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BACK TO MAIN FAQ
What is TRUSTe and how does it work to protect my privacy?
Overview
How can I verify that a site is TRUSTe accredited?
What should I do if I have reason to believe that my privacy may have been violated by a TRUSTe accredited website?
What happens next?
What are the next steps TRUSTe takes?
What remedies are available to me?
How long does this process take?
What if the site does not appropriately address my complaint?
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Overview
TRUSTe developed the first online privacy seal program, which has grown from over 500 licensed websites in 1999 to more than 1200 sites in a variety of industries in 2000 and over 2000 in 2001, including 50 of the top 100 most heavily trafficked Web sites. The TRUSTe privacy seal programs allows consumers to have assurance that the websites they are using are compliant with fair information practices approved by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Federal Trade Commission and prominent industry-represented organizations and associations.
Learn More.
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How can I verify that a site is TRUSTe accredited?
There are two ways to determine whether or not a website is a member of the TRUSTe seal program. First of all you can take a look at the Web site itself. A valid TRUSTe privacy seal should always be displayed on the Web site's privacy statement. Clicking the privacy seal should take you to a validation page on the TRUSTe Web site. If it does not, the site may be using the seal fraudulently. TRUSTe keeps an up-to-date listing of its participants at http://www.truste.com/users/users_lookup.html. If you can not find the Web site listed there, it is very unlikely that they are a TRUSTe participant.
Learn More.
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What should I do if I have reason to believe that my privacy may have been violated by a TRUSTe accredited website?
TRUSTe has created the TRUSTe Watchdog—an alternative dispute resolution mechanism that allows you to submit any privacy violations by an accredited site directly to TRUSTe via the Web. For more information or to report a violation go to http://www.truste.com/users/users_watchdog_intro.html.
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What happens next?
TRUSTe will review your Watchdog submission to be sure that the site you are concerned about is a participant in the TRUSTe program. They will also confirm that your complaint is one they can act on. TRUSTe can only accept complaints regarding privacy about a company that is a participant in the program. For example, you may find that an online business has not properly filled an order your have placed with them and are looking for recourse. While this is a legitimate concern, it is not one that TRUSTe handles. If it's not, TRUSTe may be able to suggest where you may get a response to your concern.
If it is a matter for TRUSTe, you'll first be asked whether you've contacted the site directly. If you have, and you've gotten no response or are dissatisfied with the response you've received, TRUSTe will take up the matter. You will also be asked if you would like your personal information passed on to the company. TRUSTe will keep your personal information confidential if you ask it to, but doing so may hinder TRUSTe's ability to fix the problem.
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What are the next steps TRUSTe takes?
TRUSTe will contact the site and make inquiries to learn more about your Watchdog. TRUSTe may also contact you to get more information about your concerns and your experience. They will then work with the site to resolve your question. TRUSTe will contact the participating company and respond to you within 10 business days. The company has 5 days after that to respond to TRUSTe and you. The amount of time necessary to complete the process will vary depending on the situation.
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What remedies are available to me?
By filing a Watchdog, you can ask to have information corrected, modified, or deleted as appropriate. TRUSTe will decide the appropriate action based upon the facts of the situation. Based on your Watchdog submission, TRUSTe may require that the company change its stated privacy policy or privacy practices. TRUSTe may require that the company hire a third party auditing firm to review the company's practices to ensure that a working solution has been put in place. A company that refuses to comply with a TRUSTe decision may be referred to the appropriate government agency, removed from the TRUSTe program, and be subject to legal action with TRUSTe.
TRUSTe cannot require that the site pay monetary damages or provide relief that would require the site to violate law or legal obligations.
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How long does this process take?
TRUSTe has established a timetable for its dispute resolution process. After filing a Watchdog with TRUSTe, you can expect an initial response in 10 business days. Once TRUSTe accepts your Watchdog and contacts the site that is the subject of your complaint, it should take 5 days for you to receive a response from the company. Each case is different, however, and the actual amount of time it takes to resolve a Watchdog can depend on the nature of the dispute, the time it takes to gather information, and how quickly TRUSTe hears from the site.
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What if the site does not appropriately address my complaint?
If either you or the site about which you filed the WatchDog are not satisfied with the resolution of the case, either party may appeal the decision by filing an appeal within 10 days of receipt of the decision. The appeal must explain the reasons for requesting the appeal and should be submitted to TRUSTe by email. A full explanation of the appeals process is found at http://www.truste.org/users/compliance_doc.htm.
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