named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
CSA Certification
Offers certification to member products that comply with CSA's principles of Clarity, Consent, and Control.
CSA Guidelines
Establishes standards for ethical advertising, installation, and uninstallation practices, emphasizing user consent and transparency.
Dispute Resolution Support
Provides members with access to reporting features and direct assistance in resolving disputes with third parties.
Government Relations Participation
Enables activist-level members to participate in policy discussions and government relations efforts.
activities · 5 groups
What they do
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Industry Standards Development and Management 1 activity
- Advocate for self-regulation in the search industryLeads advocacy initiatives through the Clean Search Alliance program launched in 2024, including convening round tables with search industry leaders to discuss traffic quality, invalid traffic (IVT), and data sharing, with the goal of improving user experience and advertiser outcomes.
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Community Safety and Conduct Enforcement 1 activity
- Enforce content compliance in CSA spacesMonitors digital platforms and communications under the CSA umbrella and removes or edits publications that violate the organization’s code of conduct to maintain integrity and alignment with ethical standards.
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Professional Networking Events 1 activity
- Host networking and stakeholder engagement eventsOrganizes and hosts annual and ad-hoc networking events—including receptions and brunches—at industry conferences such as Affiliate Summit West and in key locations like New York, to foster stakeholder collaboration and support organizational expansion, including the Clean Search Alliance initiative.
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Digital Infrastructure Development 1 activity
- Manage membership and organizational operationsRuns an annual membership program launched in 2021 to ensure organizational sustainability, supported by a full-time staff member and a part-time service provider who manage operations, communications, and member engagement. The organization also maintains an updated website with news, events, and updates.
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Uncategorized 2 activities
- Conduct research on industry programs and practicesConducted a multi-faceted review of AppEsteem Corporation's "deceptor" program, incorporating input from over 50 industry members to assess compliance with ethical software standards.
- Establish and enforce software distribution best practicesDevelops and enforces guidelines for ethical software distribution that emphasize user clarity, informed consent, and ongoing user control, including requirements for clear disclosures, balanced installation options, and prohibitions on deceptive advertising. These practices are applied across member organizations and the broader industry.
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financials · form 990EZ · fy2020
revenue
Total revenue$35K
Contributions & grants——
Program service revenue$35K100%
Investment income——
Other revenue—
expenses
Total expenses$52K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits—
Grants paid out—
balance sheet
Total assets$138K
Cash—
Investments—
Liabilities—
Net assets$138K
1 years on record · 2020–2020
relationships · 9
Who they work with
- AMTSO Network — CSA is a member of AMTSO, an organization focused on improving anti-malware testing practices.
- AVAR Network — CSA is a member of AVAR, the Asia-Pacific regional association of antivirus researchers.
- Affiliate Summit West Partner — Hosted the CSA networking reception during its event to support alliance expansion.
- AppEsteem Corporation Partner — Reviewed AppEsteem Corporation's "deceptor" program.
- Clean Search Alliance Network — Member of the Clean Search Alliance network
- Facebook Partner — Shares contributor and member information on Facebook as part of recognition efforts.
- LinkedIn Partner — Shares contributor and member information on LinkedIn as part of recognition efforts.
- Virus Bulletin Network — CSA is affiliated with Virus Bulletin, a forum for discussing malware and security research.
- info@cleansoftware.net Partner — Designated email contact for questions about the code of conduct.
strategies · 3
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Clarity, Consent, and Control to Prevent Deceptive Software Practicesmethodology: clarity-consent-controlBy enforcing transparency in software offers, requiring informed consent for installation, and ensuring ongoing user control, the organization protects users from deceptive software because these safeguards empower users to make informed choices and maintain autonomy over their systems.
- Industry Self-Regulation for Consumer Protection and Sustainabilitymethodology: industry self-regulationBy establishing and enforcing unified best practices through collective member action, the organization produces a more sustainable and consumer-friendly software distribution ecosystem because shared standards reduce deceptive practices and improve trust and quality across the industry.
- Member-Driven Governance to Ensure Organizational Legitimacy and Effectivenessmethodology: member-driven governanceBy relying on active participation and financial/operational support from member constituents, the organization sustains its legitimacy and operational capacity because member ownership aligns incentives and ensures accountability to the community it serves.