IAB Brings 56 Small Internet Publishers, including AboveTopSecret.com, to Capitol Hill

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Fifty-six small ad-supported Internet “Long Tail” publishers from 22 states from across the country, plus one from the District of Columbia, joined the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) this past Monday and Tuesday for the Third Annual Long Tail Alliance Washington, D.C. “Fly-In.” The attendees spent yesterday on Capitol Hill meeting with representatives from 37 House Districts and 12 Senate Offices, including members of the Senate Commerce Committee, to raise awareness about how interactive advertising regulation affects not just the big players in the industry, but also the livelihoods of small Internet publishers.

Business Wire

The companies that will be meeting with legislators include a diverse group of content sites, such as: ShowmetheCurry.com, a site devoted to the glories of curry in cooking; AboveTopSecret.com, about aliens and conspiracies; IkeaFans.com, which is not endorsed by the retailer, but offers tips about assembly of and decorating with its products; and Washington City Paper, the local alternative weekly, which runs a site at WashingtonCityPaper.com.

ADWEEK

This year’s Fly-In also included a full day of sessions, strategic planning panels and roundtable discussions created specifically to address the business interests of small publishers. The two-day event also served as a unique networking opportunity for small publishers, who, for the most part, work from their homes and have limited opportunities to meet other small business owners like themselves.

IAB


SkepticOverlord and Springer go to Washington

We're back (and recovered) from an intensive three days in Washington, DC, focused on preventing legislation that has the potential to decimate the independent web, as we discussed here: New Survey: Online Privacy, Internet Advertising and The Independent Web, armed with the survey results you provided here: Survey Results. I can say, without hesitation, that your responses to our survey had an impact on just about every representative who saw it -- Mark and I gave it to those with whom we met, and several other fly-in participants did the same.

We had 11 groups, each with a slightly different focus, each with 5-6 meetings, spending the entire day telling our story to those who seemed unwilling to listen if we didn't represent a group with money to burn on Capitol Hill. My group focused on the very-real threat to freedom of speech, and the absurdity that the proposed legislation would outlaw anonymous non-personal "tracking" for the purpose of showing ads, while the very same representatives have backed laws that require your ISP to track and retain all of your personal online history (and currently want to extend the data retention requirements to two years), including emails and purchases.

Our group's meetings went exceptionally well, as most seemed to express an understanding the potential severity of the issue, and absurdity of the two-sided tracking irony. However, there were two standouts: 1) I politely but firmly "got in the face" of a representative's Deputy Chief of Staff who rolled his eyes at our concerns (and seem to listen to us after that), and 2) Experienced an epiphany moment with the Policy Director of the congressman who chairs the House Energy and Commerce Committee (very powerful) -- he had not previously considered the economic and free speech aspects of the "do not track" legislation up for review next week, and promised to explain the issue to the committee.

While it may be too soon to tell, and certainly might be too much to hope for, but at this point it appears as though your responses to the survey and our presence in Washington may be a catalyst that helps to maintain the free and independent web.

Stay tuned.

Awesome news!

Great Job Guys!

I know you stated that it is "too soon to tell" but do you see any positive outcome from the trip?

Originally posted by beezzer
do you see any positive outcome from the trip?

If anything, the elected representatives (or their staff) heard the most compelling story yet, of the three years we've been doing this with the IAB. Due in part to the survey we ran here on ATS, and our "conspiratorial" buzz-building during the "networking" and cocktail parties leading up to the meetings -- just about everyone reported receiving a concerned empathetic response when bringing up the "big media" and free speech issues in their meetings.

Originally posted by SkepticOverlord

Originally posted by beezzer
do you see any positive outcome from the trip?

If anything, the elected representatives (or their staff) heard the most compelling story yet, of the three years we've been doing this with the IAB. Due in part to the survey we ran here on ATS, and our "conspiratorial" buzz-building during the "networking" and cocktail parties leading up to the meetings -- just about everyone reported receiving a concerned empathetic response when bringing up the "big media" and free speech issues in their meetings.

I hope that "concern" translates well for you and the rest.
Thanks for "representin'"

reply to post by SkepticOverlord


yeah, I can see how someone will eventual use this as "proof" ATS is "connected" with the government. For now, I appreciate your hard work. Good luck in future endeavors.

So now when introduce yourselves to CongressCritters, you can tell them you're "with the Bureau".

Hopefully your voices were heard by the right people.

spending the entire day telling our story to those who seemed unwilling to listen if we didn't represent a group with money to burn on Capitol Hill.

Was this a common theme throughout your time in DC?

Would you say....honestly.....that these meetings may actually produce results, or was this just a dog and pony show so the representatives can say that they gave the small, independant media a chance to have some input and will instead carry on as planned because you didn't bring any money to the table?

I guess my question is this: How will we compete with the lobbyists?

You both look very presidential up on that podium.

Good for you, way to be active in the process!

I for one am happy you took a stand against the machine and what could very well be the end of the independent web...

You guys catch a lot of flack for the advertising but the reasonable people here know that is how you make a living and that is what keeps ATS going strong.

I am not sure how this bill would destroy the independent web though..All I've heard is that it would... (dot dot dot) If you would be so kind as to elaborate I (and I'm sure others) would really appreciate it.

Just wanted to say Thank You for your time and efforts!

Keep up the good work, independant websites are the last sources of truthfull information before the corporate outlets can put a spin on it, and its worth fighting for!

Very interesting, but I'm not really understanding this.

My group focused on the very-real threat to freedom of speech, and the absurdity that the proposed legislation would outlaw anonymous non-personal "tracking" for the purpose of showing ads, while the very same representatives have backed laws that require your ISP to track and retain all of your personal online history (and currently want to extend the data retention requirements to two years), including emails and purchases.

What are the new laws that might possibly be passed? Is big brother trying to force everyone to go through one giant, central server?

The other part to it all that I think is sort of funny is how exactly does anyone go out and find someone who's "illegally" tracking someone else? Would that not mean that they would then be required to track everyone? Looks like I'll be doing some more reading...

Either way, it's some very thought-provoking stuff.

what a shocker

the owners of this site in bed with those on capitol hill

i didnt see that one coming

Originally posted by TheDevilOfLies
what a shocker

the owners of this site in bed with those on capitol hill

i didnt see that one coming

Are you suggesting controlled opposition and online social engineering?

reply to post by TheDevilOfLies


Don't let the door hit you on the way out?

Originally posted by TheDevilOfLies
what a shocker

the owners of this site in bed with those on capitol hill

i didnt see that one coming

Did you even read why they went there?! Why are you even on the site. What they are doing is a good thing.


SO and Springer! So that's what you guys look like

Originally posted by DaMod
I am not sure how this bill would destroy the independent web though.

Consider...

Operating a web site that receives serious traffic can be expensive.

Operating a small business comprised of an online publishing presence can be very expensive, as that requires investments in growth, expansion, and advertising.

For sites such as us -- and every other small business online publisher -- it's impossible to afford to have a sales force that could reach the thousands of advertisers necessary to direct-sell ad inventory. So we rely on third-party ad networks for ad revenue.

The proposed bills/legislation would make it impossible to show "third party ads" unless the user specifically opts-in to receive third-party cookies. Thereby eliminating ad revenue... and making it impossible for these sites to survive.

However --- major online publishers and established "big media" would not have these problems as they typically have their own sales force, and have the resources to use a "private label" ad serving service that doesn't use third-party cookies.

reply to post by mblahnikluver


lol i was lookin at their picture up there and thought damn i never imagined them both to look like that dunno what i expected tho

Good job tho guys hopefully we get the outcome we want x