There was a piece on MediaPost about how the broadband providers and their trade associations have gone to court to prevent the FCC from imposing some of the new rules on how those providers may behave. The specific ones upon which I’m focused today are the ones concerning privacy and data collection. The article explains the issue nicely:
They specifically complain that the FCC’s decision to treat broadband as a utility also empowers the agency to impose privacy rules that could curb its behavioral advertising efforts, which involve targeting ads to users based on the Web sites they visit.
“Today, broadband providers can lawfully use information about customers’ Internet access services and usage to develop customized marketing programs that benefit both the provider and its customers,” AT&T and the others say in their court papers.
On the surface, maybe they have a point. After all, many of us prefer to see targeted ads and as someone who has made a living off of marketing programs I’m all for them. There is, however, a broader issue and it’s one of which any business who collects data (that would probably be YOU, dear reader) needs to remain cognizant.
The amount of data your wireless and/or broadband provider has about you is staggering. They know where you’ve been and when. They know what you research and with whom you communicate. This fabulous piece demonstrates what all of this data retention means. Ad targeting is one very simple use, but what happens when some insurance company decides to work with a broadband provider to find speeders and raise their rates?
Honestly, I’d still be OK with all of it with a very big IF. Ask yourself this: do you know what’s being collected and do you know how it’s being used? I can can “yes” to the first question and a very big “no” to the second. I’m not a tin-foil hat guy – I don’t think there are seriously nefarious things going on at the ISP’s involving data misuse (the government is another matter). I do think, however, that data collection needs to be explained to consumers in simple language and with sample data. I think we all need transparency and the ability to opt in, not the demand that we opt out. Having some protections in place isn’t a bad thing. After all, the brief history of the commercial internet is rife with bad actors (see ad injectors, malware distributors, browser hijackers, etc.) who will do just about anything to line their pockets.
How do you see it?
Consult Keith 