I am often asked about "cookies" -- the data left by Web servers on your
computer to keep track of various things. By and large, these don't bother
me, although I do periodically clean them out.
But with the increasing use of cookies, there is the potential for abuse.
So, I thought you might be interested in the attached story.
Regards,
Norm
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Watchdogs want cookie jar clampdown
By Courtney Macavinta
April 7, 1997, 5:30 p.m. PT
A coalition of privacy advocates today threw its weight behind a
proposal to limit the use of browser "cookies," which advertisers need
to track the whereabouts of surfers.
In the letter, ten groups applaud a proposal before the Internet
Engineering Task Force (IETF) to limit the ability of companies to
draw from cookies. The proposal is being presented at a meeting in
Memphis, Tennessee, this week for the IETF, a well-known coalition of
technical experts who develop standards for the Internet.
Today's action highlights the ongoing debate between those pushing
electronic commerce and privacy groups who say consumers should be
protected even if it means suppressing the growth of e-commerce to
implement safeguards.
The proposal aims to alter the protocol that allows cookies to work. A
cookie is a small file that lets companies read and write information
on surfers' hard drives to identify and track them. In many cases,
online advertisers use this information to collect characteristics,
which allows them to more specifically target ads on their Web sites
to the person visiting.
Among the groups that signed the letter in to IETF in support of the
proposal are the Center for Media Education, Computer Professionals
for Social Responsibility, the Consumer Project on Technology , the
Electronic Frontier Foundation, and the Electronic Privacy Information
Center (EPIC).
"We believe that 'transparency'--the ability of users to see and
exercise control over the disclosure of personally identifiable
information--is a critical guideline for the development of sensible
privacy practices on the Internet. The alternative would be the
surreptitious collection of data without the ability to exercise any
control," the letter states.
Copies of the letter were sent to the heads of Microsoft and
Netscape, as well as Christine Varney of the Federal Trade
Commission, and Ira Magaziner, senior advisor to President Clinton on
policy.
http://www.microsoft.com/ Microsoft
http://www.netscape.com/ Netscape
"/Newsmakers/Varney/varney.html" Christine Varney
http://www.ftc.gov/ Federal Trade Commission
"/Newsmakers/Magaziner/magaziner.html">Ira Magaziner
Microsoft and Netscape browsers already allow consumers to choose a
preference that warns them of a cookie when entering a site and asks
them if they want to accept it. Privacy advocates say this is not
enough. They want browser manufacturers to set the defaults on their
products to automatically block cookies. If consumers want a cookie,
they can turn off the block, they say.
"We want the defaults set in such a way that no one can send you a
cookie without you knowing it," Marc Rotenberg, director of EPIC, said
today. "We're against cookies that are secretive or a third-party use
of cookies. If you agree to let one Web site use cookies in your
interaction, we don't want other Web sites scarfing those cookies off
of your system."
But those in online advertising say cookies equal ad dollars well
spent, and they are going to fight the proposal. If accepted by the
majority of commerce outlets on the Web, the proposal would be
accepted as if it were a law, according to opponents.
"The IETF is getting to be more influential because it's a nonprofit
organization with thousands of members. If it proposes something, it
will likely become a standard. Basically, it's regulation," said Tob
Seven of the Internet Advertising Association, which has gained 700
members since it was founded last October.
"This is going to be a further restriction. Cookies are a very viable
resource for advertisers and commerce Web sites.It allows the Web site
to identify frequent visitors. It could be your name, password,
something unique about your buying habits."
David Yoder, media director for Anderson & Lembke, agrees that the
default-setting proposal would make cookies almost useless. His agency
buys all online advertising for Microsoft, which he said benefits from
cookies.
"It is an advantage of our clients and the users. This proposal would
hurt the sites because they won't be able to sell their ad space at a
higher cost-per-thousand. Cookies are only as good as how broadly they
can be spread," he added.
Still, privacy advocates say protecting users from the unknowing
collection of information is more important than advertisers making a
buck.
"We have to keep online marketers out of the 'cookie jar.' Such
`Orwellian' practices to stealthily track every move made online and
share that information with other companies should be prohibited,"
said Jeff Chester, director of the Center for Media Education."
Proposal:
http://www.nando.net/newsroom/ntn/info/040797/info22_29189.html
IETF: http://www.ietf.cnri.reston.va.us/home.html
Centre for Media Education: http://tap.epn.org/cme
Computer Professionals for Social Responsibily:
http://www.cpsr.org/dox/home.htm
Consumer Project on Technology: http://www.cptech.org/
Electronic Frontier Foundation: http://www.eff.org/
Electronic Privacy Information Centre: http://www.epic.org/