The use of cookies on the web is so ubiquitous that only the most privacy-concerned are willing to go through the pain of refusing them.
In the world of Web 2.0 where everything is customizable and specific to a user, cookies, or at least some form of user tracking, are absolutely required. Up until now, the U.S. federal government has had rules saying that government websites couldn't track who was using them. In a bid to bring federal agencies into the modern age, there is discussion over loosening these rules. Arguments center over how and how much.
Miguel Helft for the New York Times discusses the issues in terms of groups, ranging from the ACLU to the EFF, each of which has a different opinion of the current change proposal and what aspects might go too far. One way or another, some user tracking is going to come into play. Privacy advocates want to ensure that people can get information from their government without being watched and profiled. It wouldn't hurt to open the issue to broader discussion and ensure that each ramification has been thought through. Though who wants to encourage government agencies to start yet another lengthy committee?
For more information:
- check out this New York Times article [1]
Links:
[1] http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/11/privacy-plan-for-federal-web-sites-gets-mixed-reviews/?ref=technology