The Wall Street Journal released a story on how widespread Internet tracking has become. Get used to this, because this is the new normal. Here's an excerpt:
"The largest U.S. websites are installing new and intrusive consumer-tracking technologies on the computers of people visiting their sites—in some cases, more than 100 tracking tools at a time—a Wall Street Journal investigation has found....
The 50 sites installed a total of 3,180 tracking files on a test computer used to conduct the study. Only one site, the encyclopedia Wikipedia.org, installed none. Twelve sites, including IAC/InterActive Corp.'s Dictionary.com, Comcast Corp.'s Comcast.net and Microsoft Corp.'s MSN.com, installed more than 100 tracking tools apiece in the course of the Journal's test."
What is my reaction? First, I'm not surprised in the least. I mention this and similar trends in my book. This practice has been going on for a long time, and it will continue to grow.
Second, as I mention in chapters 9 and 10, I am as concerned - just as other privacy advocates are. The main reason I'm concerned is a lack of knoweldge of these practices and clear communication of what's going on to users. I continue to advocate for an "opt-in" approach to gathering data by Internet companies rather than this default experience.
Third, and this will surprise some readers of my blog who haven't read the book, I think this trend goes both too far and not far enough for true, helpful accountability and the blocking of unwanted online content. Too far in that it happens automatically, without true consent and understanding of users and without much control and easy to use ability to assist Christians.
But not far enough in that those who want to "opt-in" could truly "surf your values" and have a wholesome Internet experience - if this monitoring was used for good. If opt-in profiles were used by trusted providers to enable us, this "tracking" could become an active tool to help. The article describes how we are targeted with ads, but is this done for evil or for good? Are we being tempted down the primrose path? YES.
I'd like to see the ability to truly block unwanted material. More than that - to deliver what I truly want to see, so I don't have to go running all over the Internet looking for content and traverse distracting or even innapropriate material. I believe that this view is shared by many Christian families and others who want to surf their values.
All of this is described in detail in chapters 9 and 10. Technology is heading in a direction where we can offer customers what they truly want and opt-in to see. These developments are both exciting and scary at the same time.
Any thoughts on this trend?
[NOTE to readers - I will continue my previous series on Internet regulation in August. Again, a too-tempting article popped up for me to comment on.]