"Online-privacy laws urged; Microsoft, Google back legislation" by Associated Press | July 10, 2008
WASHINGTON - Microsoft Corp. and Google Inc. told lawmakers yesterday that Congress should pass basic privacy legislation to protect information about consumers, such as the data being gathered on Web surfing habits in order to pinpoint Internet ads.
At a Senate Commerce Committee hearing on online advertising, representatives of the two technology rivals said meaningful privacy rules should be based on three core principles: Consumers should be clearly notified what information is being collected about them; people should control how that information is used; and such data should be secured to ensure it does not fall into the wrong hands.
It already is going there.
The Commerce Committee held its hearing amid mounting concern about the volume of personal information being gathered on consumers as they surf the Web - including the sites they visit and the search terms they look up - as well as the many ways that information is mined to deliver targeted ads.
The Senate hearing also came as the Federal Trade Commission is drafting a framework by which online advertising companies can regulate themselves. Lydia Parnes, director of the FTC's bureau of consumer protection, told the panel "self-regulation is the best approach" to balancing consumer protection with ad-supported business models that let much of the Net's content and services be available for free.
"Online advertising is the engine that drives the Internet economy," Microsoft associate general counsel Mike Hintze testified. Microsoft also supports industry self-regulation.
That sentiment was echoed by Senator Jim DeMint, a South Carolina Republican, who warned that too much government regulation could inhibit the growth of one of the country's best "showcases of free enterprise."
Google's chief privacy counsel, Jane Horvath, added that her company makes privacy a priority since the success of its business depends on the trust of its users.
But Leslie Harris, the chief executive of the Center for Democracy & Technology, a civil liberties group, said consumers often don't have a good understanding of how personal information is tracked and used.
"Self-regulation is not the whole answer," Harris said.
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"Verizon, others use website in cable war" by Bloomberg News | July 10, 2008
DALLAS - AT&T Inc., Verizon Communications Inc., and Qwest Communications International Inc., the three biggest US home-phone companies, are working together for the first time to keep customers away from cable providers.
Subscribers moving to an area served by a different carrier will be referred to movearoo.com, a website that offers help in switching service, AT&T marketing executive Frank Mona said. The site doesn't show digital phone service from cable companies.
The partnership is designed to help the phone companies hang on to subscribers at a time when they are most likely to consider switching to Comcast Corp. and other cable providers.
Ha-ha-ha-ha!!
The Comcast guys are coming next week because Verizon sucks.
I can't tell you how many times I have been knocked off line, folks.
One reason this takes so long!
