Information privacy: a comprehensive analysis of information request and privacy policies of most-visited Web sites

Obtaining consumer data has become an essential practice of Web proprietors. This is because, compared with ‘brick and mortar’ retail stores, it is much more difficult for Web proprietors to build one-on-one or face-to-face relationships with customers. The collection of personal information online boosts customized services for consumers, but at the same time it increases concerns about privacy infringement. Using a content analysis of the most visited Web sites in Korea and the United States, this study compares the amount and breadth of information requested by Web proprietors and examines the relationship between the information requests and privacy policies of Web sites. This study found that Korea-based Web sites present stronger privacy policies than do US-based Web sites. Ironically, they also request a greater amount and variety of information from consumers than do US-based Web sites during registration processes. When narrowing the focus to US sites only, this study also revealed that the stronger the privacy policies presented by US Web sites, the more information the US Web sites request from consumers.