Internet Service Providers Tracking User Interests

One of the goals of advertisers is to deliver relevant advertising. If the advertising is meaningful to your personal interests, then it significantly increases the probability of success. Advertisers want to enlist the assistance of internet service providers (ISP) in tracking user interests. One objection is that this type of monitoring is an infringement of privacy and security.

Anick Jesdanun has reported that there have been pilot testing of targeted advertising.

What is disturbing is that there is a wide disparity on how (or if) internet users were informed that they were under surveillance:

• Cable One “did not provide specific notice of the trial”
• CenturyTel has inserts in its billing. Do you read the billing inserts? If you pay by some electronic service or automatic bank withdraws, do you even give the billing much attention?
• Knology Inc posted a notice. “Customers were informed through a service agreement posted on its Web site”. When was the last time that you went to the internet service provider’s site to read the notices and service agreements? When the internet service is working, it is doubtful that the internet service provider’s site is a place for a regular visit.

The internet providers may be adhering to the letter of the law. They may be following their service agreements or making their activities known. However, it is done with a minimum of public notice. There would be greater reaction if customers knew that their online activities were tracked. In this case, a minimum of publicity is preferred. There are huge dollars involved.

Catherine Forsythe