When we talk about data protection and Internet on the same sentence we are formulating a contradictory statement in itself. Internet is precisely all about sharing information. Users obtain everything they look for in search engines according to the answers previously given to the options presented to them, that is browsing the web. Because of this, and the fact that it's so interactive, the people (or computers) in charge of adding content and creating web services need to know what we as users are looking for, so that based on the best and most common answers we give them they can implement and improve these services. Online surfing 'without leaving a trace' is arguably idealistic and contradictory at the same time.
This debate becomes even more interesting when we talk about online consumers and products. Products defined as the goods and services provided by brands and the commercial use that these companies can give to the data collected out of the behavior, habits and tastes of consumers. Evidently knowing who your target market is, what is of value to them and what services are important is information that potentially helps develop the future quality of the offering, benefiting the consumer in the end. The problem with the handling of this information arises when intermediaries or third party analysts come into play.
In the past few years data sharing has taken one step further with company initiatives that facilitate users to share information and even openly publish information on social websites regarding their consumer and lifestyle habits, such as www.foursquare.com, where users facilitate their location mostly in commercial establishments and with their comments recommend these places to other users. Actively participating by "checking-in" allows people to obtain rewards, such as free meals in their favorite spots, discounts, etc. Revealing your exact location at every moment can be really scary but curiously hundreds of thousands of people very willingly do it by joining foursquare.
The inclusion of the "Track me Not" button is a really good option if developed efficiently in order to avoid our personal data to be collected for dubious ethical use. Another important ethical aspect is whether established companies, whenever you access their websites will make it hard for the consumer to actually opt out of being tracked. In the end, most companies have as a goal to know what us as consumers want so that they can provide it more effectively. For instance, if you like red cell phones, wouldn't it be great if companies knew about it so that you can find it much easier in the marketplace?
