Study Cites Privacy Leadership Initiative's Role in Shaping Online Privacy Practices

March 28, 2002, Washington, DC - The Privacy Leadership Initiative (PLI) is a leader in helping the online marketplace respond to consumer privacy concerns, according to a major study by the Progress & Freedom Foundation. The report found that Web sites are collecting less personal information and offering greater consumer choice than in a comparable survey conducted by the Federal Trade Commission two years ago.

David M. Klaus, executive director of the PLI, said, "This study confirms that businesses are getting the message: consumers expect businesses to address their concerns about privacy. The PLI has take a leadership role to help companies implement strong privacy protections, and they're quickly finding that good privacy policies are a competitive advantage."

"Businesses operating in the online environment appear to be treating consumer concerns seriously," the study says. The PLI "has instituted a number of programs aimed both at businesses and consumers." Among the PLI initiatives mentioned are "Privacy Made Simple," an online resource for small and medium-sized businesses; consumer education through banner ad and radio campaigns; and the Privacy Toolbox, developed in conjunction with the Internet Education Foundation.

The complete study is available at the Progress and Freedom Foundation's Web site, www.pff.org.

ABOUT THE PRIVACY LEADERSHIP INITIATIVE (PLI)

The PLI is a partnership of CEOs from major corporations and leading business associations who believe individuals should be able to choose what and how personal their information is used. Through research and education, the PLI is working to help businesses put appropriate privacy practices in place, inform consumers about steps they can take to protect their own privacy, and provide thoughtful research to help give consumers greater confidence in the benefits they can derive from the responsible use of information. For more information, please visit our Web site at http://www.understandingprivacy.org.