US administration calls for online privacy rights

Mar 16, 2011, 23:32 GMT

Washington - The Obama administration called Wednesday for the passage of a consumer privacy bill of rights that would allow individuals to prevent companies from tracking their online surfing or selling their data to the highest bidder.

A bill of rights is 'something that consumers want, companies need, and the economy will appreciate,' Lawrence Strickling, assistant commerce secretary for communications and information, told the Senate Commerce Committee. He called on Congress to enact legislation to reassure consumers, 'who are unsure about how data about their activities and transactions are collected, used, and stored.'

Strickling said the Obama administration proposed working with the internet industry and privacy groups 'to develop appropriate codes.'

'We think we can get to a regime that will greatly improve privacy for consumers and still meet the needs of businesses who want to continue to see the growth of the internet,' he said.

Stricking's comments come after the Federal Trade Commission proposed a universal 'Do Not Track' tool built into internet browsers that would allow users to stop advertisers and websites from following their activity on the web.

'An effective Do Not Track system would go beyond simply opting consumers out of receiving targeted advertisements. It would opt them out of having their behavior tracked online,' FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz said.

The Centre for Democracy and Technology, a non-governmental internet rights watchdog, welcomed the Obama administration's call for online privacy legislation as a 'historic announcement, marking the first time the White House has called for a baseline consumer privacy bill.'

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