Firms Issue Guidelines for Web Tracking
From Reuters
Internet users could have a better idea of how they are tracked online under voluntary guidelines issued by an industry group.
The guidelines are the first to specifically address invisible tracking devices called “Web bugs” that can be used to monitor traffic on a Web site, collect names for “spamming” campaigns or allow ad agencies to profile a computer user’s habits.
Developed by privacy consultants, the U.S. Postal Service and high-tech players such as DoubleClick Inc. and Microsoft Corp., the guidelines require that companies reveal when they use Web bugs, what sort of information they collect and how the information is used.
