Her results also didn't specifically identify sites that failed to meet her guidelines. And posting a privacy policy doesn't mean your privacy is protected. The FTC conducted its own privacy survey last year, but the studies were not conducted the same way, so comparisons can't easily be made to the Georgetown results. This study is limited to places where the most people go on the Net. The FTC reviewed 1,400 sites in March 1998 and found that just 14 percent informed visitors of their data collection practices.
Online firms deserve considerable credit for making progress over the last year.
Accordingly, industry still has a way to go to ensure that consumer privacy is not just about quantity of sites, but also about quality of consumer protection. The second study was of the Top 100 Web sites by reach, based on figures from Media Metrix. That study was funded by the Online Privacy Alliance, a consortium of companies that is pushing voluntary practices in lieu of laws to protect Net users' personal data. Most of the Top 100 sites also are members of the Online Privacy Alliance and have pledged to post policies and be audited for compliance by seal programs such as Truste and BBBOnline . Inc. All rights reserved.