People 'need to be educated' about online ad-tracking

14th November 2007

Web users are finding the idea of behavioural tracking "scary" but advertisers simply need to explain what is involved, according to the Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB).

Programs manager of the IAB Jack Wallington explained that the idea of tracking user habits in order to match advertising to their needs is creating a "fear that really isn't necessary".

"We need to explain to people what information is being collected and why it's being collected," he said.

Companies are not examining what every individual does, he explained, but looking at general trends of people and monitoring that.

In the US, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, the Center for Democracy and Technology and the Consumer Federation of America are calling for the Federal Trade Commission to create an opt-out service for people who do not wish for their web habits to be tracked and used by advertisers.