Publishers flag latest ad network misconduct

Publishers have voiced serious concerns over reports that ad networks are tagging ads without publishers' knowledge. The practice allows ad networks to gain data from publisher sites without buying inventory. More than one British ad network has been associated with the activity, which
has arisen in the last six months. Such ad networks are infringing the rights of website publishers by tagging users outside their network. Tagging allows ad networks to build behavioural profiles and to re- target users with different messages based on their interests. While behavioural targeting companies usually tag ads to track users across their own networks, it appears this practice is now occurring on sites they don't represent. One digital director of a major publishing house said he had recently become aware of the activity and warned that it represented a danger to websites and their publishers. Ruth Brownlee, director of the UK Association of Online Publishers (AOP), said, "If publishers' audiences are being resold without permission at cut-price rates, it seriously undermines our members' interests and is exactly the kind of thing that gives networks a bad name." This concern was echoed by Jill Orr, CEO of CNet. "Tracking users without the publisher knowing throws up all sorts of issues. It's worrying for any company," she said. "We don't allow people to have pixels on our sites unless we're aware of it. I'd certainly like to make sure we're blocking this," Orradded. Martin Corke, head of digital sales at News Group Newspapers, saidthis kind of practice was "completely unacceptable to us". Guy Phillipson, CEO of the Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB), said, "I haven't heard of the practice before. Our understanding is that behavioural targeting has to be within an agreed network of sites." Ad networks have also spoken out against the practice. Rob Gay, MDof Etype, said, "It's totally illegal. It's gaining access and datafrom sites without ever buying the inventory from them." Damon Reeve, operations director at Unanimis, said, "We've heard about this. There are lots of cheap ad networks out there and this istheir game. It's the kind of tactic used by lower ad networks to compensate for the fact they don't have access to premium inventory." Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and licensors