New York State Assemblyman Richard Brodsky wants to fine online advertisers for using consumers' private information without their consent. Jim Halpert, top flack for a coalition formed by Google, AOL, Yahoo, Facebook and others said such a law "is unnecessary, most likely unconstitutional, and would have profound implications for the future of Internet advertising and the availability of free content on the Internet." Unimpressed, Brodsky told the Wall Street Journal, "These guys want the unadulterated right to invade the privacy of the citizens of this state and we're not going to let them do that," he said. "This is why we have governments, not just corporations." That's right — god forbid anyone privatize the government's vital job of invading your privacy

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