Senate Commerce Slates Privacy Hearing

Will focus on implementation of voluntary 'do not track'

By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 6/21/2012 5:24:14 PM

The Senate Commerce Committee will hold another online privacy hearing, this one scheduled for June 28.

According to Committee Chair Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.), this hearing, a follow-up to one on May 9, will look closely at how the online advertising industry plans to honor its pledge to not track online info of Web browsers who elect that option using a self-regulatory website icon or browser option.

The White House has urged self-regulation, but has also backed legislation that would give the Federal Trade Commission more power over industry players who do not play along with the do-not-track pledge.

"In our prior hearing on consumer privacy, both the Obama Administration and the FTC commended recent industry efforts to provide consumers with more privacy protections," said Rockefeller.  "However, their reports also stated that industry can do more and that federal legislation is necessary.