Public needs Internet privacy
Facebook logo is reflected in the eye of a girl in London. Credit: GETTY IMAGES
California is the source of much that enables us to make better use of the Internet. Now it's at the forefront of efforts to protect us from the Internet as well.
The state legislature there is considering a "do not track" proposal to let people choose not to have their data collected as they move around the Internet. It's also considering a bill to require social networking sites like Facebook to keep user information private by default. Currently users can obtain privacy only by actively selecting it.
The bills aren't perfect, but they're tough, and they address the growing concern of Internet users who suspect -- with good reason -- that their personal information and online activities are being tracked and sold without their knowledge.
Many Internet companies, including Google, oppose one or both bills, and it's unclear if they will ever become law. But they're valuable nonetheless, because the fear of tough state legislation could at last push Internet companies into coming up with a coherent privacy protection scheme of their own -- or supporting federal legislation that would probably be more effective.
Bills proposed in Congress include a "do not track" measure by Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) and a business-friendly "privacy bill of rights" from Sens. John Kerry (D-Mass.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.) that needs strengthening.
Whether in Sacramento or Washington, action to protect online privacy is long overdue.
