budget Group with 1.8 million (up 4 percent). Hertz came in third with 979,000 visitors, followed by Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group, Inc. with 968,000 (up 19 percent) and CarRentals.com with 934,000 (up 31 percent).

Traffic Builds at Home Improvement Sites
Americans browsed Home Improvement sites in March for fresh decorating ideas and gardening tips. More than 49 million people visited the category during the month (up 10 percent vs. February), with eHow Home and Garden taking the top spot with 8.8 million visitors. iVillage Home and Garden drew 6.8 million visitors (up 32 percent), followed by HGTV with 6.1 million (up 13 percent) and Shelterpop with 3.0 million (up 46 percent).

Top 50 Properties
Yahoo! Sites ranked as the #1 property in March with 179.5 million visitors, followed by Google Sites with 176.8 million and Microsoft Sites with 176.4 million. Sites new to the top 50 in March included FoxNews.com (#41), Time Warner (#49) and BuzzMedia (#50).

Top 50 Ad Focus Ranking
Google Ad Network led the March Ad Focus ranking with a reach of 91.7 percent of Americans online, followed by Yahoo! Sites (84.4 percent), Yahoo! Network Plus (83.9 percent) and AOL Advertising (83.8 percent).

About comScore Media Metrix
comScore Media Metrix provides industry-leading Internet audience measurement services that report details of online media usage, visitor demographics and online buying power for the home, work and university audiences across local U.S. markets and across the globe. comScore Media Metrix reports are used by financial analysts, advertising agencies, publishers and marketers. comScore Media Metrix syndicated ratings are based on industry-sanctioned sampling methodologies.

About comScore
comScore, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCOR) is a global leader in measuring the digital world and preferred source of digital business analytics.

Paid search advertising report shows who spends the most on Google AdWords

cezanne — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 15:09:19 +0000

Kantar Media introduced syndicated reporting of paid search advertising that ranks advertisers in paid search advertising.

The company will become the first media research provider to offer a syndicated service monitoring online paid search activity, which represented a $3.4 billion market during the fourth quarter of 2010 in the U.S. With this expansion, Kantar Media will also become the only source of competitive intelligence to monitor the entire online ad market, bringing methodic insight into display, video, ad networks and paid search advertising trends, as well as detailed data on spend, impressions and creative.

The new service will define for users those companies investing in paid search, expenditure allocated, keywords purchased, and the number of clicks keywords receive.

Kantar Media’s analysis of paid search advertisers for the 2010 holiday period, a crucial time period for e-commerce, shows significant investment from online retailers and travel companies in the top five. Interestingly, four financial companies feature among the top 10, three of them in the insurance category.

Syndicated search reporting will be integrated into Kantar Media’s StradegyTM application, which already provides comprehensive advertising information on 3 million brands across 21 media. As an additional medium, it will provide monthly reporting on paid search activity for Google’s U.S. search engine, giving subscribers granular, reliable data points on search advertisers. The service will also include historical data going back to January 2010, enabling the analysis of trends and shifts over time.

“Kantar Media’s new service brings us one step closer to a holistic perspective of the competitive dynamics occurring within the digital landscape,” says Gregory Aston, SVP, Director of Competitive Intelligence for MPG. “The core value is the ability to track evolving competitive strategies over time and raise the bar from telling digital anecdotes about our competitors to enabling more comprehensive, systematic analysis.”

“As the first to market with syndicated paid search reporting, Kantar Media Intelligence is now the only source of competitive intelligence that monitors the full array of digital advertising activity and can offer subscribers a single source of insights through a common methodology,” says Mark Nesbitt, President, Kantar Media Intelligence. “This innovative launch further establishes our position as the marketplace experts focused on tracking advertising wherever it appears.”

About Kantar Media
Established in more than 50 countries, Kantar Media helps clients master the world’s multimedia momentum through analysis of print, radio, TV, internet, cinema, mobile, social media, and outdoor worldwide. Kantar Media offers a full range of media insights and audience measurement services through its global business sectors – Intelligence, Audiences, TGI and Custom. Kantar Media companies also include Compete, Cymfony and SRDS. Drawing upon the deepest expertise in the industry, Kantar Media tracks more than 3 million brands and delivers insight to more than 22,000 customers worldwide.

Source: Kantar Media