Ad Industry Called to Agree on Do Not Track Standard

In her first speech before the advertising industry, newly appointed Federal Trade Commission ("FTC") chairwoman, Edith Ramirez, called once again for a universal solution for Do Not Track. She urged all industry stakeholders to agree on a global standard that would let consumers signal with their browsers to websites, advertising networks and data brokers that they do not want their online activities monitored for marketing purposes. Using Shakespearian references, Ramirez’s speech before the American Advertising Federation eloquently suggested that maintaining a “spotless reputation” with transparency through truth in advertising and privacy practices that encourage consumer’s trust, remain at the forefront of FTC concerns. The main focus of the speech, however, was on the subject of Do Not Track. The Chairwoman stressed that FTC continues to call for a Do Not Track system with greater consumer control. She clearly specified that the ecosystem “includes both the websites that permit ad networks to track consumers on their sites and the companies who pay for their ads to be targeted with the resulting behavioral data.”