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Users crave Web privacy
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August 20, 2000: 10:00 p.m. ET
Survey shows Internet surfers desire more assurance in online privacy
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WASHINGTON (CNN) - Americans surfing the Net want a greater guarantee of privacy and aren't happy with the tracking tactics that some online companies employ, a survey released Sunday evening found.
The survey by the Pew Internet & American Life Project found that 86 percent of Internet users favor "opt in" policies that would require online companies to seek their permission before disclosing personal information. Slightly more than half -- 54 percent -- of Internet users said that they believe tracking on the Web invades their privacy. Only 27 percent of Internet users said such monitoring is beneficial because it helps online companies better target prospective consumers.
 "Internet users want the Golden Rule of the Internet to be, 'Don't do anything unto me unless I give you permission,' " said Lee Rainie, director of the Pew Internet & American Life Project. "They want to have a presumption of privacy when they are online. They want to be in control of information about what they do on the Web and they want vengeance on those who breach their privacy promises."
Internet privacy has emerged as a political issue on Capitol Hill, where some lawmakers are pushing bills to enact greater privacy safeguards for Web users. Some of the bills, however, advocate "opt out" provisions, meaning Web companies could compile and trade personal information about users unless the consumer asked the company not to do so.
Recently, the Federal Trade Commission announced a policy that gives Web sites the right to track Internet users unless they take steps to "opt out" of the practice.
Rainie said the FTC policy does not meet the desire for privacy that most Internet users say they want.
"The most important point is that they want to be in charge of their online identities," Rainie said.
The project surveyed 2,117 Americans, 1017 of whom identified themselves as Internet users. The survey was conducted from May 19 to June 21 and has a margin of error of 3 percentage points.
In the telephone survey, 54 percent of Internet users said they had volunteered personal information online in order to use a Web site. Another 10 percent said they would do so under the right circumstances, but 27 percent of Internet users said they would never volunteer personal data. 
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