Technology Blog

New policies are being enacted by companies that track consumer behavior on the Internet for advertising purposes, as an attempt to self-regulate and make such practices more transparent, The Associated Press reported.However, one consumer group said the changes don't go far enough, and that some companies will still collect extensive profiles of people without their complete consent or knowledge.Now that Congress and the Federal Trade Commission are more thoroughly examining online behavioral advertising, the new guidelines on Thursday will be an effort to represent the industry's attempt at self-regulation.As consumers visit different Web sites and make online purchases, companies can track the sites they visit and, over time, profiles of consumer interests can be sold to advertisers who want to pitch their products to those people who fit into their certain demographics.