[thelist] P3P

john at johnallsopp.co.uk john at johnallsopp.co.uk
Mon Jan 12 04:42:52 CST 2004


Hi

A few weeks ago I asked in here about privacy policies, and a number of
people recommended I set up a P3P policy.

I downloaded the IBM software and set it up, but I have some doubts.
Later, I went to see an intellectual property expert and she didn't like
much of what she saw.

We have a major issue that in the UK we must conform to UK regulations.
The language in the HTML version of the P3P policy the software creates
refers to US concepts such as privacy seals. This means I still have to
write my own English privacy document. It didn't help with my primary
problem, in other words.

>From a marketing perspective, I felt that P3P gave users a very easy
option to refuse a site for the most minor issues of privacy control ..
such as the use of cookies for session management. If I didn't implement
P3P, those people would see my site. With my marketing hat on, I can see
many of my clients not wanting to pay me to implement a P3P policy, when
all it seems to do is stop some visitors. I can't see the standard
response, the same response to the questions "why implement accessibility"
and "why create a usable site" .. that you encourage more visitors ..
holding up in this case. For that reason, it feels like a great idea that
won't catch on. Indeed, according to the Ernst and Young survey it doesn't
seem to have.

Comments?

Cheers
J





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