The GBDe recognizes that electronic commerce will never reach its full potential unless consumers feel as confident dealing with online merchants as they do buying from brick and mortar establishments. Strong consumer confidence also will improve prospects for keeping the legal and regulatory framework governing electronic commerce open and competitive across national borders.
Many consumers are concerned about the way online businesses collect and use personal information.
The GBDe's privacy guidelines require business to disclose the types of information they collect and what they propose to do with it, give consumers choices about the proposed collection and new uses of their data, and provide special protection for sensitive information and for children. With these steps, businesses can help build trust by educating consumers about how their information will be used and protected. While e-commerce makes it easier for consumers to do business across national borders, it also may raise complicated questions when disputes arise between people and firms located in different countries with different laws. Our commitments in these important areas are based upon a clear understanding from working directly with our customers around the globe of the issues that they face in the online world. These commitments are just the beginning of a process of continued dialogue with customers and consumer organizations that will better ensure that the full range of issues confronting us in this sensitive area are continually addressed.