Privacy Initiatives

Advancing privacy best practices and operating independent, third-party accountability programs to help businesses and consumers navigate the digital marketplace


Businesses that collect personal information understand the critical need to comply with privacy and data protection laws. But from small startups to global enterprises, some businesses choose to do more: leading the way by demonstrating their embrace of privacy standards and best practices that set the tone for their industry.

 

BBB National Programs works with individual companies, industry groups, and regulators to develop, monitor, and enforce robust privacy standards. Our trusted privacy programs deliver independent accountability for privacy promises, whether built on self-regulatory principles or legal requirements, tailored to respond to the unique privacy challenges presented by specific data types, like children’s data, or use cases, such as emerging technologies and cross-border transfers.

 

Together our programs drive the adoption of unified privacy practices, facilitate consumer education and choice, and offer consumers accessible, no-cost privacy dispute resolution. Looking to the future, where new regulations and technologies bring new privacy challenges, BBB National Programs brings together stakeholders to craft enforceable and fair mechanisms that protect consumers in the marketplace, and enable responsible businesses to compete on trust and accountability. 

 

To learn more about our work—and to join in the effort—please check out the programs, initiatives, and resources below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Global Privacy Division

Through BBB National Programs’ Global Privacy Division, businesses show their partners and customers that they put privacy first, no matter where they operate. Our programs serve as key elements of frameworks like the Cross-Border Privacy Rules and Privacy Shield, bridging gaps between divergent privacy and data protection regimes. 

 

Thought Leadership 

Blog

Getting Certified: Cisco Demonstrates Dedication to Customer Success through APEC Privacy Compliance

Cisco is an example of how a global company must navigate a variety of legal privacy regimes, while also being dedicated to leading the way on data privacy to maintain and further enhance a trusted relationship with its customers. To thread this needle, Cisco has chosen to rely on a third-party privacy certification offered by our team at BBB National Programs.
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Blog

Independent Privacy Certifications: The Scalable Solution for Vendor Due Diligence

As a responsible business, you have an obligation to properly vet and monitor the privacy practices of your suppliers and vendors. The reason is simple: you could be held legally and financially liable for their improper data protection practices. And while vendor privacy due diligence can be a Herculean task, it doesn’t have to be this way.
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Blog

When Web Designs Turn Into Dark Patterns And What To Do About It

Recently I wrote about the proliferation of dark patterns and tried to give readers a sense of just how widespread these practices are. But it is not just the pervasiveness of dark patterns that has lawmakers and regulators concerned, it is the intent behind them and their impact on consumers. Nonprofit leaders, in particular, should be aware of this and how to guard against it given that they are well-positioned to garner and enhance consumer trust.
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Blog

Leveraging Independent Accountability to Enhance Privacy Tech in Your Compliance Strategy

No matter the size of your business, making data privacy a priority is a key component of maintaining the trust of your customers, investors, and the public at large. To assist businesses in complying with the proliferation of different privacy laws, privacy technology platforms have grown exponentially. These tools are critical, however deploying the right privacy tech solutions can only get you part of the way in achieving a successful compliance strategy. The next step? Demonstrate to your stakeholders your business’ accountability – and commitment – to its privacy policies and practices.
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Podcast

The Past and Future of Privacy Accountability: Is CBPR a Model?

Listen to the latest episode of The Accountability Studio for an informative conversation on the cross-border privacy rules (CBPR) system, a voluntary framework with a global impact. BBB National Programs Director of Global Privacy Initiatives Josh Harris, and Sam Schofield, International Trade Specialist, Global Data Privacy, share their knowledge on the purpose and vision of the...
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Podcast

The Perfect Storm for Privacy and Adtech: How the End of the Cookie Era Will Reshape the Digital Marketplace

Many privacy professionals see the depletion of third-party cookies, paired with several technological, political, and cultural factors, as the perfect storm for privacy and adtech – one that will bring about fundamental changes to the advertising industry and the broader digital marketplace. In this episode,...

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Latest Announcements

Press Release

Children’s Advertising Review Unit Issues Revised Guidelines for Responsible Advertising to Children, Effective January 1, 2022

McLean, VA – July 29, 2021 – BBB National Programs’ Children’s Advertising Review Unit (CARU) today announced the issuance of the revised CARU Advertising Guidelines, widely recognized industry standards to assure that advertising directed to children is not deceptive, unfair, or inappropriate for its intended...

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Press Release

BBB National Programs Adds FTC Veteran Mamie Kresses as Vice President, Children’s Advertising Review Unit (CARU)

McLean, VA – April 12, 2021 – BBB National Programs, the independent non-profit organization that oversees more than a dozen industry self-regulation and dispute resolution programs, today announced the hire of FTC veteran Mamie Kresses as Vice President, Children’s Advertising Review Unit (CARU). Kresses moves from the...

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Decision

Children’s Advertising Review Unit Recommends IMC Toys Include “Non-Edible” Disclosure in Cry Babies Magic Tears Tutti Frutti Doll Advertisement

New York, NY – May 27, 2021 – The Children’s Advertising Review Unit (CARU) recommended that IMC Toys USA Inc. modify its television advertisement promoting the Cry Babies Magic Tears Tutti Frutti doll to include a clear and conspicuous disclosure that children should not consume the jell-like...

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Decision

Children’s Advertising Review Unit Determines Development Platform Unity Did Not Have Actual Knowledge of Ad SDK Data Collection in Child-Directed Apps

McLean, VA – April 28, 2021 – The Children’s Advertising Review Unit (CARU), a division of BBB National Programs, determined that Unity Technologies did not have actual knowledge, as defined by the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and CARU’s Guidelines for Online Privacy...

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Events

Kidvertising 101

Kidvertising 101 is a one-day workshop providing attendees with hands-on education. This year the event is dedicated to the new Children’s Advertising Review Unit (CARU) Advertising Guidelines, recent ...
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Oct 13, 2021 Virtual

IAPP Privacy. Security. Risk. 2021

Josh Harris, Director, Global Privacy Initiatives, BBB National Programs will speak on the The Evolution of Privacy Policymaking in the U.S. Government
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Oct 21, 2021 San Diego

PrivacyCollective 2021

Register now for this year’s PrivacyCollective, where attendees will discuss whether AI can build consumer trust, ethical design and human-first privacy, and explore today's pressing privacy challenge ...
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Dec 01, 2021 Hybrid