Skip to content
Advertising Standards Authority Logo Ireland
  • About Us
    • Meet the team
  • The Code
    • The Code
    • Social Media Influencer Guidance
    • Environmental and Green Advertising
  • Complaints
    • Complaints Process
    • Make a Complaint
    • Decisions
  • Copy Advice
  • News
  • About Us
    • Meet the team
  • The Code
    • The Code
    • Social Media Influencer Guidance
    • Environmental and Green Advertising
  • Complaints
    • Complaints Process
    • Make a Complaint
    • Decisions
  • Copy Advice
  • News

Online Behavioural Advertising (OBA)

To ensure that your complaint is handled efficiently, please provide as much detail as possible (particularly uploading information such as screen shots, where relevant).

1Confirm
2Personal Details
3Complaint Type
4Complaint Details
5File Uploads
  • The ad does not provide notice e.g. through an icon such as  or the icon is not placed in a prominent position on the ad – in most cases it will appear clearly in the top-right corner
  • There is insufficient disclosure about what information, for Online Behavioural Advertising, might be collected, who might collect it or how it might be used

    Having clicked on the Notice or Icon   , a page appeared with information about the ad serving process, including the link to a mechanism to turn off Online Behavioural Advertising. This information was unclear, incomprehensible or not easily accessible.
  • The information on a branded interstitial page (a pop-up between clicking on the Notice and being directed to an opt-out mechanism, such as www.youronlinechoices.eu) does not provide easy-to-understand information regarding the practice of OBA or the necessary link to the opt-out mechanism (for example www.youronlinechoices.eu)
  • You are unable to ‘turn off’ data collection and use by the company for the purpose of Online Behavioural Advertising as the company provides no mechanism to do this (for example, there is no link to www.youronlinechoices.eu)
  • The process to turn off data collection and use for Online Behavioural Advertising was not easy to use.
  • The collection and use of data for Online Behavioural Advertising continued after you turned off this practice for the company in question.

    Did you opt-out of all? The opt-out options provided by businesses may include a link that allows you to opt-out of receiving OBA from a large number of businesses or from specific businesses only. If your intention was to opt-out of receiving OBA completely, it may be the case that this has only been done for one particular third party. In order to opt-out of a large number of businesses you can visit www.youronlinechoices.com or www.youronlinechoices.com/ie or alternatively change your browser settings (click here).

    Have you deleted the cookies on your computer? If you have deleted any cookies on your computer after you have opted out from OBA you may have deleted an opt-out cookie. The normal process of opting out of OBA requires a cookie itself, so if you regularly delete your cookies, but want to remain opted out from OBA, you will need to repeat the opt-out procedure.

    Have you opted out on each browser you use? OBA opt-outs work only on the web browser you’re using when you opt-out. You will need to repeat the opt-out for each computer and each web browser you use (e.g. Safari, Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer)
    Where you feel your complaint is actionable, please provide details in Section 3 below to describe how you have turned off OBA and why you consider that you are still receiving Online Behavioural Advertising from the company in question.
  • You believe that Online Behavioural Advertising was served based on sensitive information (e.g. personal religious, political and/or sexual beliefs) without your explicit consent.

    Please explain in ‘Section 3’ below why you consider that OBA was served based on sensitive information.


    You believe that Online Behavioural Advertising was designed to specifically target children aged 12 years and under.

    Please explain in ‘Section 3’ below why you consider that OBA was designed to specifically target children aged 12 and under.
  • Please explain in Section 3 below. (Please note that if your complaint is not related to OBA, it may not be actionable. We will let you know if this is the case.)
  • Section 3

    Complaint Details
  • e.g. http://www.advertiserpage.com
  • Please describe the content of the ad.
  • The Icon: adchoices
  • (top left/top right...)?
  • Please provide full web address: e.g. http://www.address.com
  • DD slash MM slash YYYY
  • Specific information on the browser version would be very helpful:
  • Other browser
  • e.g. advertising network/other about which you wish to address the complaint.

    How do I know who the Third Party is? If you click on the notice/ icon in the ad, it should bring you to a page (the interstitial page) with information on the Third Party. If you have done this and have taken a screenshot, please attach it to the complaint form.
  • (Please include the reasons behind your complaint, an overview of your concerns and any other details you feel may be useful (e.g. information about cookies that were, or failed to be, delivered to your browser in the process of turning off OBA, a request to ‘turn off’ OBA from a company that has not functioned properly, an ad delivered targeted to your previous internet browsing behaviour that did not display an icon, etc.)
  • Have you contacted the company in question, or taken any other action prior to submitting this complaint form? If so, please provide details of any actions taken to-date (if you have contacted the company directly, please provide the contact details used).


  • In addition to the information above, please attach any relevant correspondence or documentation which may be useful in order to handle your complaint as efficiently as possible (this may include email correspondence, a screen shot of the OBA advertisement in question, evidence of your decision to ‘turn off’ OBA from a given company, etc.)

    Please note that the more screenshots you can provide, the more efficiently we will be able to handle your complaint.

    File types allowed: jpg, gif, png, pdf, doc, docx
  • Accepted file types: jpg, gif, png, pdf, doc, docx, Max. file size: 10 MB.
  • Accepted file types: jpg, gif, png, pdf, doc, docx, Max. file size: 10 MB.
  • Accepted file types: jpg, gif, png, pdf, doc, docx, Max. file size: 10 MB.
  • Accepted file types: jpg, gif, png, pdf, doc, docx, Max. file size: 10 MB.
  • Accepted file types: jpg, gif, png, pdf, doc, docx, Max. file size: 10 MB.

Sign up for Advertising Standards Authority updates

Subscribe to our mailing list.

Advertising Standards Authority Logo Ireland
  • 7 Herbert Street,
    Dublin 2, D02 K838
  • (01) 6137040
  • contact@adstandards.ie

Quick Links

  • The Code
  • About Us
  • Make a Complaint
  • Recent Complaint Decisions
  • Documents
  • Media Enquiries
  • The Code
  • About Us
  • Make a Complaint
  • Recent Complaint Decisions
  • Documents
  • Media Enquiries

Policy Links

  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy (EU)
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy (EU)

Follow us on Social Media

Linkedin

Advertising Standards Authority for Ireland CLG t/a Advertising Standards Authority. Registered in Ireland under company number 82219. Registered office, 7 Herbert Street, Dublin 2, D02 K838.

All content published on this website is the property of ASA and its commercial use by third parties is prohibited.

© Advertising Standards Authority 2025

Web Design by 2Cubed

Manage Consent
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behaviour or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Manage options Manage services Manage {vendor_count} vendors Read more about these purposes
View preferences
{title} {title} {title}