Tool FAQs

1. WebChoices

2. AppChoices

1. About the WebChoices Tool: What it Does – and Doesn’t – Do

How does the DAAC’s “WebChoices” consumer choice tool work?

Companies that engage in interest-based advertising are required to provide consumers with an easy-to-use mechanism for exercising choice about the collection and use of information covered by the DAAC’s Principles.

WebChoices gathers together in one place the opt-out mechanisms provided by participating companies, offering visitors a “one-stop” platform through which to opt out from the collection of Web-viewing data for interest-based advertising and other applicable uses, by some or all participating companies.

WebChoices also provides useful information about visitors' browser status with respect to interest-based advertising, including information about which participating companies are already customizing ads for a user’s browser.

WebChoices does not, however, provide information about advertising companies that do not participate in the DAAC or DAA US Programs, or provide opt outs to any form of advertising provided by these non-participating companies.

ATTENTION Safari Users - Apple’s Intelligent Tracking Prevention limits our ability to respect opt-out requests as we have in the past. While opt-out still works today, it has a limited life. Unless you regularly return to use our WebChoices tool, the opt-out cookies will be cleared by Apple. In the interim, you can adjust your settings to accept third-party cookies and then opt-out using the WebChoices tool.

The DAAC separately provides the AppChoices app for consumers to control data collected and used across apps on mobile devices by companies participating in that tool.

Will WebChoices block me from receiving any web-based ads or email advertisements?

No. The opt-outs available through the WebChoices tool apply to interest-based advertising and other applicable uses of web-viewing data by participating companies. The opt out choices do not apply to other types of ads provided by these companies, or carry over to ads displayed in mobile apps (for which the DAAC’s AppChoices tool may be used instead for the companies participating in that tool).

For example, even after opting out of interest-based advertising from a participating company, a user may still receive other types of advertising from that company, including ads selected on the basis of the content of the web page ("contextual" ads), or other types of information (for example, demographic or general computer browser location information).

The opt-out choices provided through WebChoices and AppChoices do not apply to electronic email (or “spam”), postal mail, or pop-ups.

Furthermore, opt-out choices via WebChoices are browser- and device-specific, and users seeking to control interest-based advertising on other browsers and devices should repeat WebChoices use on each browser and device they use.

To learn more about how particular websites or applications collect or use data for other types of advertising, users should review the privacy policies of the websites and apps that they visit.

What are opt-out cookies and how do they remember opt-out preferences?

Many online companies use cookies to remember users’ preferences about the collection and use of data. These “opt-out cookies” help the participating companies to “recognize” users who have opted out, and to respect that choice.

When a user exercises choice, those companies place an “opt-out” cookie in the user’s browser to tell the company not to deliver such advertising in future. Opt-out cookies storing such preferences that are placed by companies participating in the DAAC Program have a minimum five-year lifespan, and remain in effect for the user’s browser unless these opt-out cookies are deleted (as can happen if users delete all of their cookies using browser tools). Users should visit WebChoices periodically to review or update their browser preferences or to set preferences for new participating companies.

To prevent accidental deletion of your opt out preferences, the DAAC offers a variety of browser extensions to protect your choices. To download and install the available browser extensions, please visit the DAAC’s Protect My Choices page.

Browser settings such as those that blocks third party or first party cookies interfere with your ability set an opt out cookie.  If you would like to use WebChoices to state your preferences against companies participating in this tool, set your browser to accept third party and first party cookies.

Does opting out stop participating companies from collecting any data?

No. Opting out for a particular browser tells the participating companies to stop engaging in interest-based advertising and other applicable data practices under the DAAC Program. Advertisements not based on interest data – including those based on general location or registration data – will continue to be delivered to the browser.

After you opt out, participating companies and the Websites you visit may continue to collect and use information for other purposes. For example, participating companies may still collect and use advertising data to measure the number of ads served for a particular campaign, to limit the number of times a particular ad is served to a unique browser, for security, or to prevent fraud. In some cases, automated systems will continue to collect other data about browser visits but that data should no longer be used to deliver interest-based advertising to the user.

In addition, data may be collected and used by participating companies and Websites for a variety of purposes unrelated to advertising, including the operation of online products and services, or where the data has or will within a reasonable period of time from collection, go through a de-identification process.

How does the DAAC Program apply to advertising technologies other than HTTP cookies?

The DAAC’s Principles promote enhanced transparency and control across the variety of online platforms used by consumers, and are adaptable to changes in the technologies through which participating companies collect data covered by the Program. The DAAC Principles apply to all technologies companies employ to collect data about consumers’ web-surfing activity in order to serve them ads based on interests inferred from that activity.

Will WebChoices work if my browser is set to block cookies?

No. Your browser must be set to accept third-party cookies in order WebChoices to properly display status results and to set opt-out preferences for your browser. This page shows how to adjust the browser settings of commonly used browsers.

Safari and Firefox browser users may experience default settings that currently interfere with how cookies work, and must first reset to accept cookies before using WebChoices. This includes the opt-out cookies set by the WebChoices tool for participating companies. To set your preferences successfully through WebChoices while using Safari, please go to your device’s settings and tap the following: “Safari > Preferences > Privacy”; and uncheck “Prevent cross-site tracking.” After you change this setting, go back to WebChoices and run the tool again.

Does using WebChoices on one device or browser set preferences for every computer or device that I use?

No. The opt-out preferences set by WebChoices are associated with the browser and device that you use to set those preferences, not with all the browsers and devices that you use collectively as an individual. When you use a different browser, or a different device, you will need to revisit WebChoices to review your status and set your preferences for that browser and device.  In addition, for apps in the mobile environment, you will need to separately set preferences for each different device you use. Please visit our AppChoices tool for cross-app data collection choice.

Additionally, there are cross-device protections when using WebChoices (or AppChoices). Setting a WebChoices opt-out on a particular device or browser does prevent data collection on that device or browser for interest-based advertising from being used on another device or browser elsewhere. Additionally, data collected on other devices or browsers for interest-based advertising may not be applied on any device or browser where a WebChoices (or AppChoices) opt-out has been applied.

Where can I find out more detail about the participating companies?

Each of the companies participating in the DAAC WebChoices or AppChoices tools furnishes information about its business and privacy practices. This information can include additional privacy preference management tools for other services provided by the company, or ad interest managers. To review the information provided by a particular participating company, click on the company name listed in WebChoices or in AppChoices.

Do these FAQs address every business practice and technology used by companies participating in the DAAC Program?

The goal of these FAQs is to provide an easy-to-read overview of the key aspects of the DAAC Program and its choice tools. Given the rapidly changing technology environment, we may need to update this page from time to time, so please check back for additional information on the Program and these tools.

2. About the AppChoices App: What it Does – and Doesn’t – Do

How do I exercise an interest-based advertising choice using AppChoices?

To opt out for a particular company, set the Choice Status button located next to a participating company’s logo to “Off.”  Select “Choose All” to opt out from all the listed companies within the AppChoices application.

Important things to remember about opt outs made through AppChoices follow in this Q&A.

What is the scope of a choice made using AppChoices?

Any opt-out choice made using AppChoices on a device applies to interest-based advertising and other applicable uses of cross-app data on that same device by companies participating in AppChoices. You may still receive other types of advertising – such as generic ads – in your apps from companies participating in AppChoices, and those companies may still collect information for other purposes consistent with the DAAC Principles.

Your mobile operating system (such as iOS or Android) may provide you with other tools for the control of app advertising customization, including for companies that do not participate in AppChoices.

Your opt-out choices also will apply to the collection and use of data from apps on a device to customize ads in other browsers or devices by participating companies. Additionally, these choices will apply to data collected by participating companies from other browsers or devices for use in apps on a device for interest-based advertising and other applicable uses. Thus, using AppChoices on any given device prevents cross-app data collection for interest-based advertising from entering or exiting the device.

What happens if I reset the advertising ID of my mobile device’s settings – will it have any impact on the choices I’ve made using AppChoices?

Yes. If you use your settings to reset this device’s mobile operating system advertising ID, you will also need to reset the preferences you had selected previously in AppChoices. Simply, reopen the AppChoices app, and reset your choices – for each participating company or all participating companies – accordingly.

Do the choices I make on AppChoices affect data collection for interest-based advertising when using mobile and desktop browsers on the same device?

No. To separately make choices about customized advertising for a Web browser on any one device or browser (such as Chrome, Safari) please visit the WebChoices tool using your browser of choice. This step may be repeated for each device and browser you may use.

I’ve set my preferences using AppChoices – why am I still seeing ads inside apps?

AppChoices is designed to halt cross-app data collection to serve interest-based ads. In place of interest-based ads, generic ads are served so that the app content you are accessing can be paid for by advertising.