According to a recently released study by consumer privacy organization TRUSTe and global market insight and information group TNS, consumers generally know that their internet activities are being tracked for purposes of targeting advertising.

Are they OK with it? Not really. They study also revealed a high level of concern associated with that tracking, even when it isn't associated with personally identifiable information.

Behavioral targeting, which enables marketers to deliver customized experiences and improved marketing metrics, also runs up against consumer privacy concerns and calls for greater transparency around emerging tracking and targeting techniques.

Based on the results of the survey, lack of transparency may factor into privacy concerns. In fact, 71 percent of online consumers are aware that their browsing information may be collected by a third party for advertising purposes, but only 40 percent are familiar with the term "behavioral targeting." In addition, 57 percent of respondents said they are not comfortable with advertisers using that browsing history to serve relevant ads, even when that information cannot be tied to their names or any other personal information.

Meanwhile, a majority (91 percent) of respondents expressed willingness to take necessary steps to assure increased privacy online when presented with the tools to control their internet tracking and advertising experience, and this, accoridng to TRUSTe and TNS, suggests a need for added education, transparency and choices for behavioral targeting. Nearly two-thirds (64 percent) would choose to see online ads only from online stores and brands that they know and trust and 44 percent of respondents would click buttons or icons to make that happen.

To the contrary, a similar proportion of consumers (42 percent) said they would sign up for an online registry to ensure that advertisers are not able to track browsing behaviors, even if it meant that they would receive more ads that are less relevant to their interests.

What these results boil down to is that consumers say they want more relevant advertising, but don't want to be tracked in order to get it.

What is the key takeaway here? Transparency, transparency, transparency. Consumers today are more sophisticated and educated than ever before. They understand advertising, and in many cases, respond to it and even enjoy it. So don't take chances--be a trustworthy and transparent company.