“Do Not Track” list coming your way?
Ever notice how you’re shopping online for a specific book, a brand of TV, or perhaps doing some comparison shopping on coffee makers, and suddenly every ad on every website seems to be related to the products you were just browsing? Companies are mining the data from your browsing habits and using it to market more directly to the individual consumer. This probably doesn’t come as a surprise to anyone in today’s age, but the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) has proposed a solution similar to the “Do Not Call” list where an individuals can effectively “opt out” of having their web browsing habits tracked.
The new registry, if approved, would likely be called the “Do Not Track” list. Legal and technical ramifications abound because of the complexities of the internet, surfing on public computers, willingly opting in to specific companies and agreements while opting out via the official list, etc. Just as you still get sales calls because each phoning company falls under the blanket of a larger company which you somehow, somewhere, entered into an agreement giving permission to contact you regarding sales, marketing, specials, etc., the same will likely hold true for the “Do Not Track” list. Play just one online game of “chase the dryer sheet” sponsored by Proctor & Gamble and subject to their terms and conditions, and suddenly you will once again be inundated with online ads for soaps, razors, food, and probably just about anything you can find at a nearby Walgreen’s.
Is it so bad, though? Here’s where this subject makes for a good debate and a solid Dinner Topic. While many of us claim to despise every online ad ever presented to us, others have probably clicked on an banner or two that happened to be properly targeted and purchased something they actually wanted or needed, possibly saving a buck or two in the process.
The question remains: would you rather have an ad-free internet with more pay-per-content sites (nothing can be had for free) along the way, or are you happy knowing you can receive a majority of internet content for free thanks to some individually targeted ads on most pages visited? It’s subjective, so while there is no right answer, don’t let that stop you from giving your opinion tonight!
Want to be ironic or “meta” today? Click on the ad below this post about ads and purchase something along the way!
Read on:
USAToday.com – FTC proposes ‘Do Not Track’ list for Web browsing
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