TRUSTe has changed offices!

To accommodate our expanding staff, TRUSTe has relocated to bigger offices in the same building. Please change your address books to reflect our new suite number:

685 Market, Suite 270
San Francisco, CA 94105

All staff phone numbers remain the same.

The Challenge of Defining Spyware
by Ari Schwartz

As the problem of spyware becomes an increasingly central one, the absence of a clear, coherent, and standard definition of the term has rendered serious discussion of solutions difficult. The Center for Democracy and Technology has convened the Anti-Spyware Coalition, which has just released a set of definitions for spyware and other potentially unwanted technologies. The coalition is currently accepting public comment on the draft version. More...

Public Support of Biometric Technology in Passports and Drivers’ Licenses Is Positive but Not Yet Assured

Most Americans support adding biometric identifiers to existing government-issued ID documents, according to a nationwide survey conducted by TRUSTe and TNS in March 2005. Including biometric data in identification documents such as passports, Social Security cards, and drivers’ licenses is perceived by the public to help prevent fraud and identity theft. But, at the same time, many Americans express privacy and cost concerns about government use of the technology. More...

TRUSTe Launches New “We Don’t Spam” Email Privacy Seal Program

This month, TRUSTe announced the creation of its “We Don’t Spam” email privacy seal, the first independent certification to reassure consumers that they won’t be subjected to spam when they submit their email address online. The program allows certified email senders to display a verifiable seal confirming that their email practices conform to strict privacy and fair-treatment standards. Pretrial tests have shown that the seal boosts email collection rates. More...

TRUSTe Introduces New Certification Process

New applicants to TRUSTe’s Privacy Seal Program can now complete their application online! On July 7, 2005, TRUSTe launched the Certification Center, an online tool that guides users through the steps required to prepare a Web site for TRUSTe certification. The system replaces the manual application process, thereby reducing certification time and improving overall service delivery. Online renewal for existing TRUSTe sealholders is on the way. More...