Privacy Watchdog Brings Funeral Company into Compliance with Ad Privacy Best Practices

For Immediate Release
Contact: Abby Hills, Director of Communications, BBB National Programs

703.247.9330 / press@bbbnp.org

McLean, VA – February 2, 2022 – BBB National Programs’ data privacy watchdog, the Digital Advertising Accountability Program (DAAP), brought 13 websites for funeral, cremation, and cemetery services provider Service Corporation International (SCI) into compliance with the Digital Advertising Alliance’s (DAA) Self-Regulatory Principles. 

DAAP monitors the digital marketplace for compliance with digital advertising best practices. As part of its ongoing monitoring activity, DAAP conducted a full review of the company’s websites. Finding signs of data collection for interest-based advertising on several of SCI’s sites without the enhanced notice of background data collection required by the DAA Principles, DAAP contacted the company about its privacy practices. 

SCI responded to DAAP’s inquiry and worked to reach compliance with the DAA Principles. The company: 

  • Added an enhanced notice link, in the form of the DAA’s AdChoices icon, to each of its websites.
  • Modified its privacy policy to include a discussion of data collection, links to opt-out tools, and lists of third-party cookies on its sites.
  • Added a statement of adherence to the DAA Principles to its privacy policies.

 

“Enhanced notice of third parties collecting data on a website for interest-based advertising is critically important to inform users regarding their information use and choices,” said Mary K. Engle, Executive Vice President, Policy, BBB National Programs. “We thank SCI for its efforts to prioritize end-user privacy.”

All BBB National Programs case decision summaries can be found in the case decision library. For the full text of DAAP decisions, visit the DAAP Decisions and Guidance webpage.

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About BBB National Programs:  BBB National Programs is where businesses turn to enhance consumer trust and consumers are heard. The non-profit organization creates a fairer playing field for businesses and a better experience for consumers through the development and delivery of effective third-party accountability and dispute resolution programs. Embracing its role as an independent organization since the restructuring of the Council of Better Business Bureaus in June 2019, BBB National Programs today oversees more than a dozen leading national industry self-regulation programs, and continues to evolve its work and grow its impact by providing business guidance and fostering best practices in arenas such as advertising, child-directed marketing, and privacy. To learn more, visit bbbprograms.org.

About the Digital Advertising Accountability Program: The Digital Advertising Accountability Program (DAAP), a division of BBB National Programs, was developed by the Digital Advertising Alliance (DAA) to enforce industry self-regulation principles for data privacy in online and mobile advertising, holding companies accountable to the DAA’s Privacy Principles. DAAP provides guidance to companies looking to comply with industry principles and responds to complaints filed by consumers about online privacy. 

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