Lawmakers blast advertisers for ignoring ‘Do Not Track’ on Microsoft’s Explorer

The Digital Advertising Alliance, announcing they’ll ignore “do not track” browser headers:

A ‘default on’ do-not-track mechanism offers consumers and businesses inconsistencies and confusion instead of comfort and security.

Reps. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Joe Barton (R-Texas), replying to the DAA statement:

If consumers want to be tracked online, they should have to opt-in to be tracked, instead of the other way around.

Advertisers should concede the default “on” status of tracking prevention. The appearance of disrespect for consumer privacy will encourage new legislation on this front, probably from Barton and Markey. It will be an easy target for viral online support campaigns, and, eventually, advertisers may face federal regulations far harsher than defaulting to no tracking.