Rule targets computer privacy
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You already know that when you open a window on your computer, chances are that someone is using that window to get a closer look at you.
Internet businesses say access to your information is important to their marketing strategies and helps them provide consumers with new and better products and services.
Federal regulators, however, and some consumer groups fear the sharing of online behavior can become intrusive.
A privacy report released Wednesday by the Federal Trade Commission proposes the creation of a "Do Not Track" tool for the Internet, which would enable people to prevent marketers from tracking their Web browsing.
"Consumers live in a world where information about their purchasing behavior, online browsing habits and other online and offline activity is collected, analyzed, combined, used and shared, often instantaneously and invisibly," the 113-page report says.
"Although many of these companies manage consumer information responsibly, some appear to treat it in an irresponsible or even reckless manner. Industry must do better. For every business, privacy should be a basic consideration -- similar to keeping track of costs and revenues, or strategic planning."
Work on the FTC report began almost a year ago and it recommends three basic principles: Companies should be collecting only data that they need; privacy policies should be made more clear and concise; and consumers ought to have a way to say "No, thank you" to sharing their personal data.
Many Internet businesses already provide such an option, but there is no consistent manner for doing so, and consumers may not know how to take advantage of it.
The FTC report calls for "a uniform and comprehensive way in which consumers could choose whether to allow collection and use of data regarding their online searching. The most practical method would likely involve the placement of a persistent setting, similar to a cookie, on the consumer's browser, referred to as 'Do Not Track.' "
As in the case of the popular "Do Not Call" registry made available to telephone customers a few years ago, such a device would put the choice in the hands of the consumer.
But unlike "Do Not Call," the "Do Not Track" option would not include a registry.
"You probably would set an option in your Web browser, and the browser would notify websites that you don't want to be tracked," said Lorrie Cranor, an associate professor at Carnegie Mellon University. "But we don't know how this will be set up yet."
First Published December 2, 2010 12:00 am
