Privacy Policy
TED removed the privacy policy's quick-link table of contents (cosmetic) and deleted an entire section that gave users step-by-step tools and links for opting out of targeted/interest-based advertising. No new data collection or sharing was added, but the removal eliminates TED's own guidance on how to limit ad tracking.
Ad opt-out instructions removed from policy
TED deleted the section that told users exactly how to stop interest-based advertising, including direct links to opt-out tools from the Digital Advertising Alliance, Europe's EDAA, Meta, Google, TikTok, and LinkedIn. The policy doesn't say these opt-out rights are gone, but it no longer tells users how to exercise them, making it harder to limit how your browsing data is used for ad targeting by TED's partners.
“These tools let you manage how your information is used for advertising by participating companies.”
What you can do — Opt out of interest-based ads directly through industry tools: YourAdChoices (optout.aboutads.info), Your Online Choices (youronlinechoices.com), or the ad settings in Google, Meta, TikTok, and LinkedIn, since TED's policy no longer links to these.
| 1 | 1 | ### |
| 2 | 2 | |
| 3 | 3 | Privacy policy sections |
| 4 | 4 | |
| 5 | **[What information we collect]()** | |
− REMOVEDRemoved top-of-page section links The quick-navigation list of links at the top of the policy (pointing to 'What information we collect,' 'How we use your data,' etc.) was deleted. The sections themselves still exist in the document. | ||
| 6 | **[How we use your data]()** | |
| 7 | **[Steps we take to protect your privacy]()** | |
| 8 | **[Our GDPR update]()** | |
| 9 | ||
| 10 | 5 | - * * |
| 11 | 6 | |
| 12 | 7 | ## What information we collect |
| 13 | 8 | |
| 14 | 9 | We collect three (3) types of information: |
| 15 | 10 | |
| 451 | 446 | As of June 19, 2025, TED updated its privacy policy to remove inactive sections (TED Courses, TED Circles, etc.) and also to modify descriptions of how TED uses certain analytics to personalize preferences and third party partners that we use to help us learn more about our subscribers; and better define how we track usage of TED's sites. We also added a more comprehensive index of deactivating targeted advertising below and posted a link to guidelines on how to delete your TED account below. |
| 452 | 447 | As of September 2026, TED updated its policy to clarify how we use tracking pixels in emails, notifications, and on TED Sites; to distinguish between pixel uses that require your consent and the narrow set that are strictly necessary to operate our services. |
| 453 | 448 | |
| 454 | 449 | ##### Deactivating your account and managing privacy settings |
| 455 | 450 | |
| 456 | 451 | To learn how to deactivate your TED.com account, please refer to these [guidelines](https://help.ted.com/hc/en-us/articles/360041043054-How-do-I-delete-my-TED-com-account). You can request that your account be deactivated at any time by contacting us. Please note that once your account is deactivated, your user profile and all public activities (such as comments) will be removed. You can also manage who can view your TED.com profile activity in the Privacy tab of your profile's account settings. To unsubscribe from our newsletter(s), click on the link at the bottom of the newsletter you have received, or if you have a TED Account, you can manage your newsletter subscriptions from your TED.com interest center. For any other changes to your personal data, please contact [privacy@ted.com](mailto:privacy@ted.com) with your request, and we will respond promptly. |
| 457 | ||
| 458 | ##### Deactivating target advertising | |
| 459 | ||
| 460 | You can manage your privacy preferences directly on TED.com by clicking the "Privacy Preferences" link at the bottom of any page. If you prefer not to receive advertising based on your browsing behavior, interests, or general location, you can opt out of personalized ads and receive only generic ads. To learn more or opt out of interest-based advertising, visit the following resources: | |
− REMOVEDRemoved 'Deactivating target advertising' section TED deleted the entire section that explained how to turn off personalized/targeted ads, including links to the DAA, EDAA, Meta, Google, TikTok, and LinkedIn ad preference tools. This guidance no longer appears anywhere in the policy. | ||
| 461 | ||
| 462 | - [YourAdChoices by the Digital Advertising Alliance (DAA)](https://www.aboutads.info/choices/) | |
| 463 | - [Your Online Choices (EDAA - Europe)](https://www.youronlinechoices.com/) | |
| 464 | - [Meta Cookie Policy](https://www.facebook.com/policy/cookies/) | |
| 465 | - [Google Ad Settings](https://adssettings.google.com/) | |
| 466 | - [TikTok Personalized Ads Guide](https://support.tiktok.com/en/account-and-privacy/personalized-ads-and-data/personalization-and-data) | |
| 467 | - [LinkedIn Ad Settings](https://www.linkedin.com/help/linkedin/answer/62931/manage-advertising-preferences) | |
| 468 | ||
| 469 | These tools let you manage how your information is used for advertising by participating companies. | |