Protecting Information Rights – Advancing Information Policy

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On 1 November 2010 the Office of the Privacy Commissioner was integrated into the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner and a new website established at www.oaic.gov.au.

Note 1: Major changes to the Privacy Act 1988 will come into effect in March 2014. Agencies, businesses and not for profits need to start preparing for these changes. For more information go to our privacy law reform page at www.oaic.gov.au
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Types

Topic(s): Other

Web Seals: A Review of Online Privacy Programs

document icon pdf (493.75 KB)

Table of Contents

Executive Summary 1. Background 1.1 Why Online Privacy Seals?2. Objective of the Web Seals Project 2.1 Seals Selected for Review 3. Methodology 4. Assessment of the Seal Programs 4.1 Privacy Principles 4.1.1 Selection of the OECD Guidelines as the standard 4.1.2 Template for analysis 4.1.3 BBBOnLine 4.1.4 TRUSTe 4.1.5 WebTrust 4.1.6 Conclusions 4.2 Dispute Resolution 4.2.1 Selection of the standard for dispute resolution assessment 4.2.2 Basis for seal assessment 4.2.3 Description of dispute resolution mechanisms 4.2.4 Assessment results 4.2.5 Summary of dispute resolution assessment results 4.3 Compliance/Enforcement 4.3.1 Need for compliance and enforcement 4.3.2 Comparison of the functions 4.3.3 Next steps

5. Results 5.1 Summary of assessment of the seals 5.2 Effectiveness of seals as a tool online users can use to protect their personal data 5.3 The future of this project 5.4 Concluding remarks Exhibit A - Comparison of BBBOnLine Privacy Seal with the OECD Guidelines on the Protection of Privacy and Transborder Flows of Personal Data Exhibit B - Comparison of TRUSTe Program to OECD Guidelines of Privacy and Transborder Flows of Personal Data Exhibit C - Comparison of WebTrust Principles and Criteria for Business-to-Consumer Electronic Commerce to OECD Guidelines of Privacy and Transborder Flows of Personal Data Exhibit D - Australian federal government Benchmarks for Industry-Based Customer Dispute Resolution Schemes Exhibit E - Australian National Arbitration Forum Principles Exhibit F - Compliance/Enforcement Activity of Privacy Seals Notes