Fed cookie proposal causing indigestion

The Obama administration has sparked a controversy by proposing new rules that will make it possible to track visitors to government websites much like is done in the private sector. The plan would reverse a policy restricting such tracking that was put in place by President Clinton.

There are valid reasons for using "cookies" to track visitors, but privacy groups are concerned about the misuse of personal information. So depending on where you sit, this plan represents an attempt by the government to make full use of available technology to better serve the public, or it's another step by Big Brother to oversee the lives of Americans.

The plan would include single session cookies that do not maintain tracking data. It also would include cookies that gather anonymous data for use in web analytics to track usage of websites and allow agencies to make improvements in the quality of their sites. Some agencies, including the Social Security Administration, already are analyzing their web traffic, but do not know the identity of the visitors.

A third option under consideration would allow the government to use cookies to track users over multiple visits with the intent of remembering data, settings, or preferences unique to that visitor. This could allow agencies to customize the user experience, but it also would mean collection of detailed personal information.

The American Civil Liberties Union called the entire plan a "sea of change in government privacy policy," and warned it will allow for a "mass collection of personal information of every user of a federal government website."

Other groups, like the Center for Democracy and Technology and the Electronic Frontier Foundation, say that the government, within limits, should be able to use cookies to make e-government more effective by measuring website performance. But they want restrictions that would bar sharing the data with third parties, and a policy that would require destruction of the data after three months.

The Office of Management and Budget is developing the new rules, with officials aware of the concerns. They have already said they believe people must be informed when they visit a government site that their usage is being tracked, and be given a chance to opt out.

The privacy concerns are real, and so is the need for the government to be part and parcel of the 21st century. Hopefully a compromise can be worked out with sufficient protections and oversight that will allow the government to provide useful information to citizens in an accessible manner while making sure personal privacy is fully protected and abuse is avoided. - Judi