WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA), the senior member of the House Telecommunications and Internet Subcommittee and Co-Chair of the Bipartisan Privacy Caucus, released the following statement on the filing by consumer groups calling for an FTC investigation of online advertising and tracking of consumer web surfing:

"I want to commend the consumer groups for their filing today at the Federal Trade Commission.  The surreptitious gathering of personal information from consumers is an unfair business practice and consumers are right to petition the Commission to examine and investigate such practices.  Where and when a consumer surfs on the Internet goes to the heart of personal freedom and I have long advocated for common-sense rules to be put in place so that consumers have knowledge about these practices and effective mechanisms to control the privacy of their personal information and web use."