Jul 8, 2008 4:33 pm US/Eastern
Bill Aims To Allow Consumers To Block Web Tracking
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
House and Senate members are discussing a bill that would allow consumers to prevent Internet search providers and search engines from tracking their online habits.
Legislation proposed by Democratic Rep. William Straus of Mattapoisett would require providers to tell consumers about their tracking habits and give consumers the option of blocking the tracking.
"I think a lot of people who go on the Internet don't realize that all their searches and the pages they go to are being kept track of by the Internet service providers and also the search engines," Straus said.
Under the bill consumers would have to give expressed permission if the information being tracked could identify them by name, phone number or address.
Search providers and businesses use such anonymous and personal information to offer products and services to consumers based on their Web search habits.
Straus told a Statehouse hearing those offers can be helpful, but "the privacy of the consumer is what this bill is directed to."
Similar bills already exist in New York and Connecticut, but the Massachusetts bill would also mandate the data's deletion after 24 months.
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