Privacy Advocates Want Internet "Do-Not-Track" List
Oct 31, 2007
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is hosting a two-day workshop this week to investigate consumer protection issues related to online behavioral advertising, the practice of tracking Internet users to deliver more targeted ads. The "eHavioral Advertising" workshop opens tomorrow and, according to AdvertisingAge, a group of privacy advocates that includes the Center for Democracy and Technology and the Electronic Frontier Foundation are holding a news conference today to propose creation of a do-not-track list.
The list is designed to prevent Web advertisers from using cookies to collect information on users who opt out. Which is why it's being called an Internet version of the Do Not Call Registry (coincidentally, House and Senate committees approved legislation yesterday to prevent consumers' phone numbers from automatically being removed from the Do Not Call Registry after five years).
Privacy advocates are concerned that current online advertising standards don't go far enough in protecting consumers' personal information and that sites aren't transparent enough about when they're tracking users and exactly what data they're collecting.
On the other side, Web marketers argue that cookies do not collect personally identifiable data about individuals. They also contend that behavioral ad techniques improve the online experience by increasing the relevancy of ads and allowing sites to offer free content that is ad-supported.
For more, check out this article in AdAge or download a PDF from CDT that illustrates the do-not-track list plan. We'll also have more this week during the FTC's workshop.
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