In the recent investigations about the ad targeting and behavior tracking recently Google and Yahoo released opt-out policies that will allow users to opt out of the ad targeting in the respective networks. Further developments on the investigation bring to light that ad tracking or behavior tracking are done with out the explicit consent of the users. Web firms confessed to the Congress this shocking news however, not many looked shocked as it was an unsaid fact and since no one questioned, it was not spoken about it so far.
It is just not one or two companies that fall in this lot, several internet and broadband companies seems to use targeted advertising technology without the knowledge of the customers. This raises a moral question on the usage of technology. Google has been the leader when it comes to online advertising and the technology it uses allows Google to track the web-surfing behavior even across affiliated sites.
Several Internet and broadband companies have acknowledged using targeted-advertising technology without explicitly informing customers, according to letters released yesterday by the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
It is evident that there are no limits to what is possible with technology when it comes to tracking and information collection. The information that is collected about the innocent users is sold as a product to other companies that are keen in acquiring such data. Congress is likely to come up with a new legislation in the coming year on online-privacy Bill of Rights. This bill would protect the users from the claws of these internet techies who pry into the web life of the users. Tracking will be made possible only if the users opt-in; not many of us would opt in for such a tracking, at least not unless there is some incentive for the users to opt-in. This will also protect the privacy of the users in terms of online behavior and collection and sharing of any form of personal data.
The opt-in bill will face its opposition because some feel that it will affect small companies that will find it difficult to reach their customers. They have been all along relying on the data they received from the major internet giants.
Google admitted that the use of “DoubleClick” which is a cookie that is used for serving targeted ads based on the tracking the web surfing pattern on the user. As per its letter to the committee, it did not engage in any of the highly invasive approaches that are used by other companies like NebuAd. Google was gradually moving towards behavioral targeting and it is easy for Google than anyone else because of its huge network and the sophisticated data collection tools it uses.
Yahoo and MSN openly admitted that they were engaging in behavioral tracking. So far Google and Yahoo have come out with their opt-out policies but Microsoft is yet to respond. Among the 33 internet companies that are under scrutiny at least one third of them have stated that they do not engage in any form of ad targeting.