While supporting voluntary codes, consumer groups advocate that these must be backed by effective government regulation. Consumer organizations generally support alternative dispute resolution, with the caveat that consumers must retain the right to redress in their countries' courts. They have promulgated principles upon which ADR systems should be based, which include independence, personnel qualifications and reporting of cases to a publicly accessible clearinghouse. An international survey to determine the extent to which online dispute resolution services adequately address consumers' concerns resulted in consumer recommendations to ADR providers. Accredited Subscribers are licensed to display the trustmark on their web site, which is expected to improve consumer confidence.
Trustmark schemes vary considerably in their terms and operation.
Some certify only particular aspects of online business, such as privacy, while others certify a full range of issues including advertising, disclosures, contract terms and performance, security, dispute resolution and protection of children. Some programs certify only that the Subscribers have accurately disclosed their own policies, while others certify that Subscribers have met the Code Owner's standards and agreed to abide by its Code of Conduct. There is also considerable variation in the certification, monitoring and enforcement procedures and the fees charged to the Subscribers. To protect against misplaced confidence in trustmarks displayed on web sites, several government and private initiatives establish standards for accrediting trustmark schemes. The dispute resolution provisions of both trustmark schemes and industry's self-regulatory initiatives also vary considerably.