Privacy concerns seen hurting online ad biz

Federal, state and consumer discomfort with Google Inc, Yahoo Inc and other companies tracking consumers' online behavior could slow the growth of Internet advertising, a financial services research group said in a report on Wednesday. The organization, Stanford Group Co, cited moves by the state legislatures in New York and Connecticut to ensure consumers' privacy online; the Federal Trade Commission's call for industry self-regulation; and complaints by lawmakers as signs that the advertising model may face some controls. Further, a survey by research firm TNS Global found that 42 percent of Internet users would opt out of online tracking if they could, the Stanford Group said.
http://www.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUSN2843537620080528