The document discusses privacy concerns regarding targeted mobile advertising and how user information is collected. It notes that while mobile advertising provides benefits, some users worry about personal information being collected and shared without permission. It suggests ways for mobile operators to address these concerns, such as obtaining information sensitively, giving users opt-in options, securing stored data, and creating strong privacy policies to maintain user trust in the operator.

1. Targeting Privacy
in Mobile Advertising

2. Targeting Privacy in How Is Information for Targeting Collected?
Mobile Advertising The operator has a number of ways to collect information
that can be used to create user profiles for targeting ads.
Some of these capabilities are unique to the mobile industry,
Addressing Privacy Concerns of Subscribers Who Get and this can give operators an advantage in the competition
Mobile Ads for advertisers. Information-gathering methods may include:
The many benefits of mobile advertising for the parties • Volunteered Information: Users can volunteer
involved are well-documented. Advertisers can gain effective information by filling out mobile ad participation forms
and economical new ways to reach consumers; operators with their interests, etc. This may in some cases be a
can benefit from new sources of income and new revenue highly valuable method of obtaining relevant information.
streams. Users can get options for attractive valuable benefits,
such as discounted and free services. • Demographic Information: The operator network
knows key information about its subscribers, including
Mobile advertising has many admirers — but it also has its gender, age, occupation, home location and more.
detractors. One of the most mentioned objections to mobile
advertising is that it may invade individual privacy. • Phone and Billing Information: This includes the
type of handset, bandwidth speed, payment plan and
This article discusses mobile advertising privacy concerns method, usage information, amount spent on various
and suggests ways to try to address those concerns. types of services, what services are being used and how
often, etc.
Targeting Raises Concerns Regarding Mobile
Advertising and Privacy • Location Information: The operator can know exactly
where a subscriber is, how fast the subscriber is moving,
Mobile advertising can be targeted, which means that it is
roaming status, etc.
tailored to user interests. This makes it more valuable to
advertisers than untargeted advertising because advertisers • Contextual Information: Mobile Internet banners,
can more successfully reach their prime market and get for example, can be based on the website visited,
better results. Getting the right ad to the right person messaging advertising can be based on topics
(matching people with the ads most relevant to them) can mentioned in the messages
boost click-through rates and return more value for the
advertising dollar. • Behavioral Information: The operator can track user
behavior by means of keywords, sites visited and deep
Mobile ad targeting engines require information about packet inspection, which gives detailed information
users. Collection and manipulation of user information, about the user’s Web activity.
together with the possibility of sharing that information, may
raise privacy concerns; some users may fear that personal Information gathered by the above methods can be used
information is being gathered without permission. to determine the optimal content and delivery method for
advertising.
Beyond that, if personal information is shared, then the user
may be exposed to various forms of unsolicited contact Preserving the Bond of Trust
from other parties or spam. Moreover, although the mobile
phone is a private device, other people sometimes borrow In order to try to address user privacy concerns, operators
the device or otherwise glance at the screen. Users have can make it clear to all that respect for privacy is a core
private interests that they don’t always want to share with principle, and take steps intended to ensure that privacy is
others, and these interests could theoretically be reflected in safeguarded. These steps may include, for example:
targeted ads and seen by others who borrow the device or
glance at the screen.
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3. • Sensitivity and Selectivity: Obtaining ample information That is why many mobile operators have been
for accurate targeting without using information- exceedingly proactive in constructing guidelines and
collecting methods that might cause consumer concern, best-practice recommendations for mobile advertising.
such as deep packet inspection.
• Opt In: Giving users the option to choose to participate
in mobile advertising in order to receive incentives and
other benefits. Users opting in could be given access to
information about how data for targeting is collected and
assurances that all privacy principles are strictly adhered
to. One possibility may be to allow interested users to
select the degree of targeting that they want applied.
• Storage and Usage: Securing and controlling any
storage and usage of data.
• No Peeking: Assuring the user that targeting engines
only – and not human eyes on the operator end – will
see the information. Systems could be configured in
such a way that they use the data but do not recognize
or identify individuals.
• Privacy Policies: Being in the forefront of creating (and
adhering to) appropriate privacy policies.
Caring Partners Care about User Privacy
Operators (and advertisers) want to be seen as caring
partners in the ecosystem who protect the privacy of their
consumers. Done correctly, targeting leads to a positive user
experience that can benefit all parties.
Operators should be eager to protect user privacy because
this is a key foundation of the trusted operator-subscriber
relationship. Maintaining the trust that is the basis of that
relationship can result in benefits to the operator such as
high rates of user participation in mobile advertising, the
confidence of advertisers, the loyalty of subscribers, and the
preservation of the operator’s good name.
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enabling value-added services for voice, messaging, mobile Internet
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