Internet advertisers have fallen short of promised self-regulation in respecting internet users' privacy, a Federal Trade Commission official, quoted by a Reuters report, said.
The Reuters reporgt quoted FTC Commissioner Jon Leibowitz as saying that internet advertisers should tell consumers that information was being gathered, give them a choice to opt out, and protect any data collected.
'In practice, they often leave a lot to be desired,' he said at a FTC conference to discuss the privacy implications of the data collected by internet advertisers.
He left open the possibility of a 'do not track' list, similar to the FTC's 'do not call' registry which requires telemarketers to refrain from phoning anyone on the list, the report said.
Such a 'do not track' list was proposed this week by several consumer and privacy groups.
But several other groups cautioned against any government regulation, the report said.