Who is watching your online shopping activity?
Web sellers are not yet required by law to maintain the privacy of people who shop or order from their sites. This means that sellers may collect names, addresses and information on which website pages you visit, which products you buy, when you buy them, and where you ship them. Then, the seller may share the information with other companies or sell it to them. As a result, you might get more direct-mail advertising, spam, or calls from telemarketers.
Surveys have shown that this is a major concern consumers have about electronic shopping. In response, government regulators have encouraged internet sellers to post privacy policies on their web sites.
If a site does not have a privacy policy posted, you may not want to do business with that site. If it does have a privacy policy, there will probably be a link to it from the seller's home page. The privacy policy may have its own link or be included under other titles such as "terms and conditions" or "Legal Terms."
A seller's privacy policy should indicate:
Web sellers are not yet required by law to maintain the privacy of people who shop or order from their sites. This means that sellers may collect names, addresses and information on which website pages you visit, which products you buy, when you buy them, and where you ship them. Then, the seller may share the information with other companies or sell it to them. As a result, you might get more direct-mail advertising, spam, or calls from telemarketers.
Surveys have shown that this is a major concern consumers have about electronic shopping. In response, government regulators have encouraged internet sellers to post privacy policies on their web sites.
If a site does not have a privacy policy posted, you may not want to do business with that site. If it does have a privacy policy, there will probably be a link to it from the seller's home page. The privacy policy may have its own link or be included under other titles such as "terms and conditions" or "Legal Terms."
A seller's privacy policy should indicate:
- What information the seller is gathering about you
- How the seller will use this information; and
- Whether and how you can "opt out" of these practices
Is the web site monitored by an independent organization?
Although it may seem reassuring to find on a seller's web site a logo, icon, or seal of an independent organization that monitors privacy policies and practices, you should also check the seller's privacy policy for yourself. These organizations may not require the seller to adopt specific privacy practices. Instead, they might only require the seller to comply with whatever practices the seller has chosen to make part of its privacy policy. Moreover, these organizations are not necessarily financially liable if the seller breaches the terms of its privacy policy (although they might help you to arrange a settlement with the seller). If you see a certification or a log of such an organization and want more information, you may be able to get it by going to its website.
Although it may seem reassuring to find on a seller's web site a logo, icon, or seal of an independent organization that monitors privacy policies and practices, you should also check the seller's privacy policy for yourself. These organizations may not require the seller to adopt specific privacy practices. Instead, they might only require the seller to comply with whatever practices the seller has chosen to make part of its privacy policy. Moreover, these organizations are not necessarily financially liable if the seller breaches the terms of its privacy policy (although they might help you to arrange a settlement with the seller). If you see a certification or a log of such an organization and want more information, you may be able to get it by going to its website.
How can you avoid "cookies," adware and spyware?
Some web sites are programmed to insert a small file—commonly called a "cookie"-- onto the hard drive of your computer. Some cookies serve to identify you to the website and may be required to use the site. Some function to save you the trouble of re-typing various information every time you visit. Others function to keep track of what sites you visit and what things you look for on the web and may even be able to obtain your e-mail address from your visit. Marketers are interested in such information and may use it to tailor ads to send to you. Hence the name "adware" is sometimes used to describe these programs.
Some programs added on to your computer when you download free programs or visit certain websites are less benign. When inserted on your computer without your permission, they are sometimes called "spyware." These programs may not only keep track of what you do on the net, they may even be used to keep track of what you type on your keyboard, including your personal information.
Here's how to avoid this:
Some web sites are programmed to insert a small file—commonly called a "cookie"-- onto the hard drive of your computer. Some cookies serve to identify you to the website and may be required to use the site. Some function to save you the trouble of re-typing various information every time you visit. Others function to keep track of what sites you visit and what things you look for on the web and may even be able to obtain your e-mail address from your visit. Marketers are interested in such information and may use it to tailor ads to send to you. Hence the name "adware" is sometimes used to describe these programs.
Some programs added on to your computer when you download free programs or visit certain websites are less benign. When inserted on your computer without your permission, they are sometimes called "spyware." These programs may not only keep track of what you do on the net, they may even be used to keep track of what you type on your keyboard, including your personal information.
Here's how to avoid this:
- You can change the preferences in your Web browser to prevent or limit the use of cookies. Instructions for how to do this vary depending on what browser you use and what edition you have. You will find information in the help documentation for your browser or by putting "disable cookies" in your search engine.
- You can also buy software programs for your browser that will warn you of, and help you to refuse or control, attempts by web sites to deposit cookies, adware or spyware. Sometimes they are included in anti-virus packages or in security protection provided by your service provider. You may also wish to obtain "firewall" protection to cut off unwanted and unannounced intrusions.
Are you sure you want that confirming e-mail?
A number of commercial web sites will send you a confirmation e-mail message immediately after they receive your e-mail order. You may not want to order from those web sites if you are concerned that your employer or someone sharing your computer might see the message and the items ordered. If you're not sure of a site's confirmation policy, you could contact the site about it or order a non-controversial item first to see how the site's procedure works. If you are given the option not to receive a confirmation e-mail, you usually can print the last screen that appears in your transaction to have a record.
A number of commercial web sites will send you a confirmation e-mail message immediately after they receive your e-mail order. You may not want to order from those web sites if you are concerned that your employer or someone sharing your computer might see the message and the items ordered. If you're not sure of a site's confirmation policy, you could contact the site about it or order a non-controversial item first to see how the site's procedure works. If you are given the option not to receive a confirmation e-mail, you usually can print the last screen that appears in your transaction to have a record.
Paying by credit card?
If you pay by using a credit card, you may be asked to choose whether to have the seller retain it on file for future orders. You might prefer not to have the credit card number kept on file, but instead to provide the card number again each time. The website may also allow you to choose to complete all of your order information on the web and telephone in your credit card number.
If you pay by using a credit card, you may be asked to choose whether to have the seller retain it on file for future orders. You might prefer not to have the credit card number kept on file, but instead to provide the card number again each time. The website may also allow you to choose to complete all of your order information on the web and telephone in your credit card number.
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