Wednesday article links

It appears that quite a few of you enjoyed the variety of subjects in yesterday's links, so I'm going to continue to post these short subject links to other articles.  I will continue to write the longer form pieces that delve more deeply into a given subject and is reflective of my own point view.  The links are simply articles of interest, whether or not I agree with their point of view.

Today's links are focused primarily on public policy issues - there's a hearing on Capitol Hill today regarding behavior-based web advertising and FastCompany.tv has posted an video interview with Kyle McSlarrow, CEO of the National Cable and Telecommunications Association.

Enjoy.

Behavior Based Advertising

Ad-Targeting Companies and Critics Prepare for Senate Scrutiny [NYT Bits Blog]

The U.S. Senate Commerce Committee holds hearings today on the issue of web advertising that is targeted to users web browsing behavior. Testifying will be privacy advocates and representatives of a company that serves up these behavior-based ads.

ISPs laud their data pimping services but refuse to use them [The Register]

Here's another article on the increased Congressional scrutiny of behavior-based advertising systems and the decision by three cable operators to suspend the deployment of such a system. 

Here's what I can't figure out.  I use Yahoo as my home page.  I did a Google search a couple of weeks ago to do a free credit report on myself.  Ever since then, I see an ad on my home page for credit searches.  Does anyone really believe that was a coincidence?  I also know when I book a flight online, I start getting travel related ads in that same space.

So why are ISP's being singled out and getting all the heat for this?  At least the cable operators have come forward and given customers an opt out option.  Search engines like Google and Yahoo invented this idea and they continue to target behavior based ads to their users.  I have yet to see an ability to opt out from them.  Not that I would, I actually believe it is value added to have non-intrusive advertising (i.e. no pop ups please!!) that is more likely to be of interest to me.

I have no problem if Congress reviews the privacy aspects of this technology.  But they should do it across all platforms and businesses who use this technology equally and not discriminate between types of companies who do the same thing. 

The Real Consumer Benefit to Statewide Franchising Laws

Cable Franchising Bills No Help To Consumers: Survey [Multichannel News]

A survey by the Alliance for Community Media and the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors concludes that statewide franchising laws have not led to lower cable prices and have eroded support for public access channels.  As usual, there are always, always unintended consequences when government chooses to regulate markets. 

I, for one, am totally disinterested in this subject going forward.  Phone companies are essentially free to build out video services and they are doing just that.  I am much more focused on keeping the playing field fair, like not letting Ma Bell exploit their enormous size and 100-year monopoly position to strangle competition in their business. 

Public Policy Discussion

Scobleizer.tv Interview with Kyle McSlarrow [CableTechTalk]

Watch a 20 minute interview with the head of the cable television association, Kyle McSlarrow.