Privacy Online:
A Report to Congress

Federal Trade Commission

June 1998

Federal Trade Commission

Bureau of Consumer Protection

Authors

Survey Advisors

Table of Contents

Executive Summary

I. Introduction

II. History and Overview

A. The Federal Trade Commission's Approach to Online Privacy

B. Consumer Privacy Online

1. Growth of the Online Market

2. Privacy Concerns

C. Children's Privacy Online

1. Growth in the Number of Children Online

2. Safety and Privacy Concerns

III. Fair Information Practice Principles

A. Fair Information Practice Principles Generally

1. Notice/Awareness

2. Choice/Consent

3. Access/Participation

4. Integrity/Security

5. Enforcement/Redress

B. Application of Fair Information Practice Principles to Information Collected From Children

1. Parental Notice/Awareness and Parental Choice/Consent

2. Access/Participation and Integrity/Security

IV. Industry Association Guidelines

A. Industry Association Guidelines

1. Notice/Awareness

2. Choice/Consent

3. Access/Participation

4. Integrity/Security

5. Enforcement/Redress

B. Guidelines Regarding Children's Information

V. Survey of Commercial Web Sites

A. Overview

B. General Survey Findings

1. Web Sites

2. Personal Information Collection

3. Frequency of Disclosures

4. Nature of Disclosures

C. Children's Survey Findings

1. Personal Information Collection from Children

2. Frequency of Disclosures

3. Nature of Disclosures

4. Parental Involvement

VI. Conclusions

Endnotes