Obama pressing for Web privacy standards

The Obama administration unveiled an initiative Thursday to give consumers more control over their personal information online, calling on Internet companies such as Google Inc. and Facebook Inc. to develop common privacy standards.

As part of the agreement, Google, owner of the world's most popular search engine, said it would allow a "do-not-track" button to be embedded in its Web browser to let users limit the amount of information gathered on their browsing habits.

The administration said in a report that Congress should enact a privacy bill of rights for Web users. The U.S. Commerce Department also plans to convene industry and consumer groups to develop voluntary codes of conduct for online privacy that would be enforced by the Federal Trade Commission, according to the report.

"Consumers can't wait any longer for clear rules of the road that ensure their personal information is safe online," President Barack Obama said in a statement. "As the Internet evolves, consumer trust is essential for the continued growth of the digital economy." Revelations about potential privacy vulnerabilities during the past year have spurred calls from regulators and lawmakers in Washington for stronger protections of personal data online and on Internet-connected mobile devices.

Google and Facebook, the world's largest social network, are among Web companies facing scrutiny over their handling of consumer data used to power an online ad market projected to reach $39.5 billion in the United States this year, according to eMarketer Inc., a Manhattan research firm.

The White House report sets broad principles for the use of personal information that include giving consumers control over what data is collected on them and how it is used; providing understandable privacy policies; and handling consumer data securely.