FTC talking to Adobe About The ‘Flash Problem’

FTC was looking into ways to implement a “Do Not Track” system not within web browsers, FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz said that the commission hopes to explore other options as it receives public comment over the next two months. Then he added: “There’s an Adobe Flash problem that needs to be solved… We’ve been talking to Adobe.”

The FTC’s incoming chief technologist, Ed Felten, clarified that the “problem” Leibowitz referred to is in fact the “Flash cookies,” which Adobe refers to as “local shared objects.” 

Felten said: “The issues have to do with uses of Flash for tracking, Flash cookies for example. As of today, when you use the privacy controls in your browser, they don’t directly affect the treatment of Flash local shared objects… There are some other issues with Flash, which I suppose we could address at another time.”

For it's part, Adobe says that Flash's local shared objects were never designed for tracking purposes, and that it has repeatedly condemned such practices -- the company also added that it would support "any industry initiative to foster clear, meaningful and persistent choice regarding online tracking."

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