GNG News Guy
06-26-2008, 09:41 AM
http://i.dslr.net/urls/14/2314.gif (http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/After-Charters-Decision-To-Drop-NebuAD-Will-Other-ISPs-Follow-95596)
Customer backlash, fears that the technology could violate several privacy and wiretap laws, and the threat of Congressional investigation caused Charter this week to suspend their trials (http://www.thegng.org/shownews/Charter-User-Monitoring-Plans-Suspended-95551) with behavioral advertising firm NebuAD. But what about the companies who were tinkering with the technology long before Charter? Embarq tells the Washington Times (http://www.washtimes.com/news/2008/jun/25/isps-still-considering-tracking-web-use-1/) that "We are not currently using behavioral targeting tools and have not decided whether to move forward with them, either through NebuAd or with any other vendor." Their privacy policy (http://www2.embarq.com/legal/privacy.html) still references such systems:EMBARQ may use information such as the websites you visit or online searches that you conduct to deliver or facilitate the delivery of targeted advertisements. The delivery of these advertisements will be based on anonymous surfing behavior and will not include users' names, email addresses, telephone numbers, or any other Personally Identifiable Information. You may choose to opt out of this preference advertising service. By opting out, you will continue to receive advertisements as normal; but these advertisements will be less relevant and less useful to you. If you would like to opt out, click here (http://www.embarq.com/adsoptions).
So Embarq went from refusing to talk about (http://www.thegng.org/shownews/93375) their bahavioral advertising trials at all, to insisting they aren't using the system, despite the privacy policy mention. CenturyTel, another NebuAD user, tells the Times they'll continue using NebuAD because they believe the laws protecting consumers from such systems (http://www.thegng.org/shownews/94578) only apply to cable operators.
Actually, such technology could run afoul of the Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986 (ECPA); the Communications Act of 1934; and the Cable TV Privacy Act of 1984 -- only one of which obviously applies solely to cable operators.
read comment(s) (http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/After-Charters-Decision-To-Drop-NebuAD-Will-Other-ISPs-Follow-95596)
Customer backlash, fears that the technology could violate several privacy and wiretap laws, and the threat of Congressional investigation caused Charter this week to suspend their trials (http://www.thegng.org/shownews/Charter-User-Monitoring-Plans-Suspended-95551) with behavioral advertising firm NebuAD. But what about the companies who were tinkering with the technology long before Charter? Embarq tells the Washington Times (http://www.washtimes.com/news/2008/jun/25/isps-still-considering-tracking-web-use-1/) that "We are not currently using behavioral targeting tools and have not decided whether to move forward with them, either through NebuAd or with any other vendor." Their privacy policy (http://www2.embarq.com/legal/privacy.html) still references such systems:EMBARQ may use information such as the websites you visit or online searches that you conduct to deliver or facilitate the delivery of targeted advertisements. The delivery of these advertisements will be based on anonymous surfing behavior and will not include users' names, email addresses, telephone numbers, or any other Personally Identifiable Information. You may choose to opt out of this preference advertising service. By opting out, you will continue to receive advertisements as normal; but these advertisements will be less relevant and less useful to you. If you would like to opt out, click here (http://www.embarq.com/adsoptions).
So Embarq went from refusing to talk about (http://www.thegng.org/shownews/93375) their bahavioral advertising trials at all, to insisting they aren't using the system, despite the privacy policy mention. CenturyTel, another NebuAD user, tells the Times they'll continue using NebuAD because they believe the laws protecting consumers from such systems (http://www.thegng.org/shownews/94578) only apply to cable operators.
Actually, such technology could run afoul of the Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986 (ECPA); the Communications Act of 1934; and the Cable TV Privacy Act of 1984 -- only one of which obviously applies solely to cable operators.
read comment(s) (http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/After-Charters-Decision-To-Drop-NebuAD-Will-Other-ISPs-Follow-95596)