Do Not Track effort could revolutionize online ad industry

If you're like most Web users, you probably don't realize how intensively your visits to many of the most popular pages on the Internet are scrutinized.
In fact, the art of anonymous, Internetwide monitoring of who visits what webpage has been advancing dramatically, driven by advertisers' desire to tailor their messages to specific groups of customers. This month, however, the Federal Trade Commission -- responding to complaints that "tracking" software can violate the privacy of those using the Web -- moved to put the brakes on such monitoring. The FTC called for a "Do Not Track" mechanism that would enable consumers to opt out of being tailed around the Web.

Privacy advocates praised the move, saying that tracking has gotten out of hand. Opponents counter that the Do Not Track plan would disrupt the burgeoning online advertising industry, putting at risk the estimated $300 billion of U.S. economic activity it helps to foster, as calculated by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB).