First IAB Privacy Forum Examines Privacy Issue, PricewaterhouseCoopers Presents Privacy Tutorial

New York, NY - July 5, 2000 - In conjunction with the first of its two online privacy forums, which was held in New York City last week, the Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB) has released its recommended privacy guidelines for its membership. The IAB will present its next Privacy Forum in San Francisco on July 12, at the Nikko Hotel. Open to members and non-members alike, information and registration can be done on the IAB site at www.iab.net.

The guidelines, which are a key part of the IAB's mission to promote Internet advertising and commerce, are intended to enable member organizations to set individual privacy policies (where needed), and set minimum acceptable standards to protect the privacy of users. Members of the IAB will be required to establish (where needed), post, and conform to a privacy policy designed to protect the information that can be associated with an individual's personal identifiable information in an online or electronic advertising environment.

"In effect, we have established a baseline for IAB member companies to ensure the protection of individual's privacy," said Rich LeFurgy, IAB Chairman and General Partner of WaldenVC. "The IAB has been at the forefront of the privacy debate, working with the Privacy Leadership Initiative (PLI), the Online Privacy Alliance and a number of other organizations to define workable and effective policies that can be implemented not only by our members, but by the industry at large. We are grateful to our partners at PricewaterhouseCoopers who have worked so diligently with the IAB in creating these guidelines, and who will be working with our membership on a continuing basis."

Specific member policies can be customized and enhanced as appropriate for each site's particular needs. In order to conform to IAB standards, however, individual members' privacy initiatives will address the following elements:

• Adoption and Implementation of a Privacy Policy
• Notice and Disclosure
• Choice and Consent
• Data Quality and Access
• Limited Use
• Data Security
• Trans-border Data Flows

The full text of the IAB Privacy Guidelines can be found at www.iab.net.

Founded in 1996, the IAB is the leading online advertising association with more than 300 active member companies. Its activities include evaluating and recommending standards and practices, fielding research to document the effectiveness of the online medium, and educating the advertising industry about the use of online advertising. Current membership includes companies that are actively engaged in the sales of Internet advertising, with associate membership including companies that support online advertising - interactive advertising agencies, measurement companies, research suppliers, technology suppliers, traffic companies, and other organizations from related industries. A global organization, IAB member countries include Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Holland, Italy, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. IAB is currently developing membership countries in Asia and Latin America, as well as other countries in Europe. The IAB and the Internet Local Advertising Commerce Association (ILAC) agreed to combine their organizations in July of 1998.

Contact:

Marla Nitke IAB
212-380-4714
marla@iab.net