Opting in, or bailing out ... it's all Govt business to me ...

In what some would consider an historic move ... and one certainly not prone to our Advertising Industry ... 4 separate governance groups have come together to stave off the very real threat of Government intervention into our business to regulate consumer privacy.

The Wall Street Journal reports today that ...

"The threat of new regulations involving Internet privacy is prompting Web advertisers to give consumers more control over how their private information is collected and used online."

"The trade groups behind the effort include the American Association of Advertising Agencies, the Association of National Advertisers, the Direct Marketing Association and the Interactive Advertising Bureau."

This is a biggy ... mainly because if Obama's government has anything to do with it ... Behavioral Targeting, that panacea of Online Advertising ... would be sharply curtailed based on privacy legislation.

At a point in time when the entire landscape of Online advertising has gravitated to this model of 1-to-1 DM ... in will ride the White Knights of Congress to legislate it's usage and limitations.

BOOM ... the sound of Online's whole basket of eggs going up in smoke.

So the Industry now steps up to self-legislate this growing concern.

But, I just don't see how a Government hell-bent on legislating everything they see and with new-found power like a brand new toy ... are going to let something like this just slide by without their direct oversight.

Afterall ... it's us taxpayers they are out to protect!, in spite of (or despite) us.

(with apologies to artist)