Privacy Online:
A Report to Congress

Federal Trade Commission

June 1998

Federal Trade Commission

Robert Pitofsky Chairman
Mary L. Azcuenaga Commissioner
Sheila F. Anthony Commissioner
Mozelle W. Thompson Commissioner
Orson Swindle Commissioner

Bureau of Consumer Protection

Authors

Martha K. Landesberg Division of Credit Practices
Toby Milgrom Levin Division of Advertising Practices
Caroline G. Curtin Division of Advertising Practices
Ori Lev Division of Credit Practices

Survey Advisors

Manoj Hastak Division of Advertising Practices
Louis Silversin Bureau of Economics
Don M. Blumenthal Litigation and Customer Support Center
Information and Technology Management Office
George A. Pascoe Litigation and Customer Support Center
Information and Technology Management Office

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