Behavioral Targeting gets a needed shot

So the uproar over NebuAd continues, and appears to be expanding to include not just NebuAd but the whole Behavioral Targeting space. There have been a variety of posts wailing about whether NebuAd has ruined the market for Behavioral Targeting applications by triggering such an intense level of congressional scrutiny that regulatory oversight that could develop as a result. My guess is no, for a couple of reasons. One, implementing any sort of regulatory framework while we’re in the throes of an election year seems incredibly unlikely. Two, there are some very big fish in this pond (Google, Yahoo, others) who have a broad presence backed by deep pockets and can push back with a lot of force. I’m not saying these companies are in the same boat as NebuAd, but politicians, who are renowned for their lack of familiarity with the business of technology, are likely to use as broad a brush as possible in the name of protecting their constituents from unwanted advertising. Three, rather than ruining the Behavioral Targeting space, what NebuAd has done is (at a minimum) show other companies in this space when to duck, and when to jump. Heck, these guys have done a great job of triggering traps the rest of us can now avoid.