IP: USA TODAY :Privacy self regulation "meaningless"

[Dave Farber <farber@cis.upenn.edu>]

>From: "Rodger, William" <wrodger@usatoday.com>
>To: "'farber@cis.upenn.edu'" <farber@cis.upenn.edu>
>Subject: USA TODAY :Privacy self regulation "meaningless"
>Date: Tue, 23 May 2000 17:26:48 -0400
>
>
>
>From:
>
>http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20000523/2287199s.htm
><http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20000523/2287199s.htm>
>
>May 23, 2000
>
>Page 28A
>
>Net privacy promises again come up short
>
>Two years ago, a Federal Trade Commission survey found an alarming lack of
>privacy policies among Web sites that collect lots of personal information.
>The industry's response was: Don't worry; we'll take care of it.
>
>Then last year, an independent survey found that while many Web sites posted
>privacy policies, few offered meaningful protections. The industry's
>response: Don't worry; we're making progress there, too.
>
>Now a new FTC survey shows that those pledges not only were meaningless but
>also -- when it comes to Internet privacy -- there's plenty of cause for
>concern.
>
>The report, released Monday, found that just one in five commercial Web
>sites offers real privacy protection to visitors, which gives them notice, a
>choice to opt out, access to sensitive data and promises of security.
>
>Small wonder then that the FTC -- until now a fan of industry
>self-regulation -- finally has lost patience. The agency is asking Congress
>for the authority to impose some privacy rules on the online world, a move
>that could go a long way to filling in the privacy gaps that Internet
>companies refuse to fill in on their own.
>
>As it now stands, consumers who want to protect their personal information
>from being aggregated, collated and sold have little recourse.
>
>A USA TODAY review of 10 major Web sites in early May found their policies
>to be a confusing jumble of incomprehensible language riddled with
>loopholes. (http://www.usatoday.com/life/cyber/tech/cth818.htm)  Yahoo's
>policy, for instance, is eight pages long. The FTC survey found fewer than
>half of the sites had clearly worded procedures.
>
>What's more, privacy-seal programs meant to reassure Web users aren't
>exactly sweeping the Net. Just over 1,400 sites have signed up with the
>industry-sponsored TRUSTe program, and only about 6,000 post the Better
>Business Bureau's seal of approval. That's all of about 8% of commercial Web
>sites, according to the FTC. Slow progress at best in an industry famed for
>moving at a quicksilver pace.
>
>Any hope for federal rules to pick up the slack is a long way off.
>Republican leaders are opposed to regulations that in their view would
>hobble the Internet. And the Clinton administration doesn't want to push the
>issue in an election year.
>
>But privacy protections needn't be overly complex or disruptive to the free
>flow of information so critical to the Internet's success. The rules
>protecting children's online privacy, already in force, have general
>industry backing. And the FTC has said that it wants only modest rules
>linked to continued industry self-policing.
>
>Simply requiring that Web sites write their privacy policies in plain
>English and offer consumers a chance to opt out of data-sharing arrangements
>would be a good start.
>
>The Internet community can be expected to fight any federal privacy role, no
>matter how limited. It already is issuing fresh offers to beef up its own
>efforts, and a new advisory council is set to meet next month.
>
>But after all of these years, who can believe such promises now?
>
>
>Will Rodger                                                  Voice +1 703
>558 3375
>Technology Reporter                                        Fax +1 703 558
>3981
>USATODAY.com                                        http://tech.usatoday.com
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