Microsoft Research says kids aren't concerned about behavioral tracking. Maybe they should investigate themselves first!

Microsoft Research is the home of a number of initiatives, including work based in Beijing designed to advance behavioral targeting.  Microsoft has made it clear that targeting young people online on behalf of advertisers, including for junk food, is one of its highest priorities.  Not surprising, Microsoft is now conducting "research" into youth privacy issues.  One of the researchers assigned to the project told AdWeek, in response to the question "Are teens concerned about cookies or behavioral tracking?  that:

"We don’t see those types of concerns among kids at all. They don’t seem to be aware of the extent to which these things go on. Where the concerns come for young people is their parents, teachers seeing what they’re doing. We rarely hear teens being critical about advertising."

Perhaps the Microsoft Research team should provide adolescents with the information that Microsoft uses for its teen targeting, including on social networks.  Show them how they help fast food and other marketers to eavesdrop on their conversations; utilize immersive multi-media applications to influence behavior at an unconscious levels; and infiltrate their social communications and games with stealth strategies.  The folks doing the Microsoft Research study on youth privacy should also tell its subjects what the company says to its advertisers using behavioral targeting and data collection.  That it delivers a range of services, including "profile targeting, behavioral targeting, remessaging, and category targeting."  We expect to see any research report on youth privacy to include a full disclosure on what is collected and how from children and teens by the company.  And its report should also address the real-time sales of any adolescent to the highest [invisible ad] bidder via Microsoft's ad exchange system, including what it's now doing via mobile.