White House Report Challenges User-Profiling On The Web

A New York Times article sees the report as a diversionary tactic to deflect public concern about NSA snooping to private companies. Among other things, the report, whose chief author is Obama senior advisor John Podesta, warns against the potential misuse of the trove of personal information that companies are able to collect after obtaining the permission that’s granted when the user mindlessly checks “okay” in the terms-of-service agreement before wading into an Internet site or application. The report is seen as an attempt to lay the groundwork for legislative and administrative tightening of the screws on a number of fronts, in the areas of internet security as well as consumer privacy rights.