AT&T, Verizon To Require Opt-In For User Tracking

Slashdot picked up a Washington Post report that yesterday AT&T and Verizon have pledged not to track customers' internet behavior unless given explicit, opt-in permission.

"Verizon believes that before a company captures certain Internet-usage data . . . it should obtain meaningful, affirmative consent from consumers," said Thomas J. Tauke, Verizon executive vice president.

AT&T's chief privacy officer Dorothy Attwood made a similar pledge to legislators.

Meanwhile, Google, Microsoft and many other Web companies have adopted the "opt out" model, which they say is enough to give consumers "control" over whether their activities are tracked. Some critics viewed the announcements yesterday with skepticism, inferring that the stricter "opt in" scheme could pose problems. Weakly worded warnings could entice many people to "opt in", despite the risks, they waid.

"What they should be saying is, 'We are going to be collecting every move of your mouse on every Web site on a second-by-second basis.' But that would scare too many people away," said Jeff Chester, of the Center for Digital Democracy. "They're going to craft some kind of proposal that claims to be informed consent but simply gives them political cover while they engage in full frontal behavioral targeting."

See more at washingtonpost.com.