ONLINE TRUST ALLIANCE
PO BOX 803, BELLEVUE, WA 980090803 www.otalliance.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: THE ONLINE TRUST ALLIANCE (OTA) IS A NON-PROFIT WITH THE MISSION TO ENHANCE ONLINE TRUST, WHILE PROMOTING INNOVATION AND THE VITALITY OF THE INTERNET. OTA'S GOAL IS TO HELP EDUCATE BUSINESSES, POLICY MAKERS AND STAKEHOLDERS WHILE DEVELOPING AND ADVANCING BEST PRACTICES AND TOOLS TO ENHANCE THE PROTECTION OF USERS' SECURITY, PRIVACY AND IDENTITY. OTA SUPPORTS COLLABORATIVE PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS, BENCHMARK REPORTING, MEANINGFUL SELF-REGULATION AND DATA STEWARDSHIP.

TO ENHANCE ONLINE TRUST, WHILE PROMOTING INNOVATION AND THE VITALITY OF THE INTERNET.

- THE ONLINE TRUST HONOR ROLL AND AUDIT - IN JUNE 2016, OTA RELEASED ITS 8TH ANNUAL ONLINE TRUST AUDIT REVIEWING NEARLY 1,000 SITES, WITH ADDED CRITERIA AND ANALYSIS INCLUDING A DOUBLING OF THE CONSUMER SERVICES SECTOR TO NOW INCLUDE LEADING SITES REQUIRING ACCOUNT CREATION SUCH AS PHOTO/FILE SHARING SITES, DATING SITES, TRAVEL, JOBS, E-FILE SITES, IDENTITY THEFT PROTECTION, RIDESHARING AND OTHER SERVICES. THE HONOR ROLL IS A COMPREHENSIVE EVALUATION OF THE WORLD'S TOP WEBSITES FOR DOMAIN/BRAND PROTECTION, PRIVACY AND SECURITY PRACTICES. ANNUALLY OTA SOLICITS COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC REGARDING NEW CRITERIA AND SCORING FOR FUTURE YEAR AUDITS, REFLECTING THE EVOLUTION OF SECURITY AND PRIVACY STANDARDS AND PRACTICES. THE AUDIT UNDERSCORED THE IMPORTANCE OF CONTINUED MONITORING AND MANAGEMENT OF SECURITY AND PRIVACY SETTINGS AND PRACTICES OF SITES AND MOBILE APPLICATIONS. - PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES ONLINE TRUST AUDIT - ADDRESSING THE CONCERNS OVER SECURITY AND PRIVACY PRACTICES OF POLITICAL CANDIDATES, IN SEPTEMBER 2016 OTA COMPLETED THE ONLINE TRUST AUDIT FOR THE 24 CANDIDATES. AS A NON-PARTISAN REPORT, OTA OUTLINED SEVERAL CONCERNS REGARDING THE PRIVACY POLICY DESIGN AND DISCLOSURES, SECURITY OF THE SITE AND THE PRIVACY PRACTICES INCLUDING DATA SHARING AND RIGHTS TO SELL TO UNAFFILIATED THIRD PARTIES. - FREE EFILE TAX PROVIDERS AUDIT - IN FEBRUARY 2016, OTA EXPANDED ITS ANNUAL ONLINE TRUST AUDIT TO EXAMINE THE SECURITY, PRIVACY AND CONSUMER PROTECTION PRACTICES OF THE 13 IRS APPROVED EFILE PROVIDERS, (MEMBERS OF THE FREE FILE ALLIANCE). THIS REPORT AND RESEARCH WAS INITIATED IN RESPONSE TO THE GROWING NUMBER OF IRS RELATED PHISHING SITES, TAX FRAUD EXPLOITS AND RELATED ID THEFT. - NATIVE ADVERTISING - IN RESPONSE TO INCREASE LEVEL OF CONSUMER COMPLAINTS ABOUT ABUSIVE AND MISLEADING NATIVE ADVERTISING, OTA INITIATED LISTENING SESSIONS WITH CONSUMER ADVOCATES, ONLINE PUBLISHERS, ADVERTISERS AND THE FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION, (FTC). THIS RESEARCH AUDITED THE TOP 100 ONLINE PUBLISHERS FOCUSING ON TRANSPARENCY OF THEIR NATIVE DISPLAY ADVERTISING. SITES WERE SCORED BASED ON THE DISCLOSURE TERM USED, THE DISCOVERABILITY AND READABILITY OF THE TERM DISPLAYED AND DELINEATION OR ABILITY TO DISTINGUISH THE AD UNIT FROM SITE EDITORIAL. - THE DATA PROTECTION & BREACH READINESS GUIDE - RELEASED IN JANUARY 2016 AND FIRST PUBLISHED IN 2011, OTA PUBLISHES A PRESCRIPTIVE GUIDE TO HELP ASSIST BUSINESSES PREPARE, DETECT, MITIGATE AND RESPOND TO DATA LOSS INCIDENTS. OTA SUBSEQUENTLY HELD MULTIPLE ONLINE BRIEFINGS AND WEBINARS TO HELP REACH AND EDUCATE THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY. THE 2016 REPORT WAS EXPAND IN SEVERAL AREAS INCLUDING PREVENTION BEST PRACTICES, RISK ASSESSMENT AND CYBER INSURANCE CONSIDERATIONS. - EMAIL UNSUBSCRIBE AUDIT & MARKETING PRACTICES - FOR THE SECOND YEAR OTA COMPLETED AN AUDIT OF THE EMAIL UNSUBSCRIBE PRACTICES OF THE TOP 200 ONLINE RETAILERS. THE REPORT SERVED TO HELP IDENTIFY TRENDS AND PROMOTE BEST PRACTICES AND TRANSPARENCY WHILE RECOGNIZING INDUSTRY LEADERS WHO ACHIEVE TOP SCORES AGAINST BENCHMARK STANDARDS. IN ADDITION, OTA RELEASED A STUDY FOCUSING ON RETAIL POS EMAIL CAPTURE BEST PRACTICES, FOCUSED ON CONSUMER CHOICE AND CONTROLS. - INTERNET OF THINGS WORKING GROUP (IOTWG) - THE WORKING GROUP CONVENED SEVERAL MULTI-STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS AND BRIEFINGS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. THE KEY DELIVERABLE INCLUDED THE RELEASE OF THE IOT TRUST FRAMEWORK IN MARCH 2016 AT RSA CONFERENCE. MOVING FORWARD THE GOAL IS FOR THE FRAMEWORK TO BECOME THE FOUNDATION FOR A VOLUNTARY CODE OF CONDUCT AND CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS. OTA PARTNERED WITH THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS PUBLISHING ADVICE FOR BUYERS AND SELLERS OF SMART HOMES AND RELEASED ADVICE TO CONSUMERS WHO RECENTLY ACQUIRED CONNECTED DEVICES. - TRAINING, EDUCATION & ENABLEMENT - OTA CONTINUED TO DEVELOP AND DELIVERS VARIOUS CYBER SECURITY AND PRIVACY TRAINING PROGRAMS AROUND THE WORLD INVOLVING BUT NOT LIMITED TO EMAIL AUTHENTICATION, ADVERTISING SUPPLY CHAIN SECURITY AND DATA BREACH READINESS. IN ADDITION, OTA OFFERS NUMEROUS WEBINARS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC WITH THE GOAL TO ACCELERATE THE DEPLOYMENT OF ONLINE TRUST BEST PRACTICES. IN THIS PAST YEAR, OTA DELIVERY IN PERSON TRAINING TO NEARLY 1,000 ATTENDEES AND REACHED AN ADDITIONAL 150,000 VIA ONLINE DOWNLOADS AND WEB VISITS. - COMMUNITY OUTREACH - DATA PRIVACY DAY (DPD) IS AN INTERNATIONAL EVENT HELD EVERY JANUARY TO RAISE AWARENESS AND PROMOTE DATA PRIVACY EDUCATION. SINCE 2009, OTA HAS HOSTED DPD EVENTS TO HELP BUSINESSES ENHANCE THEIR DATA PROTECTION AND BE PREPARED FOR A DATA BREACH INCIDENT. THESE EVENTS HAVE INCLUDED PARTICIPATION FROM THE FTC, FBI, U.S. SECRET SERVICE, FCC AND VARIOUS STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICES ALONG WITH INDUSTRY LEADERS INCLUDING MICROSOFT, SYMANTEC, TWITTER AND OTHERS. IN 2016, OTA HOSTED DPD TRAINING WORKSHOPS AND WEB BRIEFINGS PROVIDING THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTORS ADVICE TO HELP SECURE THEIR DATA AND OPTIMIZE THEIR PRIVACY POLICIES. IN ADDITION, OTA PARTICIPATED IN AND / OR HOSTED OVER TWO DOZEN WEBINARS AND EVENTS ON A RANGE OF TOPICS SUPPORTING OTA'S MISSION. - SHAPING PUBLIC POLICY - AT THE REQUEST OF MEMBERS OF THE U.S. SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, OTA HELD SEVERAL MEETING WITH CONGRESSIONAL STAFF TO PROVIDE INSIGHTS AND PERSPECTIVES. IN ADDITION OTA WAS AN INVITED SPEAKER AT MULTI STAKEHOLDER EVENTS CONVENED BY THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION AND THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, (NTIA) AND NUMEROUS INDUSTRY RELATED EVENTS. OTA ALSO HOSTED CONGRESSIONAL STAFF EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS ON A RANGE TO TOPICS. OTA RESPONDED TO SEVERAL REQUESTS FOR COMMENTS AND PARTICIPATED IN MULTI-STAKEHOLDER EFFORTS INCLUDING FACIAL RECOGNITION, UAS (UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS (DRONES), DO NOT TRACK (DNT) AND ISP PROPOSED RULEMAKING BY THE FCC. - BEST PRACTICE DEVELOPMENT - WORKING WITH STANDARDS, BUSINESS AND TECHNICAL COMMUNITIES, OTA DEVELOPS AND ADVOCATES A RANGE OF BEST PRACTICES INCLUDING: ADVERTISING SUPPLY CHAIN RISK EVALUATION FRAMEWORK ALWAYS ON SSL (AOSSL) ANTI-BOTNET REMEDIATION CLOUD SERVICES ONBOARDING RISK FRAMEWORK EXTENDED VALIDATION SSL CERTIFICATES (EVSSL) MALVERTISING REMEDIATION MOBILE APP PRIVACY & SECURITY NATIVE ADVERTISING RESPONSIBLE VULNERABILITY REPORTING PRIVACY POLICY BEST PRACTICES; MOVING TO DISCOVERABILITY & READABILITY FOR THE USER SERVER & SSL SECURITY TRANSPORT LAYERS SECURITY (TLS) FOR EMAIL UNSUBSCRIBE EMAIL; MOVING FROM COMPLIANCE TO STEWARDSHIP- ACTIVE COMMITTEES - OTA'S VARIOUS COMMITTEES BRING TOGETHER SOME OF THE WORLD'S BIGGEST BRANDS, BRIGHTEST MINDS IN CYBER SECURITY AND PRIVACY, AND MOST INFLUENTIAL POLITICIANS TO HELP FURTHER ONLINE TRUST. THESE COMMITTEES CONCENTRATE ON: PUBLIC POLICY & LEGISLATION EMERGING THREATS (BOTNET & DDOS) INFRASTRUCTURE & SSL EMAIL SECURITY & INTEGRITY ADVERTISING & CONTENT INTEGRITY DATA PROTECTION & BREACH READINESS PLANNING INTERNET OF THINGS (IOT)

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