The Behavioral Targeting debate continues. At the heart of the debate is the simple cookie. This is not new technology. However, this simple tracking, analytics technique has now elevated to sophisticated behavioral tracking networks. In the ultimate end game here, many would like to see the cookie crumble … others would just like you to exercise choice and clear your browser so they can clear their conscience.

Central to the debate is the balance between privacy & engagement – and the assumption that they are polar opposites. They’re not. We can have privacy AND engagement. I’ll blog more on this in the coming months.

Peter Whoriskey, Staff Writer from The Washington Post captures the ongoing debate sentiment in "FTC Wants to Know What Big Brother Knows About You."

While the FTC assesses the impact of behavioral advertising, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) hearings continue on Net Neutrality. Refer article by Stephen Lawson, IDG News Service on PC World Business Center entitled "FCC Net Neutrality Hearing Draws Diverse Views".

As reported by Lawson:

"The dynamic Internet, perhaps the most expansive and liberating technology since the printing press, is, in fact, under threat," said FCC Commissioner Michael Copps. "We will keep it open, we will keep it free, only if we act forcefully to make that happen.”

The FTC Behavioral Advertising submission process has essentially divided into two camps (not a surprise outcome) … industry self-regulation or the consumer advocacy position of a (recurring) call for a ‘Do-Not-Track’ Register. Refer Reuters article by Diane Bartz entitled Consumer groups urge "do not track" registry.

The economic stakes are high for advertising networks and behavioral targeting …Multi-billion dollar revenue streams. They should be focused on the case for self-regulation given the stakes.

The case for privacy and choice for the consumer is equally strong. Tracking online activities and ‘behaviors’ – especially the extent to which this arises as well as correlation of ‘offline’ data sources – at best, can be a little creepy. Similar to say, eavesdropping all of my phone conversations … or tracking everything that I watch on TV via say, a set top box / DVR …

This is not a new debate – the positions have not changed from either side, nor are they likely to … It is good to see that a middle ground of ‘sensitive’ is emerging.

The Behavioral Targeting conversation continues … Last Friday was the deadline for public comment on the FTC’s proposed self-regulation guidelines issued in December 2007 … refer previous post on Greater Transparency and Consumer Control.

Saul Hansell hit many of the issues on the head in the NY Times article on April 10, 2008 entitled “Ad Industry Bans Targeting People With Cancer; Ads to Widows and Orphans Allowed” …