Compliance » Battle Shaping Up Over Targeted Ads

Battle Shaping Up Over Targeted Ads

February 24, 2016

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When it decided to classify Internet service providers (ISPs) as common carriers, the Federal Communications Commission did more than establish net neutrality. A post from Proskauer Rose looks at another issue addressed by that landmark decision: the treatment of personal customer information. The ISPs in fact are perfectly situated to extract all kinds of information, personal and otherwise, from their customers, and to some extent they are doing that already.  “Some ISPs,” the authors notes, “inserted unique headers – a type of so-called “supercookie” – into all mobile traffic last year, initially without the ability to opt out of being tracked, and then used that information to compile profiles of users.” For now the FCC has issued only a generalized exhortation to respect “basic privacy protections,” but rules are eventually going to be written. The ISPs and many businesses argue that information collection benefits consumers because it enables ads to be targeted more efficiently, essentially at less cost per eyeball, thus enabling cheaper products, at the same time it gives consumers a focused look at what they are likely to want to see.

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