New Consumer Privacy Bill In the Works

No issue raises as much interest or angst among Internet users and advertisers as privacy. eSecurity Planet takes a closer look at a developing piece of legislation that would change the amount and methods by which online marketers could collect data for targeted advertising campaigns.

WASHINGTON– The House Democrat heading up the push for legislation that would set new online privacy safeguards that could dramatically reshape Internet marketing said he plans to introduce the bill shortly, with several Republicans likely signed on as co-sponsors.

Rick Boucher, who chairs the House Subcommittee on Communications, Technology and the Internet, said he has reached a general agreement about the substantive portions of the bill, and that he is “very close” to finishing a discussion draft of the legislation to consider at a hearing.

“Our goal in doing this is to enhance the confidence that Internet users have that their experience on the Web is secure,” Boucher said on Wednesday here at the State of the Net conference, an annual event hosted by the Congressional Internet Caucus, which the Virginia lawmaker co-chairs.

Boucher said the bill will contain a mixture of opt-in and opt-out provisions that would determine the level of consent online marketers must obtain from consumers when collecting data to use for targeted ads.

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Privacy Bill Nears Introduction in House