Twitter to use Do Not Track function

Twitter has announced it supports “Do Not Track,” a privacy preference users can set in their Web browsers that informs Web services they don't want certain information collected about their visits across websites. 

DNT "will not require the government to compile a list, unlike the 'Do Not Call Registry,' which allows consumers to opt out of receiving telemarketing calls," CNN reported last week. 

The new feature "is good news for Twitter users and a meaningful step toward broader adoption of a strong 'Do Not Track' system that will give consumers simple, comprehensive control over online tracking," FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz told CNN. "Hopefully other companies will follow suit."

DNT is an important step in the area of online consumer privacy protections, Danny Weitzner, the Obama administration's deputy chief technology officer for Internet policy, wrote in the White House Blog. It "shows that collaboration amongst business, privacy advocates, technical experts, academics, standards organizations and government can lead to development of technologies that make the Internet more responsive to privacy needs."

Although Twitter will honour requests from users who do not want online behaviour recorded, Google and Facebook, whose business models rely heavily on collecting user data, have no intention to adopt DNT, according to CNN.

Google was under criticism from users and policy makers earlier this year when the search giant announced that it would share user data across its services under a unified privacy policy, The Washington Post reported. 

Facebook’s business model relies on advertising revenue generated when users run games and other apps on the site. Facebook will track users’ activities to pick targeted advertisers, CNN noted.

Image: Guardian