[thelist] Privacy Policy Generators

deke web at master.gen.in.us
Wed Mar 28 06:51:06 CST 2001


According to eWeek, the MSIE/6 browser warns users that
a site doesn't have a privacy policy - even if it does. You have
to have a special machine-readable policy.

The W3C org site says there are only three generators currently
available - IBM's, privacybot, and YOUpowered. The IBM software
is a 1.5 meg download that is licensed for only 90 days - and once
you download it, the setup program doesn't run.  YOUpowered says
you have to be running NT/4 and IIS, which is OK for those folks
running niche servers on obsolete operating systems, I suppose.
The privacybot program costs you $100 for each privacy statement.
You may need different statements for each directory, definitely
need different statements for each site, and will need to update your
policy over time as your sites evolve.

I don't know whether to feel threatened or view this as an opportunity.
I saw what MacAfee did to create paranoia among users as a way to
create an industry of virus software publishers with himself at the top
of the heap. Is there any question in my mind that MSIE/6 is going to
scare the bejeezus out of users? No. And it doesn't matter a bit that
violating privacy policies and changing policies after the information 
has been gathered can be done by the bad guys with impunity.

So should I drop everything and create a policy generation site in order
to make a million by Christmas, or is there someone who's already
producing $10 shareware that works?

deke


--------
I got this powdered water. 
Now I don't know what to add. 
            -- Steven Wright




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