Stop Personalized Ads Quick and Easy With This One Free Service
Tech-savvy baby boomers are shopping online more than ever. That means you're dealing with more online ads than ever. And not just general ads but ads that are targeting you. If you're tired and annoyed by these types of ads, there's a service that can help. It's free to use and can decrease the barrage of interest-based ads you see every day.
Free Ad Opt-Out Service
This free advertising opt-out service is called YourAdChoices. It's from the Digital Advertising Alliance (DAA), a consortium of the national advertising and marketing trade groups united to bring self-regulatory solutions to online consumer issues. Hundreds of companies voluntarily participate. By participating, they agree to follow DAA’s principles.
"The DAA Principles apply to the collection and use of interest-based advertising data. The Principles provide other protections for data collection across sites and apps including controls for the use of mobile location and personal directory information, as well as prohibitions on the use of interest data for eligibility determinations."
The Digital Advertising Alliance
Companies that join agree to be held accountable for complying with DAA Principles. There are two enforcement mechanisms, the BBB National Programs (BBBNP) and the Association of National Advertisers (ANA). These independent enforcement mechanisms address consumer complaints, which also "affirmatively monitor for compliance."
Personalized Ad Opt-Out Tools
YourAdChoices lets you see who is engaging in interest-based advertising on your browsers and mobile devices. YourAdChoices tools allow you to opt-out of interest-based advertising from companies registered with the not-for-profit organization DAA. It's important to know that opting out of interest-based ads through this process doesn't eliminate ads on your browser or mobile device. You'll keep seeing ads from participating companies after you opt-out, but they won't be relevant to your interests. YourAdChoices offers three tools for you to use:
- WebChoices
- ProtectMyChoices
- AppChoices
Tool #1: WebChoices
Use WebChoices to opt-out of targeted advertising on your browser. Go to WebChoices to begin. Because your browser configuration and connection speed are a factor in successfully using the tool, WebChoices will start by checking your browser's compatibility and verifying its opt-out status. You'll make your opt-out selections from a list, and at the end, you'll see your results. The process is self-explanatory and easy to complete. Additional windows may open and close during the initial process, and as your opt-out choices are requested.
Tool #2: ProtectMyChoices
Once you've opted out of personalized ads with WebChoices, you'll want to make sure you don't lose the opt-out choices you made. To save these choices, download the ProtectMyChoices browser extension. This plug-in for your browser preserves your opt-out cookie preferences, even if you delete your cookies. Once you install this extension, you'll still receive online advertising from participating companies, but it won't be interest-based advertising. Websites you visit may still collect your information for other purposes.
Tool #3: AppChoices
AppChoices is a mobile-based tool by YourAdChoices. You can download it for free to control how your information is used for in-app advertising on your mobile device. It looks and works like WebChoices, the browser tool. Available for iOS and Android.
Control Personalized Ads
For taking advertising control on your desktop or mobile browser, DAA's YourAdChoices program provides tools for you to stop many personalized ads. It's easy to use these ad-control tools. If you're in Canada, you can find all three tools from YourAdChoices here.
