According to a poll commissioned by Common Sense Media and done by Zogby International,
A large percentage of U.S. parents would support a law, which makes companies to be barred from collecting information about Internet users unless they explicitly agree.
Key findings of the poll:
1) Concern over privacy: 85 percent of parents said they are more concerned about now than five years ago.
2) 92 percent of parents were concerned that teenagers and children were too open about personal matters online.
3) 75 percent believed that social networking sites failed to protect children's privacy.
4) 88 percent of parents and 85 percent of teenagers wanted online companies to ask their permission before sharing information with advertisers. Out of these 88 percent of parents would support a law making "opt in" a legal requirement.
In whose favor the debate is tilting?
Although, no poll can be taken for as a final verdict on issues affecting majority of people; still the poll gives some clear pointers to where the online privacy is heading to(add to it, the many privacy concerns Governments and people raised against big names like Facebook, Google in recent past; particularly Governments talk of an issue when its affecting majority of people and is being talked on public domain ). If 85 out of every hundred and 85 out of every hundred US teens want online companies to ask their permission before sharing information with advertisers. Add to it 77 out of every hundred parents in favor of a law making "opt in" a legal requirement; then imagine the amount of support any government action can get in this regard.
Only thing which is stopping the Government to go for some haste action are the equally weighty concerns of people who are more informed on Internet commerce than the Government. Their view comes out very non-ambiguously as well. They feel, because much of the information on the Web is free as it is a vehicle for advertising, companies have worried that "do not track" lists could shake the Web's financial foundations. There is a seemingly common consensus among opponents of tighter legal controls on online privacy that if people are given legal 'do not track' options; the rate of people who would not want to be tracked would be terribly high.
Owing to pro and against debates regarding online privacy: industry and the Federal Communications Commission are in favor of better self-regulation by industry itself; Failing on which, will compel the lawmakers to go for what web users want.
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