• by Jack Loechner , Staff Writer @mp_research, December 4, 2001

If your marketing strategy is likely to intrude on the privacy of the customer, it's important to note the results of a new consumer survey released by Harris Interactive. While large majorities of Americans concede that privacy notices are important, most people also find them too long and complicated, according to the study.

The key findings showed that:
- 77% of respondents favored a short, concise privacy policy
- 70% of respondents agreed that all companies "should use the same summary or checklist for their privacy policies"
- over 50% identified six separate categories of information that they said were "very important" or "important" elements to be considered for a privacy policy;
- Only 3% of respondents reviewed online privacy notices carefully most of the time
- Nearly 64% did not read notices at all or have only glanced at them - 12% reported reviewing financial notices carefully
- The top reasons for not reading privacy policies more carefully were a lack of time/interest and a high level of difficulty understanding the notices.

"That consumers care deeply about privacy matters is a given," stated David Klaus, executive director of the Privacy Leadership Initiative which sponsored the survey. "What is new here is that for the first time we have a survey which quantifies growing consumer frustration as they wade through lengthy privacy notices." "The first step to help consumers is development of short, clear privacy notices that consumers will read and trust," continued Klaus. The next step is to educate consumers on what privacy statements mean and how they can come to rely on them with confidence."

Notably, PLI and the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) launched a "consumer tips" campaign in October to educate consumers on online safety and security. So far, the campaign has directed 400,000 unique visitors to the PLI Web site and generated more than eight million page views in its first month. The "banner ad" campaign will generate over 600 million impressions and reach more than 70% of Internet households in the next 12 months.

Find out more here.