Aug. 1, 2008 - Lawmakers Ask Top Broadband and Internet Co.s to Detail Use of User-Tracking Tech
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Representatives Edward J. Markey (D-MA), chairman of the House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet, John D. Dingell (D-MI), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Ranking Members Joe Barton (R-TX) and Cliff Stearns (R-FL), today sent letters to 33 leading Internet and broadband companies including Verizon, AT&T, Time Warner, Comcast, Microsoft, Google, and others, pressing them for information about the extent to which they collect information about consumers' use of their broadband services or websites.
"Privacy is a
cornerstone of freedom. Online users have a right to explicitly know when their
broadband provider is tracking their activity and collecting potentially sensitive
and personal information," said Rep. Markey.
"New technologies, such
as ‘deep packet inspection' technologies, have the ability to track every
single website that a consumer visits while surfing the Web.This sweeping ability to collect, analyze,
and profile how individuals use their broadband connection raises clear privacy
issues and I believe such activity should occur only with the express prior
consent of individual citizens.In
addition, individual websites and search engines and their affiliates that
monitor users also owe consumers constructive notice of such activities and the
right to limit or thwart any personal data collection."
The
lawmakers' letter requests responses to 11 specific questions and was sent
to the following companies: Bresnan Communications; Bright House Networks;
CableOne; Cablevision; Charter; Comcast; Cox; Insight; Knology; Mediacom; RCN;
Suddenlink; Time Warner Cable; WideOpenWest; AT&T; CenturyTel; Citizen
Communications; Earthlink; Qwest; TDS Telecom; Windstream Communications;
Verizon; United Online; PAETEC; XO Communications; Cbeyond; Level 3; Covad; tw
telecom; AOL; Google; Microsoft; and Yahoo!.
"I look forward to
the responses from these companies.This
information will allow the Congress to gain a more comprehensive understanding
of the nature and extent to which user-tracking technologies are being
implemented and the impact they could have on consumer privacy and Internet
communications generally," added Rep. Markey.
Rep. Markey chaired
a hearing on this issue on July 17th and has previously
requested information from Charter Communications and Embarq about their use of
user-tracking software.
Full text of the
letter is available HERE
and additional information can be found HERE.
