The Federal Trade Commission has heard you. On Wednesday, it turned up the heat on the technology industry – and browser makers specifically – to move more quickly to create simple, universal controls to let people tell advertisers and data brokers that they may not collect information about their Web browsing and buying habits.

In a report, the F.T.C. called for the creation of “Do Not Track” mechanisms, arguing that tools that are currently available to consumers are too complex and difficult to use. Moreover, many allow consumers only to block the “behavioral” ads that make use of their data but do not the collection of their data in the first place.

“We’re looking for something that is actually available to consumers and offers a comprehensive opt-out,” Edward W. Felten, the F.T.C.’s incoming chief technologist, said during a press teleconference. Industry players, including a coalition of advertisers, have taken some steps toward creating such a system, “but we’re not there, and we have quite a ways to go,” he said.

More: http://gadgetwise.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/12/02/what-if-there-was-a-do-not-track-list-for-online-browsing