Web Privacy—Do you know who’s tracking you?
Security Camera by Sirius Rust
Web Privacy-Do you know who’s tracking you?
In my previous blog, I had mentioned how mobile advertisers currently face the privacy challenges of soliciting on something as personal as someone’s cell phone.
Well, they aren’t the only ones trying to overcome this hurdle, the world wide web, itself, is now actually having to deal with concerned internet users.
Stephanie Clifford of the New York Times reports on a new survey that reveals online privacy as a top concern for Americans.
According to this article, more than 90% of the respondents stated that online privacy was either a “really” or “somewhat” important concern. Overall, respondents want to hold the government responsible for protecting an internet user’s online privacy.
The survey also asked respondents if they felt comfortable with behavioral advertising, and if they read web site privacy statements when browsing.
Behavioral advertising requires using a person’s web browsing history to determine the best ads to show them. And the debate that surrounds behavioral advertising has only intensified, since there is still no government intervention…yet.
Last month, the Federal Trade Commission (F.T.C) suggested that sites divulge when they are participating in behavioral advertising and obtain permission from consumers to do so.
F.T.C Commissioner Jon Leibowitz stated that if the industry does not respond, the next step will be (government) intervention, leading some technology companies to make the changes on their own.
Survey respondents, however, do recognize the need for self-reliance, with 75% responding that individuals themselves should be held accountable for protecting their own privacy while on the web.
Apparently, the only cookies that the American public likes are the ones that come from the oven…
and not the ones that Firefox or Internet Explorer are cooking up.
