Title:	YOUR PRIVACY IS ASSURED—OF BEING INVADED: WEB SITES WITH AND WITHOUT PRIVACY SEALS
Author(s):	Robert Larose, Ph.d , Nora Rifon, Ph.d.
ISBN:	972-98947-0-1
Editors:	António Palma dos Reis and Pedro Isaías
Year:	2003
Edition:	1
Keywords:	Internet, privacy, seals, content analysis.
Type:	Full Paper
First Page:	63
Last Page:	72
Language:	English
Cover:
Full Contents:	click to dowload
Paper Abstract:	Concerns about consumer privacy are a leading reason for non-participation in electronic commerce and other on-line activities. Privacy seals were developed as means of addressing those concerns through industry self-regulation. Their purpose is to assure consumers that certain basic privacy standards are being met by the Web sites they visit and two leading seal authorities, TRUSTe and BBBOnLine have emerged. The present research assessed whether the two seal authorities delivered what they promise and compared the privacy protection practices of sites that participate in the two programs with non-participating sites. Privacy policy statements were interpreted as a form of persuasive communication that attempts to minimize the risks of providing personal information while emphasizing the benefits of personal disclosure. Seal bearing sites were compared with a sample of comparable sites to determine if the privacy practices of unsealed sites differed. There were few differences in the privacy practices between seal authorities: TRUSTe and BBBOnLine participants offered about the same degree of privacy protection assurances and were equally invasive with regard to the amount of personal information they requested. However, unsealed sites offered nearly equal privacy assurances and were significantly less invasive than the sealed sites with respect to the amount of personal information requested. However, seal program participants did provide superior access to information and assurances of data security. Suggestions for the improvement of voluntary privacy seal programs are offered.
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