Three of the nation's four largest Internet Service Providers argued in favor of self-regulation for tracking online behavior yesterday. Testifying before Congress, Verizon, AT&T and Time Warner Cable executives said that their companies were not delivering ads based on consumers' Web-browsing habits, but argued for voluntary guidelines if and when they do.
AT&T and Verizon pledged to refrain from tracking their users' behavior unless explicitly requesting permission. Time Warner Cable said it supported requiring customer consent but wants the guideline to apply to "all companies involved in targeted online advertising."
An investigation is currently underway in Congress following protests that ensued when ISPs ran trials of a targeted ad service from Web tracking company NebuAd last year without user consent. The large ISPs are now hoping that aggressive self-regulation will prevent legislation being passed to protect customer privacy online.
See Also:
- Another Nail in the NebuAd Coffin: CEO Steps Down | Epicenter from ...
- If Only There Were an Opt-Out Option For Real Life Stalking As Well…
- Under Pressure, ISP Admits Secret Web Snooping in Kansas
- ISP Justifies, But Doesn't Explain Secret Customer Eavesdropping
- Lawmakers Target Second ISP for Web-Tracking Tech
