behavioral targeting Federal Trade Commission FTC online tracking Privacy
Senators Kerry and McCain introduce Internet Privacy Legislation
Senators John Kerry (D-MA) and John McCain (R-AZ) have introduced the "Commercial Privacy Bill of Rights Act of 2011," aimed at protecting consumers' privacy both online and offline. The Bill endorses several "Fair Information Practices," gives consumers the ability to opt-out of data disclosures to third-parties, and restricts the sharing of sensitive information. But the Bill does not allow for a private right of action, preempts better state privacy laws, and includes a "Safe Harbor" arrangement that exempts companies from significant privacy requirements. EPIC has supported privacy laws that provide meaningful enforcement, limit the ability of companies' to exploit loopholes for behavioral targeting, and ensure that the Federal Trade Commission can investigate and prosecute unfair and deceptive trade practices, as it did with Google Buzz. For more information, see EPIC: Online Tracking and Behavioral Profiling and EPIC: Federal Trade Commission.
April 12, 2011| Share:
