behavioral targeting consumer profiling online tracking Public Opinion
Gallup Poll Shows Public Opposed to Online Tracking
A new Gallup poll reveals that 67% of U.S. Internet users do not believe advertisers should "be allowed to match ads to your specific interests based on websites you have visited." Even when confronted with the idea that these targeted ads could keep costs down for users, 61% of those polled said these tracking techniques are "not worth the invasion of privacy involved." These results indicate that the public may support a Do Not Track mechanism, which the Federal Trade Commission recommended establishing in its privacy report. EPIC submitted a statement to Congress saying that an effective Do Not Track initiative must ensure that a consumer's decision to opt-out is "enforceable, persistent, transparent, and simple." For more information, see EPIC: Online Tracking and Behavioral Profiling.