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This is defiantly a step in the right direction…Are you worried about how your browsing and search data is being used by companies? Here’s some relief for you. In a recent announcement, AT&T the largest telecom company in the US has pledged to protect Internet user privacy in any online behavioral advertising program it launches. What’s more AT&T has also requested other companies to do the same.
In the announcement made on September 25th, Dorothy Attwood, Chief Privacy Officer, AT&T, called on all companies that track and collect Internet usage data to give Web users more control over how their online activity data is tracked, collected, and used. Although AT&T has no immediate plans to offer online behavioral advertising, it believes any such program should take users’ consent in advance and give them significant control over collection and use of their surfing data for online advertising purposes.
AT&T has been in talks with consumers over the past several months to understand their expectations from any company using their online information. Based on the inputs from these talks, AT&T has come up with the following simple principles that it will uphold in the design of any online behavioral advertising program they may deliver in the future.
- AT&T will take permission from its customers before collecting and using their information for online behavioral advertising.
- It will share information with customers about the kind of data it would collect and use for its program.
- Customers will be allowed to opt out of an AT&T online behavioral advertising program whenever they wish.
- AT&T will protect customer identity, irrespective of customer decision about being part of a behavioral advertising campaign.
Attwood further said that while this pledge represented AT&T’s commitment, other companies with access to information about online users should adopt similar commitments to transparency, customer control, and privacy.
Top marks… and not before time.
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