Google/Facebook: Do-Not-Track Threatens CA Economy

theodp writes "Google and Facebook are warning legislators of dire consequences if California passes a 'do-not-track' bill. The proposed law would require companies doing online business in the Golden State to offer an 'opt-out' privacy mechanism for consumers. Senate Bill 761 'would create an unnecessary, unenforceable and unconstitutional regulatory burden on Internet commerce,' reads the sky-is-falling protest letter bearing the stamp-of-disapproval from Google, Facebook, Yahoo, Amex, Acxiom, Experian, Allstate, Time-Warner, MPAA, ESA and others. 'The measure would negatively affect consumers who have come to expect rich content and free services through the Internet, and would make them more vulnerable to security threats.'"

Re:Breaking News

[rgo]

WARNING!!! TROLL POST.

Do not click the link of the parent post or your stomach will suffer!

Re:MPAA and Google

[ThunderBird89]

Microsoft sells you software. You buy it, they're happy, and you don't lose your privacy.

I would argue with that, based on the amount of calling home Windows does, as well as the number of security holes in Windows enabling a breach of privacy...

How about trying paid service?

[rmdyer]

Does it not occur to some internet companies that I may actually be alright with um, oh I don't know, PAYING THEM for the services they offer, instead of being tracked and advertised to? Or are they too afraid of making money the traditional tried and true way of customers paying for their "apparently" superior offerings.
I mean if the only way a company can make money is by tracking and advertising to people then what business does a company like that have being on the stock market? Apparently they've just admitted in this "protest letter" that they really have no products or services that are worth being "sold".

Re:How about trying paid service?

[cdrguru]

Pay for something on the Internet? How quaint. Nonsense. People have grown up with the idea that the Internet is free and they aren't about to start paying now. No matter what.

We've spent the last 15 years figuring out ways to get money from people without their knowledge or consent. Google has become very, very good at it. There is no way we are going to return to a model where people willing pay money for services that were previously free. Not going to happen.

Re:Looking at the endorsers, all the bad guys are

[Anonymous Coward]

Posting anonymously to protect, um, something. But one more slimeball to add to your list is The Bernard Hodes Group, who aggressively use multiple means of tracking people who are applying for jobs--by selling analytics to large employers--to gain value for themselves. What that value is, I do not know for sure, but having worked with them on behalf of shared customers, and having forced them to accept zero PII on any transactions under my control, and seeing their reaction to that I'm 100% sure that a significant portion of the profit model is the reuse and possible resale of that tracking data.