The FTC's decision to review online privacy comes in the wake of several acquisitions by major Web firms that would enable them to better track consumer activity and deliver more relevant advertising. Tracking today is done anonymously, but the FTC and industry watchdogs worry that consolidation and technological enhancements could lead to a future where marketers know exactly who they're marketing to.
Of course the major question is whether or not consumers care. Is tracking as much of a nuisance as say, a telemarketing call? For watchdogs, the nuisance factor is less of a problem than the "Big Brother" factor. They say the growing trend towards behavior-based advertising is becoming a little too scary. For example, the Times interviews a woman shown ads for healthcare products alongside an email exchange about the recent death of his grandmother. In a word: tasteless. Perhaps standards, at the very least, need to be established.