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The Threat of an Online Privacy Bill

All Reader Comments

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Jeffrey Chester Jul 9, 2009 2:33 PM GMT Mr. Fine's column failed to discuss the critical privacy and consumer protection issues that are at the core of this debate. He should have acknowledged that a far-reaching and sophisticated data collection system--unknown to the most Americans-- that tracks, profiles and targets us online underscores why policymakers must address this privacy threat. Mr. Fine, for example, could have cited such practices as the linking together of offline and online databases; let alone how our financial and health information increasingly is fodder for interactive marketers. Consumer groups, such as my own, are not opposed to data collection or online targeted marketing. But we do want to ensure that there will be regulations that protect individual consumers and their families. As more of our affairs, including monetary, move online, the U.S. would be wise to protect consumers in the digital era.
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Jay Deragon Jul 8, 2009 1:26 PM GMT While the market has shifted to "conversations" advertising models are still trying to apply old models to new markets.Throw out the old models and use "innovative methods to engage your market. Wasting $350 billion ++ in on line ads reflects Sophomoric thinking.In stead of spending billions on ads that don�??t work, �??give�?? the ad money to the audience and tell them you�??ve stopped wasting money on advertising. If you transferred the ad money to the audience using a new medium do you think they would spend it? Who doesn�??t spend found, or free, money?Give it to the regulators or give it to your customer.
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Flim Flam bam Jul 8, 2009 5:40 AM GMT Regulate them.
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Kurt DeMarais Jul 6, 2009 7:14 PM GMT The whole issue arises around "tracking" or "monitoring" users web wide, and data being shared with a "third party" outside the relationship a consumer may have with a known and trusted merchant. The focus should be on providing relevant messages and offers to consumers without violating their privacy and there are solutions available today which allow(advertisers) to do just that. My guess is they'll become much more popular as their existence becomes more widely known. Protecting consumer's privacy can be done today without legislation.
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Cookies are sooo 1990s Jul 6, 2009 10:34 AM GMT Other "winners" would be ISPs like Comcast, who can directly monitor your web activities without cookies. Then there is Adobe's Flash, which has its own 'cookie' storage that is completely separate from the browser's. Ultimately there are so many other methods of tracking users across the Web besides third-party cookies that any regulation will be a waste of time.
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