P3P (Platform for Privacy Preferences)
An XML-based standard by which Web sites can specify their privacy polices and which Web browsers can use to alert users if those policies are not ones to which the users would agree. Implemented in Ver. 6.0 and above browsers.
From the World Wide Web Consortium's P3P page:
"At its most basic level, P3P is a standardized set of multiple-choice questions, covering all the major aspects of a Web site's privacy policies. Taken together, they present a clear snapshot of how a site handles personal information about its users. P3P-enabled Web sites make this information available in a standard, machine-readable format. P3P enabled browsers can 'read' this snapshot automatically and compare it to the consumer's own set of privacy preferences. P3P enhances user control by putting privacy policies where users can find them, in a form users can understand, and, most importantly, enables users to act on what they see."
Additional resources
The W3C's P3P page
Has copies of the specs and implementation info.
P3P plan
Here's what you need to know to deploy Platform for Privacy Preferences on your Web site. Network World, 09/30/02.
Preserving our privacy
Musthaler: P3P may not be perfect, but it's better than having some government agency's view of privacy policy forced upon us. Network World, 11/26/01.
We will pay for all this privacyMcNamara: All this privacy protection won't come without a hefty price-tag. Network World, 04/29/02.
Topic: Web/e-commerce
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