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TRUSTe and Ponemon Institute Name HP, Intuit and AOL the Top Three Most Trusted Companies of 2007 for Privacy


WEBWIRE

SAN FRANCISCO.—TRUSTe, the leading Internet privacy seal-of-approval, in conjunction with the Ponemon Institute, have announced that HP, Intuit Inc. and AOL have been honored as the Most Trusted Companies for Privacy for 2007. The winners were announced on Tuesday evening, January 29, in Washington DC at the Congressional Internet Caucus faculty reception. The award is designed to celebrate the companies who take active measures to protect and inform their consumers and to encourage a safer online ecosystem.



In conjunction with the Ponemon Institute, TRUSTe conducted a two-stage survey to gauge the privacy policies and practices of over 200 companies. The twenty companies rated most trusted in an unaided consumer survey moved on to the expert review where policies, practices, and execution were tested for consistent care with regard to privacy issues. The expert review included an evaluation of policies and practices as well as interaction with support staff.



The companies were judged by rigorous criteria which included the clarity and readability of privacy statements and notice, account information access and the ability to make changes, cookie practices, in-network and out-of-network data sharing practices, choice, regulation, infrastructure and customer service, among others. HP, Intuit and AOL consistently met or exceeded expectations on all fourteen criteria. Results showed that privacy is a major priority to the top companies, with 95 percent presenting a link to the privacy statement on their homepage and 73 percent designating a chief privacy officer or other senior level executive charged with data privacy responsibility. To view the full report, please visit http://www.truste.org/about/most_trusted_company.php.



“It’s an honor to be recognized this year for our leadership in protecting consumer privacy,” said Scott Taylor, chief privacy officer, HP. “HP realizes the importance of privacy and trust not only to our customers but also to the success of our business. It comes down to respecting individuals and their right to privacy, and that’s why we hold ourselves accountable to a higher standard.”



“Our customers hold us to high standards of care because of the financial information we handle, so privacy is a vital aspect of how we run our business,” said Barb Lawler, chief privacy officer, Intuit. “We are pleased to receive this award from TRUSTe and the Ponemon Institute, and we will continue to uphold the utmost standards of privacy for which we’ve been recognized.”



“As Internet users interact with each other, use content and view advertising in new ways across multiple platforms, we believe it’s important for companies to step up and provide transparency and control to ensure consumers’ trust,” said Jules Polonetsky, Chief Privacy Officer, AOL. ”We are honored to be recognized by TRUSTe for our continued efforts to protect consumers on the Internet"



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