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  4. Policy on the Use of Targeted Advertising and Analytics

Policy on the Use of Targeted
Advertising and Analytics

SoftBank uses personal data for extensions such as targeted advertising and analytics. Targeted advertising is way of delivering advertising by inferring the interests of customers from personal data and matching the content of advertisements with customers to increase the value of the advertising.
Extensions as used here refers to analysis tools that collect information and analyze issues to improve our websites and apps.

Two types of cases

SoftBank uses these services and features in two ways.

Cases Where Customer Personal Data is Used
to Deliver Advertisements and So Forth

We use personal data received from our customers to optimize delivery conditions so that we can deliver advertisements with high informational value for customers. The personal data used when doing so is processed as necessary to protect customer privacy and is used only for optimizing delivery conditions.

Customers may request to set these targeted advertising services to not use their personal data.

As we use data that has been processed into a secure state, there is no infringement of customer privacy. You can rest assured that your identity is protected.

Information Used and Retention Period

The following information is used by SoftBank to provide these services.

Customer Personal Data
Processed into a Secure State

Of the personal data we receive from customers, we use information such as pseudonymous identifiers, activity dates and times, gender, age, municipality of residence, contract information, activity information and location information after it has been processed into a secure state.

Data Acquired Directly From
Browsers or Apps

Advertising tags issued by SoftBank use data acquired directly from customers’ browsers. Specifically, acquired content includes URLs of visited sites, time of viewing or clicking, device information such as IP address and OS, referrer information (URL of the external site passed through immediately before measurement), and product impressions and selected content that are all associated with the advertising identifier that we issue.

Retention Period

This information is stored in our advertising database and is updated as new data is acquired. The data retention is set appropriately for each type of information.

Advertisement Delivery Mechanism

In providing targeted advertising services, personal data is processed according to the following procedure.

Advertisement Delivery Mechanism

Information We Provide to Third Parties

SoftBank may provide information to partner companies or other third parties only to the extent necessary to provide advertising services.

Media Information

Statistical data and targeting accuracy may be disclosed or explained to advertising customers as media information necessary for evaluating the quality of advertising services.

Advertising Performance Information

Information such as the number of deliveries, click rates and conversion rates may be disclosed or reported to advertising customers as advertising performance information.

As SoftBank distributes and manages advertisements, partner companies and other third parties do not come to know information that can identify an individual customer.
You can rest assured that your identity is protected.

Security and Privacy

The data used for advertising is carefully protected as personal data. In addition, we are working on various measures to increase security such as establishment of an organizational system including the appointment of a person in charge, handling rules, and management of contractors.

Procedures for Discontinuation of Use

Customers must themselves take the steps to set their targeted advertising services to “do not use customer personal data”. We apologize for the inconvenience, however we ask that customers kindly take these procedures via the screen below.
We will discontinue the use of personal data targeted advertising as soon as we receive the request to do so.

Customers using SoftBank

Please check the settings and change accordingly on My SoftBank

  1. 1.Click “Account Management” Click “Account Management”
  2. 2.Under “Privacy”, open settings Under “Privacy”, open settings
  3. 3.Check the settings and change accordingly Check the settings and change accordingly

Customers using Y!mobile

Please check the settings and change accordingly on My Y!mobile

  1. 1.Under “Account Management”, open “Customer information utilization settings” Under “Account Management”, open “Customer information utilization settings”
  2. 2.Check the settings and change accordingly Check the settings and change accordingly

Customers using LINEMO

Please check the settings and change accordingly on My Menu

  1. 1.Under “Account Management”, open “Customer information utilization settings” Under “Account Management”, open “Customer information utilization settings”
  2. 2.Check the settings and change accordingly Check the settings and change accordingly

Corporate customers
(SoftBank, Y!mobile)

Please check the settings and change accordingly on the business portal site

  1. 1.Select “Change company information” Select “Change company information”
  2. 2.Check the settings of “Customer information utilization settings” and change accordingly Check the settings of  “Customer information utilization settings” and change accordingly

Cases of Using Partner Companies’ Advertising Services
and Extensions

Cases of Using Partner Companies’ Advertising Services and Extensions

SoftBank may use targeted advertising sold by advertising media companies in order to offer our products and services to more customers. Customers who do not wish to receive our targeted advertisements can unsubscribe.

In addition, we may use access analytic functions provided by partner companies for our sites to expand website and app features.

The list of partner company services used on the websites we operate is published in the site policy for each site.

SoftBank is a member of the Japan Interactive Advertising Association (JIAA).

Information Used and Retention Period

The following information is used in partner company targeted advertising.

Data Acquired Directly From Browsers or Apps

Our sites have advertising tags issued by partner companies. These advertising tags acquire data directly from customers’ browsers, which is stored in the ad delivery system of the partner company. Acquired content includes URLs of visited sites, times of viewing or clicking, device information such as IP address and OS, referrer information (URL of the external site passed through immediately before measurement) and product impressions and selected content that are all associated with the advertising identifier issued by the partner company.
SoftBank may view or acquire such information acquired by partner companies to the extent necessary for checking advertising performance and access analysis.

SoftBank does not use these services for any purpose other than the intended purpose.
We do not acquire personal data held by advertising partner companies and link it with our personal information without the consent of our customers.
You can rest assured that your identity is protected.

Retention Period

The retention period for this information varies by function. For details, please see the policy for each feature in the list of extensions for this website.

Security and Privacy

As a general rule, security measures and privacy protection for targeted advertising and extensions provided by partner companies is carried out by each partner company.

List of Targeted Advertising and Extensions, and How to Discontinue Use

The list of partner company advertising and extensions that we use on our website is published in the site policy.
While there are several ways to stop targeted advertising and extensions, here are some typical examples.

For Websites

This procedure is for sites we operate that can be viewed on smartphones and computers.

Since the technology and services used by each website we operate are different, please check the procedure to unsubscribe on the information page for each site.

For Apps on Smartphones and Other Devices

This procedure is for apps we operate that can be used on smartphones and tablets.

If you wish to stop the delivery of behavioral targeting ads in an app, please follow the instructions provided by Apple Inc. or Google LLC.

How to Contact Us

Email address:
Hours of operation:

10 am to 5 pm

(weekdays excluding public holidays and when closed for inspections or system maintenance)