It's worth keeping abreast of the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee. Really.
It has been examining the approaches by Web giants to targeted advertising. It has been finding that some firms are using the technology without informing users. Google has acknowledged using tracking technology that examines Web behaviour.
The committee review and the implications for such advertising are enormous for the news industry, which is looking for new streams of revenue and needs to employ a full digital arsenal. The committee's work may lead to more stringent privacy laws in the U.S., which could easily influence other laws worldwide.
