As more businesses transact business via the Internet, consumers are increasingly concerned about their privacy.
Consumers fear they are being robbed of their personal information.
Businesses that do not have effective privacy and security infrastructures will lose out in the e-commerce age. A dialogue is needed between businesses and consumers. Companies with privacy policies that include notice, choice, access and security will be perceived as more trustworthy and will be in a better position to gain customers and improve branding. Those that fail to recognize this will lose trust and suffer the consequences. Having strong privacy and security infrastructures becomes a competitive advantage because it eases consumer concerns, and creates a trustworthy environment for web-based business.