Privacy Groups Target Online Advertising

[Lone_Star_Dem]

Source: AP

WASHINGTON - A coalition of privacy groups Wednesday called for creation of a "Do Not Track List," that would prohibit advertisers from tracking online movements of consumers.

Similar to the popular Do Not Call telephone lists, the Internet proposal comes as online advertising revenues are growing rapidly, providing critical revenue to startups and Web giants such as Google Inc. and Yahoo Inc.

Online ad revenue is forecast to more than double to $44 billion in 2011 from $17 billion in 2006, according to eMarketer.com.

Computer users should be notified when their Web surfing is tracked by online advertisers and Web publishers, argue the Consumer Federation of America, the World Privacy Forum and the Center for Democracy and Technology, among other groups in a coalition promoting the idea.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071031/ap_on_hi_te/online_advertising_privacy

[liberal N proud]

1. Oh PLEEEEZE!

Do they not realize that without advertising, Sites would require payment to enter

[robinlynne]

2. This is about TRACKING. not advertising.

[drm604]

5. Tracking is necessary for advertising.

When you click on an ad on DU, for example, you are tracked so that DU gets either a small payment for the click or a percentage of any sales. Without that tracking the advertiser would have no way of knowing who to pay. Websites would then have no way to pay their expenses and would have to charge users or take donations.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

3. This does not suggest that advertising be banned

Only that there be better disclosure on tracking cookies and a possibility to opt out.

[mlevans]

4. without advertising, Sites would require payment to enter

No, I really don't think they comprehend this. Or possibly have not considered it. Either way, these apparently are groups that want what they want, and the devil take anyone or anything that stands in their way. Personally, I consider Internet advertising the price I have to put up with in order to make use of it. I don't think.legislation notwithstanding, that we'll ever have true privacy on the Web, and I don't expect it. Explaining all this to the groups involved probably won't make any difference though. They feel that some basic right of theirs is being infringed upon, so they'll just go on and do what they think they have to do.