The Zillow Group has overhauled its digital properties—including Zillow, Trulia, HotPads, and StreetEasy—to align with the Digital Advertising Alliance’s (DAA) Self-Regulatory Principles for online interest-based advertising (IBA). The move comes after the BBB National Programs’ Digital Advertising Accountability Program (DAAP) identified compliance gaps in the group’s websites and mobile applications.
DAAP’s routine monitoring flagged missing enhanced notice links, broken links, and absent adherence statements across the Zillow Group’s brands. Enhanced notice informs users about third-party data collection for IBA and provides opt-out options. The review also noted prior collection of precise location data in Zillow’s mobile app, which was subsequently stopped.
In response, Zillow Group conducted comprehensive reviews of its digital properties, identifying areas for improvement and consulting with DAAP to bring all platforms into compliance.
Enhanced Notice Updates
To meet DAA’s transparency requirements, Zillow Group:
- Added “Ad Choices” footer links on all brand websites, redirecting users to a section in the Privacy Notice covering third-party tracking and IBA.
- Updated the Privacy Notice to prominently guide users to manage their ad choices.
- Included detailed descriptions of IBA practices, tracking technologies, opt-out tools, and a statement of adherence to DAA Principles.
Mobile App Compliance
For iOS and Android apps, Zillow Group implemented measures under the DAA Mobile Guidance:
- Added prominent links to IBA disclosures at the top of the Privacy Notice and within app settings.
- Updated app store listings to direct users to enhanced notice.
- Introduced “Ad Choices” links in all app settings pages, linking directly to the IBA section of the website Privacy Notice.
These updates demonstrate the Zillow Group’s commitment to ad transparency and user control, aligning with industry standards for privacy and data collection. The initiative also highlights growing regulatory attention on cross-app tracking and interest-based advertising in the mobile ecosystem.
