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You’ve brought major cases against Facebook and Google, and you’re requiring them to undergo audits every two years until 2032. What is the significance of those cases? These are examples of enforcement actions we brought to ensure that companies adhere to the promises they make to consumers about privacy.

n the meantime, your agency recommended that Internet companies voluntarily adopt a “Do Not Track” policy. What if they don’t?

That technology is coming to the U.S., and coming very quickly. It’s obviously a great convenience for consumers, but there are serious privacy and security issues.

On the call with reporters, Mr. Vladeck said he had little patience with Google’s explanation, and referred to other privacy violations about which Google has also said it was unaware, like collecting personal data with its Street View cars. “As a regulator, it is hard to know which answer is worse — I didn’t know or I did it deliberately,”

Google and other advertising companies use cookies, which are small files that contain information about Web users, to show personalized ads as Internet users travel around the Web. If an Internet user visits fashion Web sites, for instance, Google might show the person ads for clothing companies on other Web sites that person visits.