Nine privacy groups asked the Federal Trade Commission on Oct. 31 to implement <A HREF="http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,2210486,00.asp?kc=EWRSS03119TX1K0000594">a Do Not Track list</A> to prevent consumers from having their online activities unknowingly tracked, stored and used by marketers and advertising networks. Based on the FTC's popular Do Not Call list, the Do Not Track list would require advertising firms that place persistent tracking technologies on consumers' computers to register with the FTC all domain names of the servers involved in such activities. Developers of browser applications would be encouraged to create plug-ins allowing users to download the list onto their computers.

The groups' call for the Do Not Track list comes on the eve of a two-day FTC conference on "Ehavioral Advertising: Tracking, Targeting and Technology."