Online privacy groups call for do-not-track list

1 November 2007

Consumers are warned that privacy is threatened ‘in ways they are unaware of'

US-- Privacy and consumer organisations are calling for a do-not-track list to allow consumers to opt out of having their internet activity monitored for marketing and advertising purposes.

In a letter submitted to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) yesterday, the nine groups say that the advance of online targeting and tracking without users' knowledge or consent “threatens privacy in new ways that consumers are largely unaware of”. Existing safeguards such as the self-regulatory Network Advertising Initiative have failed, they claim.

“Online opt-outs should be as well-known and as easy as the do-not-call list,” said Mark Cooper of the Consumer Federation of America.

The proposal, which aims to prevent tracking “for advertising purposes”, makes no mention of where market research fits in. The principles outlined by the groups for behavioural monitoring could apply to any tracking carried out without the user's knowledge.

Representatives of the groups attended a meeting with the FTC yesterday to discuss the matter.

They have proposed that all firms conducting behavioural tracking for advertising purposes should have to register the domain names of their servers with the FTC. The list would be made available for the public to download, in a form allowing them to block the sites through their internet software.

The letter also calls for a new definition of ‘personally identifiable information', more prominent disclosures, independent auditing of behavioural tracking, and the establishment of an Online Consumer Protection Advisory Committee.

Author: Robert Bain

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