As companies demand ever more accurate audiences to whom they can pitch their products and services, the debate over online tracking versus privacy continues.

1. Working in small groups, discuss some of the challenges you see to protecting your privacy on the Internet.

■ Should companies be allowed to track your online activity? Is it OK if they notify you they are tracking you? Do you like targeted placement ads, similar to Google’s recommendations for you? Where do you find a balance between allowing Internet sites to use your information to provide better service and protecting your privacy?

■ Are employers justified in monitoring employees’

e-mail, Twitter, and Internet usage on company machines?

■ Are employers justified in monitoring employees’ Facebook accounts? Do you think it is fair when employees get fired for comments they post on their Facebook site?

■ What do you think of companies such as Google tracking searches to produce sites like Google Flu Trends, which shows where people are getting sick during flu season?

2. The Federal Trade Commission is considering a “Do Not Track” option. Like the Do Not Call Registry, it would offer consumers a way to avoid some electronic marketing. See http://www.ftc.gov/

opa/reporter/privacy/donottrack.shtml for more information. If such an option becomes available, would you use it? Suppose that big websites such as Google or Facebook started dropping Do Not Track customers. How would that action influence your opinion? Write an e-mail to your instructor explaining your decision.