The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is calling for online providers to implement “Do Not Track” features in an effort to tighten online security for Internet users, according to a report the agency released last week. The easy-to-use feature would better protect users' privacy in an “era of rapid change,” the FTC said.

“If companies adopt our final recommendations for best practices—and many of them already have—they will be able to innovate and deliver creative new services that consumers can enjoy without sacrificing their privacy,” said FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz.

The Do Not Track feature would give consumers greater control over the information websites can obtain about them, allowing them to choose what, if anything, they want to share. “Companies should give consumers the option to decide what information is shared about them, and with whom,” the report said.