In today’s Daily Caller, I discuss the need for Congressional, rather than FCC, action on broadband reclassification in order to provide optimal benefits for consumers. Here is an excerpt: Broadband Internet access is critical to improving virtually every aspect of a consumer’s... Read The Story...

Late last week, the Federal Trade Commission issued a report detailing revised guidelines regarding how online advertisers should protect consumers’ privacy when collecting information about their web activities. I believe these FTC principles for online advertising reflect a clear response to the concerns consumers have about the lack of transparency and control Internet users have regarding the tracking and retention of their personal web searches.

The guidelines include principles that include expectations that web sites provide clear and prominent notice regarding behavioral advertising, as well as an easy way for consumers to choose whether or not to have their information collected for this purpose. The report also encourages companies to design “creative and effective disclosure mechanisms that are separate from their privacy policies” to help consumers untangle the sometimes long and complicated privacy policies on sites that are often difficult to understand. As noted previously on this blog, consumers often do not read privacy policies, so providing clearer disclosure elsewhere on a website about what happens to consumers’ information online is a step in the right direction.

The report also urges companies to retain data only as long as it is needed to fulfill a legitimate business or law enforcement need. The report continues to urge companies to obtain affirmative consent from online users before collecting any sensitive data for behavioral advertising.

Check out the FTC press statement for a summary of the principles here – www.ftc.gov/opa/2009/02/behavad.shtm – and refer to the complete report for more information, www.ftc.gov/os/2009/02/P085400behavadreport.pdf.

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It’s official:  your Facebook page is not only your social network and your digital record, it’s now also your resume and career builder.  An AP story has just confirmed one of the messages I have been telling teens, young adults, and adults for quite awhile:  make sure you post text and pictures that always present your best.

The AP article mentions that with a competitive job market and a tight economy, potential employers are using Facebook to do their own background research for potential employees. While some level of personal information, such as interest or skills in a particular sport, can be helpful to distinguish a job candidate, you could reveal a bit too much about yourself on Facebook.

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The article describes some excellent tips on how Facebook users can use the privacy settings available with the social network to limit access to some of your information and photos.  Of course the best protection is to limit posting any photos or text that you wouldn’t want in the public domain.

Check out the complete AP article here

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Another interesting point I discovered through this online privacy survey Roman Holiday ipod The Amityville Horror ipod is the apparent gap that exists between perception and reality when it comes to parental awareness of online tracking for commercial purposes. Parents identify themselves as knowledgeable about protecting their kids’ privacy online, but survey results indicate they are unaware of some the activities that occur online that could affect their children.

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• Parents know less than they think about their children’s privacy online when it comes to sites tracking their children’s online activity.
• 69% of parents say they are very or fairly knowledgeable about how to protect their children’s privacy online, but 29% are not even sure whether the websites their children use have privacy policies and just 31% have read the privacy policies of the websites their children visit closely.
• 56% are unsure whether children’s online activity can be tracked by companies for commercial purposes.

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As a consumer advocate and parent, I would encourage parents to talk to their kids about the websites they are using.  Parents should also read the website privacy policies to familiarize themselves with the types of sites their kids are visiting.  Talk to your kids about setting privacy protections on the websites they use.  Take the time to learn more about how your kids’ online activity can impact their privacy.   Finally, look for more information here I Love Your Work rip

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regarding kids, teens and online privacy.

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These monthly messages will contain more resources and information for consumers.

Consumer Resources

Below are additional resources to more information about online privacy.

Consumer Guide to Online Privacy (PDF)
Consumer Online Privacy Survey
2008 Online Safety Survey
bNetS@vvy
www.onguardonline.gov
www.ikeepsafe.org/
www.getnetwise.org
www.fosi.org
www.enough.org

Other Organizations

National Caucus and Center on Black Aged:
http://www.ncba-aged.org/

National Consumers League:
http://www.nclnet.org/