Privacy Watchdog Brings Etsy into Compliance with Digital Advertising Privacy Best Practices

McLean, VA – October 10, 2023 - BBB National Programs’ data privacy watchdog, the Digital Advertising Accountability Program (DAAP), has brought Etsy Inc.’s website and mobile application into compliance with the Digital Advertising Alliance’s (DAA) Self-Regulatory Principles for online interest-based advertising. 

Etsy is a New York-based e-commerce company known for its online marketplace of vintage and handmade goods, operating through etsy.com and mobile apps. DAAP also reviewed Etsy’s online platforms in 2015. 

As part of its ongoing monitoring activity and to ensure ongoing compliance, DAAP revisits companies and their products previously reviewed. 

While examining Etsy's website as well as its mobile application, DAAP identified issues with transparency, enhanced notice, and consumer access to exercise control over data collection for interest-based advertising (IBA). In addition, in the Etsy mobile application, DAAP identified issues violating the first-party cross-app provisions of the DAA Principles Mobile Guidance. 

In response to DAAP’s inquiry, Etsy conducted a comprehensive review of its compliance with the DAA Principles to identify areas in its compliance protocols that needed strengthening. After consulting with DAAP on its plan to come into compliance, Etsy committed to completing the following actions: 

• Changing the “interest-based ads” website footer link to redirect users to a specific section of the Cookie Policy titled “Interest-based Ads & Marketing Services.” 
• Significantly editing the IBA section to bring all elements of DAA enhanced notice together, including a description of Etsy’s third-party IBA practices, a link to, and description of, industry-developed IBA opt-out tools, and a statement of adherence to the DAA Principles.
• Adding language at the top of its privacy policy that reads “Learn more about interest-based advertising and your choices, here” with a hyperlink that takes users directly to the “Interest-based Ads & Marketing Services” section of the privacy policy to ensure users could easily access this information from the application store pages in the app store. 

In its statement, Etsy stated “At Etsy, we care deeply about privacy and strive to be transparent about our practices with our community of buyers and sellers. We appreciate the opportunity to participate in the DAA's Accountability Program and are pleased with the Program's recognition that Etsy is compliant with its self-regulatory requirements."

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.