Take Control
If you are concerned about the privacy of your information, what should you do? You could just decide not to use the Internet. However, for most of us that is not desirable or practical. The next most effective approach is to be careful what information you provide and to whom you provide it. That is where privacy policies come in.Privacy Policies
Sandra, our Contests and Sweepstakes Guide gives you a good introduction to privacy policies in her frequently asked questions section.Speed Reading
I try to screen the privacy policy of the site before I list a free offer and give you a quick synopsis. You should check out privacy policies yourself, especially if you are giving out any kind of detailed information.When I read a privacy policy, I skip most of the sections and zero in on the "what we do with your information" section. There following are the most common approaches to using the information companies gather listed from best to worst from a consumer privacy standpoint:
- Never Share:
The company states that they will never share your information with any other company and only use the information for the purpose stated when it is collected. - Only Share with Associated Companies:
This is the most common stance and gives the company freedom to share your information with sister companies. contractors, etc. - Information Included in Company Sale:
The company reserves the right to pass your information on if they are sold or bought out. I don't get too concerned about this with larger companies, as any company big enough to buy them is likely to have a sound privacy policy themselves. - Shared or Sold at Will:
This is rare in larger consumer product companies, but you may find it with companies whose primary business is advertising. A good example would be some magazine publishers and resellers. If you are concerned about privacy you may want to limit the amount of "accurate information" you give these companies.
What can you do to maximize your privacy online?
- Avoid Bad Neighborhoods:
Stay away from questionable sites such as those advertised in spam messages, sites that offer illegal software, and porn sites. If you visit these kinds of sites you are likely to be exposed to information stealing Trojans and viruses, and no amount of reading privacy polices will help you if you get infected. - Use a junk Email Address:
I never use any of my primary email addresses to register with a site I don't totally trust. Find out more about avoiding junk email. - Don't Provide More Information than Needed:
If a registration form asks for more information than they really need to provide the offer or service I either avoid the registration or give them "close enough" information. If they ask for birth date they get one close enogh to verify my age qualifies. If they ask for phone number they get the number of information for my area code. You can find out more in this article.
In the end, the privacy of your information is your decision. You can use the above information to have some control of your online privacy and decide your comfort level with providing information.