2 posts and columns on consumer privacy

Voices

Proposed Privacy Legislation Wins Few Fans

in News on May 4, 2010 at 3:02 pm PT

Proposed legislation on privacy landed with a thud when it was unveiled Tuesday — drawing criticism from both Internet and advertising industries, which are leery of regulation, and consumer privacy advocates, who say the bill does far too little to protect consumers.

Legislators Apparently Unaware of Adblock Plus, TrackMeNot

in News on August 12, 2008 at 1:08 pm PT

Well, it’s about time. On Aug. 1, four top members of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce sent letters ordering 33 cable and Internet companies, including Google, Microsoft, and Yahoo, to explain in detail their privacy standards. Of particular concern to the Committee was “the growing trend of companies tailoring Internet advertising based on consumers’ Internet search, surfing or other use,” i.e., behavioral targeting.