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Obama Rethinks Ban on Tracking Web Visitors

By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff

Posted Aug 11, 2009 8:27 AM CDT

(Newser) – Privacy groups are up in arms over a White House proposal to allow tracking technology to be used on government websites, the Washington Post reports. Supporters argue that social networking sites have used cookies and other tracking tools to spectacular effect, but the ACLU says the proposal is a “massive” policy shift that will “allow the mass collection of personal information.”

Other groups believe the administration is acting at the behest of corporate buddies like Google, citing as evidence a February contract in which an unnamed federal agency explicitly waved the privacy rules for Google so that it could embed YouTube videos on its site. “These companies are forcing the government to lower the privacy protections that the government has promised the American people,” said the legal director of one group.

President-elect Barack Obama is seen on a computer screen delivering his weekly YouTube address.
President-elect Barack Obama is seen on a computer screen delivering his weekly YouTube address.   (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., speaks at Google headquarters in Mountain View, Calif., Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2007.
Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., speaks at Google headquarters in Mountain View, Calif., Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2007.   (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., left, speaks with Google CEO Dr. Eric Schmidt at Google headquarters in Mountain View, Calif., Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2007.
Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., left, speaks with Google CEO Dr. Eric Schmidt at Google headquarters in Mountain View, Calif., Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2007.   (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 9 comments
cognitivefilter
Aug 12, 2009 3:47 AM CDT
what's privacy?
kokuaguy
Aug 11, 2009 8:50 AM CDT
It's interesting, Timmie, that you seem to part company here with the riight wing, black helicoptor fearing element you would usually be palling around with. And it makes you uncomfortable that the ACLU espouses the more "paranoid" view and sides with the libertarians on this issue. Why don't you pretend for a minute that you take any of this the tiniest bit seriously and briefly explain your thinking? I for one am "all ears."
BackAgain
Aug 11, 2009 3:38 AM CDT
That is what makes you so dangerous- it is your view and your view only. And you think your comment is funny? You are sick.

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