Jul. 2007 - Statement Regarding Microsoft's "New and Improved" Privacy Policy


Submitted by admin on Wed, 09/19/2007 - 13:08.

Statement from

Center for Digital Democracy

Regarding

Microsoft's New and "Improved" Privacy Policy

 

Last November, the Center for Digital Democracy and the US Public Interest Research Group filed a complaint at the Federal Trade Commission urging swift action to address significant unfair and deceptive interactive marketing practises.  We singled out Microsoft in particular because of its wide-range of data collection and targeting applications based on its new adCenter.

Today's announcement from Microsoft acknowledges that consumers were not previously protected online by its own corporate policy.  While Microsoft is taking a step in the right direction, the updated policy is insufficient in terms of adequately protecting the personal information of online users. The online marketing industry needs to embrace an opt-in regime where no information can be collected without both full disclosure as well as affirmative and meaningful consent from users.  The FTC and Congress must step in to protect consumers' rights online, enacting national legislation which protects personal privacy in the broadband era.

"The online marketplace deserves more than piecemeal privacy policies" said executive director, Jeffrey Chester. "We need privacy laws, not private, corporate promises."
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