The AdChoices icon is shown automatically by companies part of the self-regulatory program, and is meant to indicate to consumers when interest-based advertising data is being collected or used.
By clicking on the icon (which is usually found in the top right corner of an online advertisement), a consumer can learn more about the ad or a website's collection practices, and be provided with the ability to opt-out of such targeting.
[18] The AdChoices program can be implemented in a manner consistent with existing Canadian privacy laws and the OPC's guidelines for online interest-based advertising.
[19][20][21] Participants include AOL,[22] AT&T, Bloomberg, Comcast, Conde Nast, Dow Jones, Facebook,[23] General Motors, Google Inc.,[24][25] Microsoft,[26] Procter & Gamble,[27] Taboola, Yahoo!,[28] and many others.
[20][21] A study conducted by Parks Associates and discussed in AdAge found that three years after the introduction of the AdChoices icon, most consumers were unaware of it, and in fact, awareness had grown only from 5% in 2011 to 6% in 2013.