The Race Is On to 'Fingerprint' Phones, PCs

I did an ATS and google site search looking for a thread referencing this, and came up empty. So hopefully it's not a repeat.

As if cookies, ip addresses, keyloggers, trojans, and others weren't enough to keep track of you. Now someone has found another means of "fingerprinting" your gadgets, and of course, your movements on the web, your TV, and on your phone.

The full article can be found here: Race Is On To 'Fingerprint' Phones, PC's

But here are a few quotes:

David Norris wants to collect the digital equivalent of fingerprints from every computer, cellphone and TV set-top box in the world.

Tracking companies are now embracing fingerprinting partly because it is much tougher to block than other common tools used to monitor people online, such as browser "cookies," tiny text files on a computer that can be deleted.

BlueCava says the information it collects about devices can't be traced back to individuals and that it will offer people a way to opt out of being tracked. Still, Mr. Norris says it's tough to figure out how to alert people their devices are being fingerprinted. "We don't have all the answers, but we're just going to try to be really clear" about how the data is used, he says.

Do we really trust the professed "good intentions" of these folks?
And what about those who glean information from their servers. Whether legally or illegally?
And which came first? Is this alphabet agency technology under the guise of public innovation?
Or is it public innovation the alphabet agencies are going to take an interest in?
What say you ATS members?