Continued Controversy Over "Do Not Track"

The NYTimes today (Sunday, Oct 14) published an article that highlights the ongoing confusion and controversy over the "Do Not Track" movement, reignited recently by Microsoft's decision to make don't-track-me features opted in on its new Internet Explorer 10. A few key takeaways (some surprising to me) that I gathered from the story:

• A group called the World Wide Web Consortium or W3C is trying to establish global standards for Do-Not-Track-Me functionalities and enforcement.
• The default setting on Microsoft's upcoming IE10 prevents companies from collecting data on them.
• However, these privacy settings are not entirely enforceable or standardized across advertising firms or corporations. The article describes them as "digital bumper stickers whose sentiments companies are free to embrace or entirely ignore." I did not know this before - I'd thought it was all technical restrictions vs. a courtesy.
• Privacy settings may get more complex, with users not just determining whether or not they want to be tracked, but HOW that information will be used. I see this as a win-win for both consumers and advertisers, as most people will likely be too lazy to go and check what is tracked, but those that do will have more choice and power.
• There is ambiguity about WHO should be the enforcing and standardizing body among internet privacy settings. No consensus as of yet, but lots of trade associations and alliances very invested in the decision.