[LINK] Do Not Track Bill Threat to American Way of Life

Tom Koltai tomk at unwired.com.au
Tue May 10 12:43:05 AEST 2011



> -----Original Message-----
> From: link-bounces at mailman.anu.edu.au 
> [mailto:link-bounces at mailman.anu.edu.au] On Behalf Of Roger Clarke
> Sent: Tuesday, 10 May 2011 10:48 AM
> To: link at anu.edu.au
> Subject: [LINK] Do Not Track Bill Threat to American Way of Life
> 
> 
> [Mega-corps resort to 'the sky is falling' defence against privacy 
> legislation.]
> 
> 
> Google, Facebook: "do not track" bill a threat to California 
> economy By Matthew Lasar | Published 3 days ago - twerps, 
> i.e. c. 7 May 2011 ArsTechnica 
> http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2011/05/google-faceboo
> k-fight-california-do-not-track-law.ars
> 
> Google and Facebook are warning legislators of dire consequences if 
> California passes a "do not track" bill. The proposed law would 
> require companies doing online business in the Golden State to offer 
> an "opt-out" privacy mechanism for consumers.

<Snip>

Actually, as much as I abhor advertisers pushing their wares onto me
without the option of changing channels, the reality is that our
economic growth is very closely aligned with the advertising take-up
numbers.

Both advertising responders and CPI are suspiciously aligned.

The Formula equals = 3% of advertising viewers become action
respondents. In Australia, in the days of Appointment television, that
used to represent 246,000 daily targeted shoppers.

Today, we would be hard pressed to have even a quarter of that number.
In other words the lack of advertising is hurting our economy at the
rate of approximately 30 billion per annum.

That's 30 Billion less for jobs forcing us to buy even cheaper third
world produced goods to maintain the appearance of forward movement.

So in this regard, I'm afraid I have to side with the corps that are
lobbying against the proposed "Do not Track" legislation.

There are two strata's of society, those that shop and those that do
not.
Academics and geeks usually do not. These are the very same persons that
will be able to bypass the various tracking methodologies employed by
the wireless advertisers of the future.

Unless we allow vendors to push their wares, the economy will not be
able to recover.

Sorry folks, ipso facto, we need advertising to let people know that
they should buy something to wash their clothes that will destroy the
cotton so that they will then need to buy more clothes.

Out economies descent has been blamed on the low doc housing loans, yet
I can't help but parallel the lowered retail spending patterns with our
altered patterns of media consumption including notably, the increase in
sales of digital (non set-top box) home entertainment systems that of
course allow advert free viewing options. 

So Roger, whilst I think privacy is important, I do think that Mrs.
Strata Shopper extra-ordinaire, would like to be made aware of the red
light special on size 14 34B cup size summer frocks as she is walking
past the shop, after all she could always opt out - couldn't she ?

Tom (Pro advertising providing it has an opt-out option)





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