The Federal Trade Commission told Congress yesterday on allowing consumers to make a choice about online tracking. Protecting privacy is high on anyone’s agenda - especially for a relatively new industry, such as the mobile industry. The FTC announced that consumers should be allowed to choose whether or not to allow the collection of data regarding their online searching and browsing activities, such as an option in their Web browser. Since mobile search and in-application advertising depend on the behavior of consumers to serve up relevant personalized ads, these channels would be crippled.

“The FTC wants to help ensure that the growing, changing, thriving information marketplace is built on a framework that promotes privacy, transparency, business innovation and consumer choice,” said Jon Leibowitz, chairman of the FTC, Washington, in a statement.

If the Do Not Track proposal becomes a reality, SMS will continue to see a steady rise in usage. Since SMS is an opt-in and therefore the rules would not apply. SMS is also a great business-to-consumer tool given it’s a technology that’s well understood, widespread and offers open rates close to 100 percent. Additionally, the fact that mobile-in-application ads and mobile search would not be as targeted and personalized according to the users search/browsing behavior, might mean that more companies opt for SMS marketing.

See the Press Release on the Do Not Track Legislation here.

-Jeanius from Trumpia