This is the equivalent of traditional library records. The decision to publish statistics must be determined by the individual agency s mission and policies. The presentation of statistics should not allow for identification of a single computer, individual name, or individual non-government institution. In addition to logs of Web activity, private information can be collected from the Web via web forms, cookies, and other applications. Users should be told in advance , as close to the main entry point for the application as possible, that information is being collected and the purpose of the collection.
Some lists have archives of postings made to the list.
Listserv, newsgroup, and bulletin board subscribers should be made aware of the agency s privacy policy and of the privacy policy of the specific list. The message should indicate that the agency cannot control downstream dissemination of the user s messages and it should suggest that users state in the Subject Line or at the top of the message if they would like to have the information disseminated, limited, or if they request acknowledgement for the content. More and more, transactions between the government and its constituencies will be performed via e-mail. There are policies and guidelines in place that are required by a system of record, by the Privacy Act, and by agency e-mail policies. However, there are some general ethical considerations.