I WANT personalized advertising!

I read about this in the PAPER today, as in, the actual printed newspaper. My first thought was: since when has the government cared that much about people’s privacy?

Investigating how Google or anyone else observes behavioral data on the internet is the scary thing. It’s not as if these companies are using the data maliciously, they are just trying to serve their customers better. Personalization and relevant marketing messages are an excellent use of the technology. Especially if, as a consumer, you request such messages.

NEWS RELEASE

Committee on Energy and Commerce
Rep. John D. Dingell, Chairman

For Immediate Release: August 1, 2008
Contact: Jodi Seth or Alex Haurek, 202-225-5735

Energy and Commerce Committee Questions Data Practices of Network Operators

Washington, D.C. – A key Congressional Committee is initiating an inquiry into the privacy concerns raised by the data collection practices of Internet network operators who tailor Internet advertising based on a consumer’s Web surfing activity. Leaders of the Committee on Energy and Commerce wrote today to top cable, phone and Internet companies asking that the companies provide information about their data collection practices.

The letter was signed by Reps. John D. Dingell (D-MI) and Joe Barton (R-TX), the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Reps. Ed Markey (D-MA) and Cliff Stearns (R-FL), the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Telecommunications and the Internet Subcommittee.

Earlier this month, Dingell and Markey wrote to Embarq Corporation regarding a test the company had performed to tailor advertising to consumers’ web browsing habits. On July 17, the Telecommunications and the Internet Subcommittee held a hearing on deep packet inspection and the privacy issues implicated by the technology.

Today’s letter was sent to: AOL; AT&T; Bresnan Communications; Bright House Networks; CableOne; Cablevision; Cbeyond; CenturyTel; Charter; Citizen Communications; Comcast; Covad; Cox; Earthlink; Google; Insight; Knology; Level 3; Mediacom; Microsoft; PAETEC; Qwest; RCN; Suddenlink; Time Warner Cable; tw telecom; WideOpenWest; TDS Telecom; United Online; Windstream Communications; Verizon; XO Communications; and Yahoo!.