Companies are completing initial testing of their technology, a content-delivery tool that quietly monitors a user's surfing and buying activities.

In exchange for access to massive networks of people, the young companies may pay ISPs more than half the revenue they generate from advertisers.

"Tech Web" (CMP) - Feds May Opt-In On Privacy Rules.

Government may soon opt-in for privacy standards while industry is seeking to opt-out, an online advertising executive said this week.

Dave Morgan, the president and chief executive officer of Real Media, a New York City-based company that distributes ads over a network of websites, said he thinks the federal government will step in to regulate companies that use the Internet to collect consumer data to build profiles for advertising and marketing.

Normally I prefer minimal government involvement since they seem to mess up so many of the things that they try and regulate, but this may be an exception(if they do it right). I would hope for a simple opt-in policy over the industry proposed opt-out. Think about how well opt-out has worked for junk-mail:-( Many if not most of the current opt-out policies require that you first sign-up and then, separately, forward your opt-out request. This request usually takes four to six weeks to process. Meanwhile your personal info has been distributed far and wide, and its to late to get it back. You also don't have to worry about all those opt-out requests accidentally (nudge, wink) getting lost in the mail.

Slashdot | Articles | Australian Government Cracks Down on Net Users. This one is scary folks. Read the short SlashDot intro and follow the links. How long do you think it will be before your country tries to implement the same sort of thing?? This all goes into effect January 1,2000

APC Newswire: Australia's technology news - Net censorship board takes a paternal hand . The Federal Government has announced the 11 members of NetAlert, its Internet Advisory Council, which will pay a key role in researching new Net access blocking technologies and advising the government on the implementation of its highly controversial Net censorship legislation. The appointments -- which are dominated by parent and school activist groups -- have already been criticised by Net freedom of speech groups.

Electronic Frontiers Australia - Internet Regulation in Australia.

APC Newswire: Australia's technology news - Understanding the new censorship laws .

The Democrats' dissenting minority report.

The following (follow link) is the text of the executive summary of the Democrats' dissenting minority report into government proposals to control online content.

Labor's dissenting minority report. The following(follow link) is the text of the executive summary of Labor's dissenting minority report into government proposals to control online content.

Net censorship protest: What the people said. On May 28, Electronic Frontiers Australia held demonstrations in four Australian capital cities to protest against new Internet censorship laws set to take effect at the beginning of next year. Newswire's William Maher interviewed Sydney participants to get their views on the legislation.

APC Newswire: Australia's technology news - Censoring the Net. Government proposals to control Internet content have stirred up a storm of debate in the online community. Stay in touch with the latest developments with Newswire's ongoing coverage. This is an ongoing list of stories related to censorship in Australia.

APC Newswire: Australia's technology news (Nov 18,1999) - ACS slams ABA age verification proposal .

The Australian Computer Society (ACS) has criticised the Australian Broadcasting Authority's (ABA) proposed Internet age verification scheme, describing it as "inappropriate".

Chair of the ACS economic, legal and social implications committee, Philip Argy, said the ABA is asking for an "inappropriate" level of personal information. "The ABA has a duty to implement a process that simply verifies age, not one that verifies complete identity," he said. "The ABA proposal asks for a range of personal information . . . far more than would be required by someone wanting to purchase adult magazines or videos either in person or through the mail." Argy said a more suitable option is a proof of age card, or public key encryption.