Do-not-track bill worries some lawmakers
Requiring a do-not-track mechanism to protect consumers from companies tracking their digital footprints on the Web is worrying some lawmakers, who warned Thursday that such a move could damage the Internet economy.
“What will happen to advertising-supported Internet content?” said Rep. Ed Whitfield (R-Ky.), who could chair a key subcommittee dealing with online privacy when Republicans take control of the House in January. “We need to be mindful not to enact legislation that would hurt a recovering economy.”
He and other lawmakers at a House hearing were trying to determine whether Congress should enact legislation requiring a do-not-track function in Web browsers to allow consumers to opt out of the extensive data collection by Internet companies.
Momentum has been growing for such an option, which would build off the success of the do-not-call registry that lets consumers block unwanted calls from telemarketers. On Wednesday, the Federal Trade Commission endorsed the idea of a do-not-track function, though for now, it is calling for the industry to adopt it voluntarily.
The Obama administration endorsed the idea of voluntary industry compliance with stronger consumer privacy protections, but has not backed the call for a broad do-not-track function, said Daniel J. Weitzner, an official at the National Telecommunications and Information Administration.
Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Ill.), chairman of the House Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection, plans to introduce online privacy legislation next year and is considering including a do-not-track requirement. He appeared to be still undecided but noted there were benefits to such a tool.
“Through such a mechanism, consumers could advise would-be trackers unambiguously and persistently that they do not wish to be followed by digital snoopers and spies across websites and their various fixed and mobile computing devices,” Rush said.
Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) said he planned to introduce comprehensive legislation protecting children’s online privacy next year, and would include a do-not-track requirement for their Web surfing.
“Children should be playing ‘hide and seek,’ not ‘hide from the creep,’ ” Markey said.
Internet companies are trying to blunt the call for a do-not-track function by launching an industry-wide initiative offering more narrow privacy protection by allowing people to opt out of receiving targeted ads based on tracking data.
“We believe it would be premature to require do-not-track through legislation or regulation given the still-conceptual nature of such a requirement,” Joan Gillman, president of media sales for Time Warner Cable, told the subcommittee.
She noted that advertisements are a key reason why most Internet content is free.
Weitzner and David Vladeck, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, said people could be given greater privacy protections without reducing advertising revenue for Internet companies.
But Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.), said lawmakers should be careful to strike the right balance between increased privacy protections and the financial health of Internet businesses.
“Our first step,” he said, “should not be finding ways the government can regulate the Internet.”
