-Caveat Lector- WJPBR Email News List [EMAIL PROTECTED] Peace at any cost is a prelude to war! Plugged-In: Internet Privacy Advocates Raise Alarm Updated 4:34 PM ET November 8, 1999 Current quotes (delayed 20 mins.) DCLK 142 1/16 -7 15/16 (-5.29%) By Aaron Pressman WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Some of the Internet advertising industry's dirty laundry was getting a public airing Monday, as the debate continued over whether self-regulation is adequately protecting consumer privacy. A public workshop organized by the Federal Trade Commission will examine complaints about so-called profiling, or the practice of tracking consumers' movements online and compiling databases of their activities for use in marketing. Privacy advocates complain that high-tech profiling on the Internet has opened the door to potentially serious abuses. In many cases, profiles are compiled not by Web sites consumers choose to visit but by the advertising firms that place banner ads on those sites, they said. "Irreparable damage will be done to privacy if Web advertisers are allowed to continue assembling their electronic dossiers," said Jason Catlett, president of the pro-privacy group Junkbusters. Catlett wants the FTC to prohibit profiling until new laws are enacted to limit use of consumers' private information. Deirdre Mulligan, staff counsel of the nonprofit Center for Democracy and Technology in Washington, said the workshop could also be an educational vehicle to enlighten consumers about profiling and steps that can be taken to "opt out." "Individuals will need to be given greater control over the use of personal information for privacy to be protected in the future," Mulligan said. "We intend to give individuals the information they need to exercise their privacy rights as much as possible in the current situation." Advertising firms and other Web sites create online profiles by assigning each consumer that visits their site a unique identification tag. The tag is placed on the consumer's own computer in a text file known a cookie file. When a consumer requests a Web page from a profiler's site, the computer hosting the site checks the consumer's computer for a cookie identification tag. If no tag is found, the computer places one in the cookie file. If a tag is found, the computer begins tracking the requests and movements of the consumer around the site, adding the information to data from previous visits by that consumer. The tracking and movements can also be combined with more personal information like name, mailing address, age and e-mail address, that a consumer gave as part of registering with a site. Industry officials argue that profiling is no cause for alarm, since the practices are fully disclosed in the privacy policies of most Web sites and consumers can usually choose not to participate or "opt out." And use of online profiles can help ensure that consumers see ads for products close to their interests. "Consumers are better served by not receiving information that is of no interest to them," Daniel Jaffe, executive vice president of the National Association of Advertisers, explained in comments to the FTC. New parents might want information about disposable diapers that would not appeal to people with no children, for example, Jaffe said. Opt-outs are usually explained in a Web site's privacy policy. On the site of Internet advertising firm DoubleClick Inc., for example, a consumer can blank out the unique tracking number placed in their cookie file by following a link from the company's privacy policy at http://www.doubleclick.com/privacy(underscore)policy/. At many sites, however, opting out of data collection means opting out of visiting the site. At The New York Times site, for example, a consumer can remove personal information provided at registration, thereby canceling the registration. The site currently pledges not to share specific personal data with third parties, giving advertisers on its site only aggregated information about who saw certain banner ads, for example. **COPYRIGHT NOTICE** In accordance with Title 17 U. S. C. Section 107, any copyrighted work in this message is distributed under fair use without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for nonprofit research and educational purposes only.[Ref. http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml ] DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion and informational exchange list. Proselyzting propagandic screeds are not allowed. Substance—not soapboxing! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory', with its many half-truths, misdirections and outright frauds is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRL gives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credeence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/CTRL.html http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
