Privacy & the AppNexus Platform

Platform Privacy Policy

For information regarding our corporate website privacy practices, please click here.

This information and the privacy statement below apply to our online advertising technology platform (the Platform), and will be of general interest to Internet users. If you have any questions about this information, please contact us at privacy@appnexus.com.

Opt Out: To go directly to our opt out, click here

The information and Privacy Statement provided here do not apply to the AppNexus enterprise cloud computing service.

Glossary

Ad Server: An ad server, in its simplest form, is responsible for delivering an ad to be shown in a web page. Today, communications may be sent to several servers in the process of selecting and delivering an ad. This occurs in a matter of milliseconds.
Beacons and Tags: Beacons and tags enable online advertising companies to collect data and serve advertising on web sites by allowing communication between a web browser and an ad server. A beacon (or web beacon) is a small transparent image that is placed on a web page. A tag is a small piece of computer code that is run by the web browser.
Cookie: A cookie is a small text file that is stored in a web browser by a website or ad server. By saving information in a cookie, websites and servers can remember preferences or recognize browsers from one visit to another or from one website to another. (See the Privacy Statement below for information on how AppNexus uses cookies.)
Interest-Based Advertising: Interest-based advertising uses information collected across multiple web sites to predict users' preferences and to show ads that are most likely to be of interest to those users.For example, if a user visits a travel site, they might see travel related ads on another site. AppNexus offers web users choices with respect to the use of the AppNexus Platform for this type of advertising.
PII: Personally Identifiable Information (PII) is information that by itself can be used to identify a specific individual. PII includes such things as name, address, phone number, and email address. AppNexus prohibits its customers from providing PII for use on the AppNexus Platform. (See the Privacy Statement below for more information.)
Non-PII: Non-Personally Identifiable Information is information that cannot by itself be used to identify an individual person. Non-PII includes such things as browser type, operating system, the web address of a web page visited, the time and date a web page was visited, and the web address of the referring page. It may also include the number of times a particular browser has been shown a particular ad, or it may include generic categories indicating inferences that have been made about users' interests.
Real-Time Bidding:Advertising buyers are able to bid in “real time" for the opportunity to show an online advertisement when a web page is loaded by a web browser. The winning bidder gets to show their ad in the web page. Of course, the explanations above are simplified. There are many resources available on the web to learn more about these concepts and online advertising in general. Although we have no responsibility for the content of these sites, we offer the following as good places to start learning:

The AppNexus Platform

AppNexus has created a technology platform (Platform or AppNexus Platform) that our clients use to buy, sell, and deliver online advertising, including interest-based advertising, mostly through real-time bidding.The Platform is designed to enable these advertising purposes through the use of non-PII that may be collected by clients using the Platform, or that clients may acquire from other sources. As described in the Privacy Statement below, AppNexus makes certain uses of the non-PII collected by clients on the Platform.

The AppNexus Platform Cookie Statement

Although the specific cookies may change from time to time, this describes the purposes for which the AppNexus Platform uses cookies. For a detailed description of cookies set by the Platform, see AppNexus Cookies.

  • The Platform uses unique cookies to identify web browsers and to store data for advertising purposes, including interest-based advertising.
  • The Platform uses unique cookies to store ad delivery and reporting data, such as, for example, which ad was shown, the number of times a particular ad has been shown, and how recently an ad has been shown to a particular web browser.
  • The Platform uses unique cookies to track users' responses (clicks and conversions) to ads purchased on the platform.
  • The Platform uses non-unique cookies for server load-balancing and similar technical purposes.
  • The Platform uses non-unique cookies to store users' opt-out choices.
  • The AppNexus Platform is designed to use only non-PII, and AppNexus has contractual provisions that prohibit clients of the Platform from associating Platform cookies with PII.

The AppNexus Platform Privacy Statement

Effective 1 September 2011 This privacy statement describes AppNexus's use practices and policies with regard to the information that is collected on the Platform. It applies only to AppNexus. It does not state the use practices or policies of our clients, of the websites on which ads are shown, or of other parties.

What information do we collect and use? The Platform is designed to collect and use only non-PII. Details.
How do we collect information? The Platform uses cookies, beacons, and tags to collect and store non-PII about web browsers across web sites and over time. Details.
For what purposes do we use the collected information? AppNexus uses the information to provide, operate, manage, maintain, and enhance the Platform. Details.
What information do we share with third parties? Except for data collected on the Platform and provided to clients, partners, and service providers to operate or enhance AppNexus' services, or as required by law, AppNexus does not share the information collected on the Platform with others. Details.
How is the information stored and how long is it kept? The information is stored using generally accepted security standards. It is retained for up to 12 months, and is then aggregated. Details.
What are your choices? Web users may opt out of use of the Platform for interest based advertising. Details.
What happens if this privacy statement is changed? Check this policy for changes. Material changes will not be applied to previously collected information. Details.
Questions? privacy@appnexus.com

What information do we collect and use?

  • PII: AppNexus does not collect or use PII on the Platform, and prohibits clients from collecting or using PII on the Platform.
  • Non-PII: AppNexus makes some uses of non-PII collected on the Platform.

How do we collect information?

  • The Platform uses cookies, beacons and tags to collect non-PII associated with particular web browsers.

For what purposes do we use the information?

  • AppNexus uses the information collected on the Platform to provide, operate, manage, maintain, and enhance the Platform.
  • AppNexus may act as a client of the Platform to engage in its own online advertising of its business.
  • The Platform enables AppNexus's clients to use non-PII they collect to buy and sell online advertising, including interest-based advertising, using real-time bidding.
  • Particular advertising-related purposes for which AppNexus clients may use the non-PII they collect on the platform include:
    • Interest-based advertising (To opt out of interest-based advertising on the Platform, go to the “What are your choices?" section below.)
    • Limiting the number of times a user sees a particular ad
    • Showing ads in a particular sequence
    • Customizing ads to a particular geographic region
    • Showing ads related to the content of the web page on which they are shown
    • Determining when users respond to ads
    • Reporting aggregated statistics regarding, for example, the effectiveness of online advertising campaigns

What information does AppNexus share with third parties?

AppNexus may, to operate or enhance AppNexus's services, provide data collected on the Platform to clients, partners, and service providers. In addition, AppNexus may disclose such information in the event we reasonably suspect malicious activity or believe that we are legally required to do so. AppNexus may also share aggregated data derived from the Platform, including, for example, statistics about Platform activity. Finally, we may transfer Platform data to a successor entity in connection with a corporate merger, consolidation, sale of assets, bankruptcy, or other corporate change.

How is the information stored and how long is it kept?

  • AppNexus uses generally accepted industry security standards on the Platform.
  • Non-PII stored in the platform is retained in the Platform in non-aggregated form for up to 12 months. Aggregated data is used for reporting and analysis, and may be stored in the Platform for up to 2 additional years.

What are your choices?

OPT OUT

  • You can opt out of interest-based advertising.
    • AppNexus Platform Opt Out: You can click below to opt out of having the Platform used to select ads for you based on your online behavior. When you opt out, an opt out cookie (from adnxs.com) will be stored in your web browser. The Platform will know the choice you have made when it sees your opt out cookie, and will apply your choice to all companies’ use of the Platform. If you block or delete the opt out cookie, the Platform will not see your choice.

  • The opt out does not block or delete cookies, or prevent the use of cookies for purposes other than selecting ads based on your online behavior. Ads may be selected in other ways, for example, based on the content of the web page in which they are shown. If you wish to block or delete cookies altogether, you can use web browser settings to do so. See the resources above for more information.
  • To learn more about interest-based advertising, and to access the opt outs of other online advertising companies, visit the Network Advertising Initiative opt out page.

Industry self-regulation

AppNexus supports industry self-regulation, and endorses best practices and self-regulatory requirements that apply to the Platform. AppNexus is a member in good standing of the Network Advertising Initiative (NAI). These industry sites also provide useful information about industry self-regulation of interest-based advertising:

U.S.-E.U. Safe Harbor Framework and U.S.-Swiss Safe Harbor Framework

For personal information we transfer from the European Union to the United States, we adhere to the principles of the U.S.-E.U. Safe Harbor Framework and U.S.-Swiss Safe Harbor Framework, as set forth by the U.S. Department of Commerce (http://export.gov/safeharbor/). For questions or complaints related to the collection, retention, or use of data under either of the Safe Harbor Frameworks, please email privacy@appnexus.com. Unresolved privacy complaints under either of the Safe Harbors will be referred to the American Arbitration Association as an independent dispute resolution mechanism.

What happens if this privacy statement is changed?

We may change this privacy statement at any time. However, if we were to make material changes, those changes would not be applied to information collected prior to such changes.

More questions?

If you have questions about privacy on the AppNexus Platform, you may email us at privacy@appnexus.com.