The Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) is a US self-regulatory association for the digital advertising industry, founded in 2000. Member companies commit to a code of conduct covering how data is collected and used for advertising, and the NAI operates a consumer opt-out covering its members.
What the code covers
The NAI code sets expectations for transparency about what is collected, for obtaining consent where data is sensitive, for limits on retention, and for how precise location and health-related information may be used. Members submit to an annual compliance review.
Self-regulation, not law
This is the important distinction. The NAI is an industry body, not a regulator: its code binds members by agreement rather than by statute, and it carries no fining power. It sits alongside binding law such as the GDPR in Europe and state privacy legislation in the US, rather than replacing either.
Related bodies
The Digital Advertising Alliance (DAA) runs a parallel self-regulatory programme in the US, and the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) develops the technical standards the industry builds on.
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