Senator Introduces Do Not Track Bill to Give Consumers Control

Trailrunner7 writes: There’s yet another effort underway in Washington to establish an enforceable Do Not Track system that would provide a one-click mechanism for people to opt out of persistent web tracking by advertisers and social media platforms.

The latest push comes in the form of the Do Not Track Act, a bill unveiled this week by Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) that emulates the structure of the Do Not Call registry. It would establish a method for consumers to send a signal to online companies that would block them from collecting any information past what is necessary to deliver their services. The bill also would stop companies from building profiles of the people who activate the DNT mechanism or discriminating against them if they use the option.

Hawley’s bill makes the Federal Trade Commission the enforcement authority for the system and any person who violates the measure would be liable for penalties of $50 per user affected by a violation for every day that the violation is ongoing.