But Congress will regulate the Internet if it can. At least five privacy-related pieces of legislation are either pending or are likely to be introduced this year, including one that would create a privacy regulatory agency.
Privacy is a shiny bauble to lawmakers.
It's a no-lose proposition that lets politicians put a symbolic stick in the eye of business without raising taxes. Unfortunately, the issue is a slippery slope for Internet merchants because it opens the door for the government to start regulating the way they deal with their customers. Sadly, Web merchants asked for it. Internet businesses have done a lousy job of self-regulating privacy, despite symbolic moves like IBM's bold declaration that it won't advertise on Web sites that don't post privacy policies. There are two basic problems.