Dive summary:
- Adamant "Do Not Track" proponent Mozilla is exploring using tracking to personalize the web experience of its users with their "personalization with respect" project that allows users to volunteer to share their information in exchange for a tailored web experience.
- This move has confused advertisers who have been using these arguments in support of behaviorally targeted advertising; many are interpreting the move as Mozilla believing it is ok for them to track users, but not for anyone else.
- The new Mozilla program is now being tested with volunteers who have agreed to share their information; the program matches a user's web history with certain interests to offer them a custom web experience.
From the article:
"The advertising industry, which offers consumers the opportunity to opt-out of targeted ads, pounced. 'So the takeaway is that it's OK for Mozilla to track, but not third parties?' asked Alan Chapell of Chapell & Associates, co-chair of the Mobile Marketing Association's privacy committee. 'It would seem to frustrate the purpose of having a DNT standard that limits third parties from getting data directly if Mozilla could simply license it to them and/or websites on the back end.'"
