San Luis Obispo

Charter Communications on Wednesday abandoned plans to deploy NebuAd's user-tracking system after objections from Congress and privacy advocates. Its stock dropped slightly after the announcement.

The NebuAd system places tracking cookies and sells users' Internet data to advertisers for targeting ads. Charter had been testing the system that privacy watchdogs Free Press and Public Knowledge called a "classic man-in-the-middle attack."

Cable TV, phone and Internet service provider Charter Communications drew concern Friday from two congressmen and a privacy advocate over its plan to experiment with tracking its customers' Web use in collaboration with an online advertising firm.

Charter has told its high-speed Internet customers in four markets about the pilot, which will produce enough information for Web advertisers to target online advertising for individual customers based on their habits.

Cable TV, phone and Internet service provider Charter Communications drew concern Friday from two congressmen and a privacy advocate over its plan to experiment with tracking its customers' Web use in collaboration with an online advertising firm.

Charter has told its high-speed Internet customers in four markets about the pilot, which will produce enough information for Web advertisers to target online advertising for individual customers based on their habits.