Channel 4 readies ePrivacy compliance for connected devices

by NMA Staff 31 May 2012 00:00 0 comments Print

Channel 4 is preparing to roll out ePrivacy compliance across all connected devices it has a presence on including tablets, smartphones and games consoles.

The broadcaster kicked off its ePrivacy compliance on desktop last week in tandem with its Viewer Promise initiative, aimed at increasing transparency with registered users regarding how it is using data to enrich viewing experiences while delivering more targeted advertising.

Channel 4’s head of viewer relationship management Steve Forde told new media age it is now preparing to extend its compliance across Apple and Android smartphones, tablets and games consoles. It will apply the same approach and guidelines it has rolled out across desktop to each of the devices in the next few months.

“We know it can be daunting to read lengthy terms and conditions so we started by rewriting these using more digestible language and format. But we decided we wanted to take this a step further and so created an engaging piece of video content, fronted by Alan Carr, to explain what the Viewer Promise is, and the video links through to our ePrivacy policy,” he said, (see video below).

The broadcaster’s data strategy focuses on the mantra ‘transparency and control’. Ensuring viewers are aware of exactly how their data is being used and the benefits they will receive as a result of sharing more information about themselves is vital to its success, according to Forde.

“Our next steps will be to build on this and expose to viewers what data we hold on them and how it is being used. Ultimately they will be able to manage their accounts in a way that gives them total control over their data,” he said.

To encourage viewers to register on the site and share more information about themselves Channel 4 has offered a variety of rewards including additional, exclusive content and video-on-demand premieres.

It has accumulated 2m registered users and will continue to build on its reward incentives, while also looking at introducing more recommendations based on viewing history to viewers, according to Forde.

Channel 4 ran extensive, qualitative and quantitative consumer research to help determine how people wanted to be informed about cookies and privacy issues. “One of the biggest challenges was establishing what viewers want, and how to translate the business and legal points around privacy to them in a way that does not bombard them with confusing information. That’s why we opted to show a brief overview of information on the site, which those who want to delve deeper can if they click through for more information,” he said.