I like your analogy between the do‑not‑call list and a do‑not‑track list. I'll take it a step further. If I ask that my number be added to the do‑not‑call list, all companies must comply with my wish not to be called. I won't have to call each and every telemarketer to say that I don't want them to call me. We're proposing a similar principle for the digital sphere. The analogy makes sense.
I'll provide some context. When I browse the Internet, on almost any mobile application or technology company platform, I see my personal information being collected everywhere. Technology giants reuse that data for commercial purposes for targeted advertising, analyses and so on. Consumer consent for these practices is often not very effective. Most tracking websites use pop‑up windows to ask consumers for their consent to data collection.
We're proposing that a parameter be built into the browser, for example, or into the telephone, that forces companies to comply with a person's decision to not have their personal information constantly collected. The industry has all kinds of mechanisms to help with this to some extent. For example, some mechanisms let us opt out of targeted advertising. However, they don't let us opt out of the ongoing collection of our personal information.
If I'm a consumer and I really want to stop my personal information from being collected online, one of the only options is digital self‑defense. This means blocking cookies and downloading applications that block these systems. However, companies aren't legally obligated to comply with my decision to not have my information collected. We've been proposing to incorporate this obligation into the legislation for a number of years. This would solve the problem by making consumer consent effective and simple. It would be very accessible for consumers.