Advertiser Tracking Cookies: There ARE Ways To Opt Out – Here’s How

Behind some of the world’s biggest brands, there are agencies driving their online ads. You’ve probably never heard of most of them, yet they’re constantly collecting data about your habits to guide their advertising campaigns. In turn, they also track your behavior to customize the ads you see.

While all of this tracking is anonymous, there are elements of the technology that make some people uncomfortable. Specifically, many networks use unique user numbers in cookies as well as your IP address to track you as an individual across partner sites. These cookies can see how you interact with different websites, and can even link your different devices together. That gives the advertisers a lot of data about your browsing habits and preferences, and they use this data for commercial gain.

If you don’t want these companies to track you, you have the option to opt out and protect your privacy. Each provider must provide an opt-out procedure, and that’s what we’re going to cover in this guide.

98 Ways to Opt Out

Dozens of networks have already signed up to the Network Advertising Initiative, or NAI. The NAI website should be your first stop on your journey to online privacy. From here, you can see the programs that are participating and figure out which ones you’ve opted out of already. It does this by scanning the cookies on your device.

If you want to opt out of these tracking programs, you’ll need to pick through the list to figure out the procedure for each one. We’ve made this easier by collecting the specific opt-out procedures in one convenient list:

1. 33Across: 33Across supports more than half a million companies in tracking more than a billion customers on social sites. Opt-out of all 33Across campaigns via the Opt-Out Status page on its website.
2. Accuen: Using programmatic advertising controls, Accuen lets advertisers vary the way their ads are displayed in real time. There’s a full explanation of its opt-out policy on this page.
3. AcuityAds: AcuityAds has offices across North America, and offers sophisticated ad targeting tools. To opt-out, head to the Opting Out section in its Privacy Policy.
4. Adara: This provider blends location data with ads to offer precise targeting for travel companies. Opt-out of its program by visiting the Adara privacy policy, and skipping to the section titled “How to Opt Out.”
5. Adblade: NBC, Fox, and USAToday are just three of Adblade’s news clients. Its technology delivers targeted ads to visitors on news and media sites. You can opt-out of AdBlade’s interest-based advertising. Use its Opt-Out tool to customize your preferences.
6. AddThis: Most web users will have seen AddThis’ share widgets in action. They allow readers to quickly share links to different platforms. In return, you consent to your data being used anonymously. To opt-out of allowing your data to be harvested, visit its Targeting Opt-Out page. (Once Oracle completes its acquisition of AddThis, you’ll need to visit the Oracle Marketing Cloud privacy policy instead.)
7. Adobe Marketing Cloud: Marketers can deliver adverts to Adobe’s various products by using its Marketing Cloud solution. Use its opt-out page to set your preferences for interest-based ads. You can also opt out of having your data collected on the same page.
8. AdRoll: AdRoll is a retargeting platform, which advertisers use to market products that you’ve already viewed on another site. It collects anonymous data, but you can opt out of this by following the instructions in section 5 of its privacy policy.
9. Aggregate Knowledge: This provider is responsible for harvesting behavioral data that advertisers can use to personalize their ads. Opt out of this via the Transparency and Choice section of its privacy policy document.
10. AOL Advertising: AOL delivers interest-based ads via its various websites, apps, and portals. To set your preferences, head to AOL’s privacy pages and scroll down to the last section. There are different controls for cookies, logged in users, and mobile device preferences.
11. AppNexus: AppNexus lets advertisers bid for ad space in real time, and it collects anonymous data to drive its platform. If you prefer not to be tracked, visit its Opt-Out page.
12. Arbor: This provider tracks users across all of their devices so that advertisers can deliver content relevant to their habits. To opt out, visit Pippio.com.
13. Atlas Solutions: Atlas helps companies to understand how consumers are responding to their ads. Facebook owns the company. Opt-out instructions are not presented as clearly as we’d like, but you’ll find out more by following the instructions on its website.
14. AudienceScience: As the name suggests, AudienceScience specialises in measuring consumer preferences. It has separate opt-out tools for the USA, Europe, and mobile devices.
15. BAM–X: BAM-X is another real time bidding platform for companies buying ad space in real time. Its opt-out instructions are clear and simple: you’ll find them at the top of its Privacy Policy.
16. Bazaarvoice: Bazaarvoice works with some of the largest brands in the US, like Best Buy, Proctor and Gamble and Panasonic. To stop Bazaarvoice from collecting your data: go to the Opting Out section on its Privacy Policy page.
17. BlueCava: BlueCava lets advertisers identify users and profile them, based on tracking cookie data. It tracks everything from set top boxes to games consoles. Opt out by clicking the link in the privacy policy intro.
18. BlueKai: By claiming to be the largest online data exchange, BlueKai claims its position as a true Big Data provider. Decline to participate by visiting the privacy controls for its parent company, Oracle. You will find ad preferences in the Marketing Cloud section.
19. Brightroll: Specializing in video advertising, Brightroll covers mobile, desktop, and TV content. Opt out of its data collection activities by visiting the Yahoo! Ad Interest Manager.
20. ChoiceStream: ChoiceStream works with targeted ad technology to deliver personalized content. Opt out of its user tracking at Overview of ChoiceStream Services.
21. Choozle: This solution maps real time consumer data to advertising campaigns. It explains its opt-out controls on its Privacy Policy page.
22. Circulate: Web and app developers use Circulate to integrate ads into their products. It collects data about users to guide ad delivery. You can bypass its cookies by following its opt-out process.
23. Collective: Working with both display ads and video, Collective provides audience data to guide campaigns. This global company gathers massive amounts of information about user habits. Opt out of its data collection activities by following the instructions in the Choice and Opt-Out section of its privacy page.
24. Conversant: This provider’s tagline is ‘Power of Personal’, and it gathers user data to provide targeted advertising. Opt out by visiting the privacy policy, then scrolling down to ‘Your Choices’.
25. Criteo: Criteo works with 11,000 publishers and 8,500 advertisers worldwide. It provides a clear opt-out control under User Choices on its privacy policy page.
26. Cross Pixel: Cross Pixel lets advertisers work from one crowdsourced pool of user data. You can prevent it from tracking your online activity by following the instructions in section 1 of its Privacy Policy.
27. DataLogix: This provider uses consumer data to bridge online and offline sales activity. You can stop it from using your data by opting out. DataLogix has its own Privacy Policy, but once it’s acquired by Oracle, it will be covered by Oracle’s own Marketing Cloud privacy policy.
28. DataXu: DataXu is a programmatic advertising platform that measures the effectiveness of the ads it serves. Set your opt-out preferences via its Data Collection Platform privacy controls page.
29. Datonics: Datonics is based in NYC and holds massive amounts of data describing user behavior. Its opt-out controls are handled by NAI, but you can read its full policy wording here.
30. Defy Media: Defy Media is responsible for various outlets and YouTube channels, and also runs its own ad network. Stop Defy Media from tracking you by following the instructions on its Online Tracking and Advertising Opt-Out page.
31. Drawbridge: Using its cross channel tracking technology, Drawbridge collects data from both mobile and desktop devices. It has the ability to track the same person on different devices using sophisticated tracking cookies. Stop this from happening by opting out on its Data Choices page.
32. Dstillery: Dstillery is another company that specializes in cross channel tracking. It has a clear, simple global opt-out section within its Privacy Policy document.
33. eXelate: This provider harvests anonymous data to allow advertisers to “monitor each pixel.” Prevent your data from being collected via the ‘How We Use Collected Information’ chapter on this page.
34. Exponential Interactive: Exponential Interactive informs marketers on how to target customers effectively with their ads. It reaches 450 million users per month. Stop it from tracking you here: Exponential Interactive Privacy Policy.
35. Eyeota: Eyeota is another interest-based advertising provider. Click the Opt Out button at the bottom of this page to stop it tracking your behavior.
36. eyeReturn: This Canadian company offers an advertising platform to target ads effectively. Opt-out at this page.
37. Eyeview: Focusing on video content, Eyeview creates personalized brand messaging for its clients. To prevent Eyeview from collecting anonymous data about you, visit this page, and scroll to Your Choices.
38. Ezakus: More than 100 advertisers, and 150 publishers, use Ezakus to deliver their ads. This global Big Data provider is constantly monitoring anonymous users online. Prevent it from tracking your activity by clicking the gray opt-out button within its Privacy Policy.
39. Flashtalking: With offices in the US and Europe, Flashtalking is a global ad provider. It works with search, social, mobile, and affiliate ads to understand how users behave, and serve ads in response. Opt out of cookie tracking in the Advertising Cookies section of its Privacy Policy.
40. Gamut: With a variety of different ad solutions, Gamut hopes to deliver relevant content across different platforms and in different regions. It has a dedicated Consumer Opt-Out Policy page.
41. Google: Arguably the big daddy of online ads, Google makes millions from its Display Network, ad exchange, and related products. It also owns DoubleClick, one of the largest and most well-known advertising platforms in the world. Thankfully, its opt-out procedure is one of the best we’ve seen. Read all about it here.
42. GumGum: Using in-image, video, display, and mobile ads, GumGum aims to deliver the most relevant content at the perfect moment in the customer journey. Stop its tracking cookies from monitoring your browsing on its Ad Choices page.
43. IgnitionOne: IgnitionOne, and its subsidiary, Netmining, is a cross channel advertising specialist. Read about its opt-out procedure for both companies here.
44. Index: This ad exchange offers real time delivery adjustments for advertisers. Control your preferences via its Privacy Policy page.
45. Innovid: Innovid is an established provider of advertising solutions, and it specializes in serving ads via interactive video. It has a simple opt-out procedure.
46. Intent Media: Designed specifically for ecommerce websites, Intent Media’s technology displays targeted ads alongside product pages. Stop it from tracking your browsing habits by scrolling to the Choice/ Opt-Out section of its Privacy Policy.
47. Kargo Global: This platform is designed to control the display of ads on mobile. Opt out instantly using the button on this page.
48. KBM Group: KBM Group is another ad platform that uses Big Data to drive its solutions. The opt-out process is not clearly presented, but you can prevent KBM Group from using your data by visiting the KBM Group Interactive Opt-Out page.
49. Krux Digital: Krux Digital uses harvested data to support its clients advertising objectives, and it has a clear opt-out policy on its website at Opt-Out.
50. LinkedIn: LinkedIn has its own ad tracking technology that monitors behavior to target its ads. Its opt-out information and process can be found on its Advertising Preferences page.
51. LiveRail: This massive advertising platform is owned by Facebook, and serves more than 25 percent of the world’s online video ads. Find out how you can opt out of tracking here: About Ads/.
52. Lotame Solutions: Crowd Control by Lotame Solutions matches ads to relevant publishers. It only uses the data it collects for 9 months. If you’re still not happy to participate, opt out using its dedicated Opt-Out and Preference Manager.
53. Madison Logic: This provider offers content consumption monitoring, which essentially means that it tracks your movements once you’ve expressed interest in a business. If you don’t want this to happen, read the Cookies / Tracking Technologies section of its Privacy Policy for further instructions.
54. Magnetic: This retargeting platform uses your search history to customize the ads that you see. If you don’t want your data to be used in this way, you can opt out.
55. Markit On Demand: This provider works mainly within the financial services market. Opt out of being tracked at their Advertising Privacy Policy.
56. MaxPoint Interactive: MaxPoint Interactive helps advertisers to boost sales in store, rather than online. It does this by tracking you based on your location. Switch off data harvesting using the information at the top of its Privacy Policy.
57. Media Innovation Group: Also referred to as MIG, this company offers ad delivery and optimization. Locate the User Choice section on this page, and you’ll find a small opt-out button.
58. Media.Net: Control your Media.Net tracking preferences via Privacy Policy.
59. MediaMath: MediaMath lets brands automate the delivery of online ads, using your data to increase relevance. Opt out using the web-based method on this page.
60. MediaForge: MediaForge says that it uses retargeting to make ads more interactive. You can stop it from tracking you by using the information in its policy document.
61. Microsoft Advertising: Microsoft uses your behavior and preferences to customize the ads you see across its many websites. You can prevent this by opting out of its program. Visit its Opt-Out page for more information. Note that this page also describes how to turn off interest-based advertising in Microsoft’s various Windows applications.
62. Mode Media: This platform is designed to help people share, curate and enjoy content. It claims to reach more than 250 million users each month. Prevent it from tracking you by using this opt-out procedure.
63. NetSeer: This company uses concepts to link user preferences with ad content and topics. It has a very clear opt-out switch, right on its homepage. Visit their site and scroll down to the footer. The switch is on the right-hand side.
64. Neustar: Providing marketing analytics and optimization tools, Neustar brings online and offline campaigns together. To opt out, see their privacy policy.
65. Optimatic Media: Optimatic specializes in video advertising. Its Privacy Policy is here (pdf), but its process is clumsy; you’ll need to opt out by sending an email to [email protected], or writing to the company via snail mail.
66. OwnerIQ: This provider uses a method called ownership targeting, which is designed to serve ads based on the things you buy, or are shopping for. It claims to deliver ads across 90 percent of the web. Remove its tracking cookies on the Opt Out of Targeting page on its website.
67. Parrable: Parrable helps its clients to track individuals on different devices, although it doesn’t collect identifiable data about them. It has a dedicated opt-out page here.
68. PointRoll: The main aim of PointRoll is to engage consumers more effectively through ads. The company has been acquired by Sizmek, so you can opt out using the Sizmek privacy controls.
69. Proclivity Media: Proclivity Media has developed advertising solutions for advertisers in fashion and lifestyle markets. It calculates the likely value of a visitor, and displays ads based on that data. On its Privacy Policy page, you’ll find a blue opt-out button that will prevent it from tracking you in this way.
70. PubMatic: PubMatic has designed its solution to support publishers by automatically increasing the value of ads, based on demand. It has a dedicated opt-out page.
71. Pulpo Media: Specializing in Hispanic content, Pulpo Media lets advertisers track people as individuals or in segments. Prevent it from harnessing data about you by reading section 5 of its Privacy Policy.
72. Pulsepoint: Pulsepoint uses cookies to measure reaction to ads. If you want to opt out of this activity, it recommends that you use the NAI website to set the appropriate cookies.
73. Quantcast: This well-known provider harnesses vast amounts of data and converts it into audience profiles. Stop Quantcast from using your data in this way: see the How to Opt Out section on this page.
74. RadiumOne: A programmatic advertising provider that pools data from web and mobile users. Stop it from including you in its dataset via its Opt Out instructions, here.
75. RhythmOne: RhythmOne provides mobile and desktop advertising solutions. Opt-out by following this link, and clicking Opt-out of RhythmOne. A 5-year cookie will be immediately saved on your computer.
76. Rocket Fuel: This provider works with US brands to deliver interest-based ads through Google ADX and similar exchanges. Opt out by visiting its privacy page and scrolling to the section titled “Opting Out of Personalized Advertisements.” This control also opts out of ads via the advertising company [x+1], which Rocket Fuel recently acquired.
77. Run: Run says that it uses anonymous data to customize ad delivery, and prevent repetition. The information you need is in its Privacy Policy. See the Opting Out of RUN Technology section for the opt-out link.
78. ShareThis: This service lets web users quickly share links to content, and in doing so, they contribute valuable behavioral data. Stop ShareThis from tracking you in this way by clicking the Opt Out button here.
79. Simpli.fi Holdings: Simpli.fi uses unstructured data in massive quantities, with the hope of helping advertisers bid more effectively for ad space. Opt out of any involvement with a click using the link on this page.
80. SizMek: SizMek has been in the advertising business for one and a half decades, and now serves 1.5 trillion ad impressions every single year. It has helpfully placed its opt-out link right at the top of its Privacy Policy.
81. SteelHouse: This advertising platform specializes in behavior tracking, but emphasizes that it never collects identifiable data. It may still place a unique identifier on your device. Stop the company from following you on the web: visit its Privacy Policy, and scroll down to “Your Privacy Choices.”
82. Tagular Analytics: If you don’t want Tagular Analytics’ customers to be able to track you online, visit their privacy policy for instructions on opting out.
83. Tapad: Tapad tracks consumers across all of their devices to personalize the ads they see. Find the Web Browser Opt-Out section here to set a cookie that will prevent Tapad from tracking you. There’s a separate section explaining how to opt out on iOS and Android.
84. TellApart: TellApart specialized in transactional retargeting, which advertises related products to you once you’ve shopped on a site. It also offers audience targeting and uses Big Data to power its solutions. Tell it not to track you in section 5 of the Privacy Policy on its website.
85. The Rubicon Project: The Rubicon Project optimizes pricing across websites, but you can opt out of its tracking technology using the information here.
86. The Trade Desk: This provider has its roots in real time ad bidding, a technique that has become one of the primary ad automation systems on the web. It tracks customer journeys, but if you don’t want to be tracked, you can opt-out on this page.
87. TruEffect: All of the information you need about TruEffect is contained in its Privacy Policy. Opt out of TruEffect’s tracking by following the instructions in the Behavioral Advertising section.
88. TubeMogul: As its name suggests, this company is primarily interested in delivering targeted ads via video content. Its opt-out button is located on its privacy policy.
89. Turn: This company works with real time data to inform its advertisers and steer ad campaigns. Choose whether you want to be tracked by reading about its opt-out mechanism here.
90. Undertone: You can read about Undertone’s data collection by visiting the IBA Opt-Out section in its Privacy Policy. The actual opt-out controls are provided in a dedicated page on its website.
91. Varick Media Management: Another programmatic advertising provider. Stop it from tracking you by visiting opt-out information for comprehensive instructions.
92. Viant: Viant has various solutions including its Advertising Cloud, and solutions provided through Specific Media and Vindico. Choose to opt out from its tracking technology on this page.
93. Vibrant Media: Vibrant Media uses contextual tracking and ad delivery to target its ads more effectively. Stop your data being used in this way: visit its privacy policy.
94. Videology: This platform uses age and gender data to target ads, although it says viewers are not personally identifiable. If you don’t want Videology to track you, you can opt out on this page. If you’re using an ad blocker, you may be asked to switch it off to allow the cookie to be set on your device.
95. Xaxis: This company says it protects user privacy while figuring out how to target ads more effectively. You’ll find its opt-out button under User Choice within its Privacy Policy.
96. Yahoo!: We’ve already mentioned Yahoo! and its web advertising preferences in discussing Brightroll. Control your opt-out status by visiting the Yahoo! Ad Interest Manager.
97. Yieldmo: This provider is committed to personalizing the ads you see on mobile. Opt out of its data harvesting technologies on this easy-to-use page.
98. YuMe: YuMe has developed a range of advertising solutions, focusing on video ads and analytics. Click the Opt-Out button on this page.

Points to Note

In order to turn off all personalized ads, you will need to step through each opt-out, which can take some time. Additionally, opting out of ad tracking doesn’t mean you will stop seeing ads on the web. But you will be served a generic selection of ads, rather than ads customized to your browsing habits and preferences, and you won’t be contributing data to these vast silos.

Opting out also won’t prevent your computer from giving away details about you. Unless you turn off cookies, there will always be an element of risk. Since most people prefer cookies to be turned on so they can log into websites and set preferences, you’ll simply need to be vigilant and take a proactive approach to keeping your privacy intact.

Remember: if you clear your cookies, or switch devices, you’ll need to run through our opt-out list again. You can use the NAI’s tracker to figure out which opt-out cookies need to be recreated.

Other Tools

NAI is focused on the United States. There are organizations that focus on other areas of the globe:

• Digital Advertising Alliance of Canada: dozens of participating companies.
• Your Online Choices EU: lots of information about online advertising and a browser extension for Chrome, IE, and Firefox.

Also of great value is the Electronic Frontier Foundation, which provides lots of information in addition to Panopticlick — a tool for checking your computer for tracking and fingerprinting. It also provides access to Privacy Badger.

Some providers say that opting out of ad networks will harm the brands you love. It’s certainly true that ads help to pay for the content we all consume, but you have a right not to be tracked as you browse if you don’t want that to happen.