Tuesday, November 10th, 2009
By Winter Casey, Reporter, BroadbandCensus.com
WASHINGTON, November 10, 2009 - The European Union’s independent supervisory authority devoted to protecting personal data and privacy
said Monday that member states will soon be required to implement new privacy rules including requirements that users be offered easier ways to control whether they want cookies stored on their computer equipment.
European Data Protection Supervisor Peter Hustinx, said in a statement, “I note in particular the emphasis on more effective enforcement of the rules on spyware and cookies. This has special relevance where privacy rights must be protected in relation to so called targeted advertising."
After the revised electronic privacy directive is formerly adopted, member states will have 18 months to follow its provisions. The new provisions are meant to strengthen enforcement powers for national data protection authorities and require that any communications provider or Internet service provider “involved in individuals' personal data being compromised must inform them if the breach is likely to adversely affect them.”
The provisions also give any person negatively affected by spam, such as an Internet service provider, the right to take legal...
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Wednesday, June 3rd, 2009
By Ryan Womack, Reporter-Researcher, BroadbandCensus.com
WASHINGTON, June 3, 2009 – Officials from Google and Microsoft denied that they were creating privacy-invading user profiles of internet users, speaking at the 2009 Computers, Freedom and Privacy conference at George Washington University here.
Online advertising and internet “cookies” designed to collect user data were center to this discussion at the conference. Google’s Jane Horvath said that the search engine giant is not “logging… or creating profiles at all,” when asked about data collection.
Mike Hintze of Microsoft said that Microsoft collects “similar data” to Google. When a consumer engages in internet search queries and “interacts with services we offer, ... certain information is collected and certain demographic information is collected.”
But Jeff Chester of the Center for Digital Democracy decried the “global system [that] has emerged [and which] is designed to collect this data ...whose goal it is to shape our attitude and behavior.” Chester said that Google and others are promoting and practicing techniques that may “bypass the conscious mind and work on the emotions” as it engages in online advertising.
It “goes back many, many, years before this was a hot issue,” Hintze said of targeted advertising. “It’s happened since catalogues and direct mail. Online is...
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Wednesday, July 9th, 2008
News
By William G. Korver, Reporter, BroadbandCensus.com
WASHINGTON, July 8 – Online advertising firm NebuAd is violating individual users’ privacy, and possibly state and federal laws, officials at the Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT) said at a Tuesday briefing on a report.
But in order to allow consumers to opt-out of the NebuAd-advertising model, Congress must pass laws forcing such companies to become more transparent, said two CDT officials, plus a key consultant, at the Tuesday briefing. The event was co-sponsored by CDT, plus Free Press and Public Knowledge, two other non-profit groups.
Robb Topolski, a consultant who authored a June 18 report, published by Free Press and Public Knowledge, accused NebuAd of paying internet service providers (ISPs) to allow NebuAd to eavesdrop on web users and place packets into responses from websites in order to “force-load” cookies on internet users’ computers. NebuAd is an online advertising firm.
CDT President Leslie Harris and Vice President Ari Schwartz, plus Topolski, counseled legislators against falling into the trap of “lumping” NebuAd’s tactics with that of other internet issues and players. The CDT report and press briefing come one day ahead of a Senate Commerce Committee hearing on Internet behavioral advertising.
Harris said that the NebuAd online advertising...
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Thursday, June 26th, 2008
News
By William G. Korver, Reporter, BroadbandCensus.com
WASHINGTON, June 25 – The congressman who represents the headquarters of telecommunications giant
AT&T used a Wednesday subcommittee hearing on the impact of online advertising to raise concerns about the recent agreement between Google and Yahoo!
Since "competition is always a good thing," the recent advertising agreement between the world's two largest web sites is a cause for concern, said Rep. Charles Gonzalez, D-Texas.
Gonzalez made the remarks at a House Small Business Subcommittee on Regulations, Health Care and Trade Hearing, "The Impact of Online Advertising on Small Firms." He is chairman of the subcommittee.
The domination of the online advertising industry by one company is never healthy, said Gonzalez. The fact that the two search engines combine to boast almost 80 percent of the total amount of searches on the Internet is a cause of serious concern, said Gonzalez.
The Texas Democrat has repeatedly raised anti-competitive concerns about Google, particularly when the web site has pushed for Net Neutrality over the opposition of Bell companies.
While some may suggest that "temporary monopolies" are a product of today's rapid changes in technology , the basic principle that competition promotes innovation remains, Gonzalez added.
Rob Snell, co-owner of Gun Dog...
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