Web surfers can feel more secure about their clicks and Web purchases now that three of the nation’s four largest Internet service providers have pledged to stop tracking users’ behavior unless given permission by the user.
AT&T, Verizon, and Time Warner Cable officials testified Thursday before the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee that they would not deliver ads based on consumer Web surfing.
‘No Immediate Plans’
The move comes at a time when online advertising in the United States is booming. The U.S. market for online advertising is expected to hit $50.3 billion by 2011, more than doubling 2007 revenues, according to a January report by Yankee Group.
“While we have no immediate plans to offer online behavioral advertising, we believe that a key dimension of any such programs would be to give customers significant control over collection and use of their search and Web-browsing data for online advertising purposes, by requiring their advance affirmative consent,” said Dorothy Atwood, AT&T’s chief privacy officer.
AT&T customers would be required to give permission before the ISP collects and uses their information, would be told what is collected and for how long it is kept, and would have opportunities to change their mind, according to Atwood. Consumers’ identities would also be protected.
Verizon Vice President Thomas Tauke told the committee that consumer trust is paramount in today’s Internet economy and it is critical that consumers understand what kind of targeted advertising Web sites and their ISP use.
“If certain practices cause consumers to believe that their privacy will not be protected, or their preferences won’t be respected, they will be less likely to trust their online services, and the tremendous power of the Internet to benefit consumers will be diminished,” Tauke said.
He added that companies engaged in online behavioral advertising should agree to…