DAAP Decisions and Guidance

Case Resolution Process

DAAP reviews the practices of companies collecting and using information across websites and over time to tailor ads to consumers’ interests and for other purposes covered by the Self-Regulatory Principles for Online Behavioral Advertising, the Self-Regulatory Principles for Multi-Site Data, and the Application of Self-Regulatory Principles to the Mobile Environment (collectively the Principles).

  • DAAP may, in its discretion, send the company of an identified compliance issue a letter of inquiry asking the company to demonstrate its compliance with the Principle or Principles at issue.
  • Once the company responds, if DAAP determines that further review is warranted, it will begin a formal review process. 
  • At the end of the formal review, DAAP will publicly release a decision detailing the nature of the review and its outcome. 
  • Decisions will provide guidance on the requirements of the Principles at issue for all companies in the advertising ecosystem subject to these requirements. Decisions will also discuss a company’s efforts to implement DAAP’s recommendations to come into compliance with the Principles, as appropriate.
  • If a company fails to participate, DAAP will issue a press release detailing the facts and the company’s response to the inquiry. In addition, DAAP may, in its discretion, refer the matter to the appropriate government agency for further action.
  • DAAP may choose to administratively dispose of the inquiry or, rarely, to administratively close the case.

Program Guidance

DAAP may, in its discretion, issue a Compliance Warning or general Compliance Guidance prior to formal enforcement. 

Decisions

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

Administrative Closures

Administrative closures are numbered for the record and generally provide insight into the nature of the inquiry and why it was closed, but the names of the companies involved are not publicly available.

2025

2024

2023

Case Number 126-2023 
Administrative Closure 4.10.2023

2020

Case Number 119-2020 
Administrative Closure 9.10.2020 

2019

2017

2016

Case Number 60-2016 
Administrative Closure 1.14.16  

2015

2013

First Party Enhanced Notice 
Consolidated Administrative Closures 10.14.13  

Administrative Dispositions

Administrative dispositions are issued when an inquiry determines a company was already engaged in efforts to bring its practices into compliance with the Principles at the time the formal review was initiated. An administrative disposition is a short document that states the nature of the inquiry and the reasons for its disposition. Administrative dispositions are made public.

2018

Formal Review 88.2018 
Company: Penske Media Corporation 

2015

Formal Review 57.2015 
Company: Outbrain, Inc.

2014

Formal Review 35.2014 
Company: MediaMind Technologies, Inc.

2013

Formal Review 29.2013 
Company: Volkswagen of America, Inc.  

2012