New US consumer privacy bill 'seeks to give web users more control over their data'

Washington -  The Obama administration plans to introduce a new initiative that would give web users more control over how their personal information is collected and used online.

The rule dubbed as the "Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights," would forced companies to offer users the choice of stopping advertisers from tracking their activities across the Web, and is seen as a win for Google, Facebook and other Internet giants that have fought against heavier federal mandates.

The bill says users should have more control over data collected about them and how the information is used, consumers should be able to limit the collection of personal information, especially about

children, and users should be able to correct false information about them, The Washington Post reports.

According to analysts, the move by the US government gives Web giants leverage in their negotiations with regulators in Europe, where the companies can now make a stronger case for voluntary rules.

The Federal Trade Commission will police companies that agree to the guidelines, the paper said.

The administration said that it will seek legislation to codify the rules and that the Commerce Department will soon bring together companies, consumer groups and academics to come up with more specific codes of conduct.

Government officials said that many of the biggest Web firms, including Google, Yahoo, Microsoft and AOL, are expected to adopt the guidelines and have agreed to implement a "do not track" browser technology.

Many of those firms say they offer consumers anti-tracking options.

At the same time, the firms have also urged government officials to resist legislation that could hamper their ability to tap the lucrative behavioral marketing business.