But others believe the price to be too high. Whether information gathered by Web sites is used for internal marketing strategies or sold to outside sources, some don't like the idea that they are leaving a trail of personal data for strangers to access. Until there are laws clearly outlining Web privacy issues, Internet users can take a few simple steps to ensure they receive an appropriate level of privacy. First and foremost, users should read a Web site's privacy policy to learn how information is gathered and how it is used. Another easy way to protect your privacy is to not provide any personal information, such as name, physical address or e-mail address.
Users can also set their browsers to reject cookies.
Software is available that prohibits Web site providers from learning about sites previously visited by consumers. Some sites require users to register using personal information before they may log onto the site. For a lot of people, Smith says, this is where they decide to leave. In order to protect their privacy, consumers may lose the benefit of having information custom-tailored, or they may miss out on a site that would have been useful or entertaining. Privacy has its price.