Canada’s telecom regulator has dismissed a complaint against BCE Inc.’s targeted online advertising program, which was originally structured so that users had to opt out of having their online behaviour tracked and used for marketing purposes.
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) issued a ruling Tuesday stating that since BCE has withdrawn its “Relevant Ads” program – which delivered third-party ads targeted at mobile users’ interests based on their browsing habits – the issues raised in a complaint by a consumer group were moot.
In April, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner (OPC) revealed the results of a lengthy investigation into the program and recommended that BCE give users the chance to opt in to having their browsing habits tracked rather than automatically tracking them unless they take steps to actively opt out of it.
CHRISTINE DOBBY – Globe and Mail – Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2015.
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