The Georgetown Survey looked at 364 ".com" Web sites, a random sampling selected from the 7,500 most visited Web sites. The OPA Top 100 survey duplicated last years FTC review of the 100 most heavily trafficked sites.

The Georgetown Survey found 65.7 percent had posted at least one type of privacy disclosure (privacy policy notice or an information practice statement). The OPA survey showed that 94 percent of the top 100 Web sites had posted at least one type of privacy disclosure, up from 71 percent from last year.

"What a difference a year makes," said Christine Varney, a former FTC Commissioner and advisor and spokeswoman for the OPA. "In a relatively short time, privacy policies have become commonplace on popular consumer Web sites and there are reputable, independent programs exercising rigorous oversight to make sure companies abide by their policies."

Varney added that the results also showed work remains to be done to make privacy policies universal on the Internet and consumers confident that their privacy is respected online.

The results of the surveys were released today to the Federal Trade Commission and the advisors to the study. An electronic version of the surveys will be available Thursday at www.privacyalliance.org.

The surveys, conducted by Professor Mary J. Culnan of Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business, were requested by the Federal Trade Commission. Media Metrix was the source of the data for the surveys. Ernst & Young hosted the data collection. The Georgetown Survey was funded by the companies listed below, and the Online Privacy Alliance funded the Top 100 Survey.

"The survey reflects the reality of the places people really go on the Web," Dr. Culnan said. "It is a good picture of privacy disclosures at the web sites 98.8 percent of consumers visit."

The OPA will use the results to guide outreach efforts in the coming year. "Clearly we must continue to promote privacy to make sure all Web sites ­ including those run by start ups and small businesses ­ follow the example of larger businesses in posting policies and understanding the importance of protecting consumer privacy," Varney said.

"These surveys, taken together, show that industry is creating a well-lit thoroughfare on the Internet where consumers can feel safe. And consumers, while concerned about their privacy, are conducting business online in record numbers," Varney said. "Policymakers should recognize progress in self-regulation and not rush to regulate the Net in ways that could undermine electronic commerce."

Over the last year, private industry has: created the Online Privacy Alliance of 85 companies and associations; drafted guidelines to be used by companies in writing privacy policies; developed standards for protecting children's privacy; developed a framework to guide privacy seal programs like BBBOnLine and TRUSTe; and, conducted briefings and mailings that advocated privacy protection online to more than 17,000 corporate executives at hundreds of companies nationwide.

Individually, OPA member companies have undertaken massive efforts to encourage their peers online to post privacy policies and to educate consumers in how to safeguard their privacy. A more complete listing of privacy initiatives undertaken by dozens of OPA member companies and associations can be found at this website, where OPA also has posted a list of consumer tips and a summary of some technological tools being developed and marketed to protect consumer privacy.

"Efforts such as these by the private sector, combined with rigorous enforcement of existing laws, are the best way to protect consumer privacy," Varney said. She noted last week's settlement between the FTC and Liberty Financial Companies of Boston in which the multi-billion dollar investment company agreed to change the way it collected personal information from teenagers and children. "Government has the means to enforce ethical behavior online."

OPA member companies and associations include: 3Com, Acxiom, AdForce, America Online, Inc., American Advertising Federation, American Electronics Association, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Ameritech, Apple Computer, Association of Online Professionals, AT&T, Bank of America, Bell Atlantic, Bell South, Business Software Alliance, CASIE (CASIE is representing Association of National Advertisers & American Association of Advertising Agencies), Centraal Corporation, Cisco, CommTouch Software, Compaq, Computer Systems Policy Project (CSPP), Council of Growing Companies, Dell, Direct Marketing Association, Disney, DoubleClick Inc., Dun & Bradstreet, Eastman Kodak, Co., eBay Inc., EDS, EDventure Holdings, Inc., E-LOAN, Engage Technologies Inc., Equifax, Ernst and Young, European-American Business Council, Experian, Fast Forward/IAB, Ford, Gateway, GeoCities, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Individual Reference Services Group, Information Technology Association of America, Information Technology Industry Council, INSUREtrust.com LLC, InsWeb Corporation, Intel Corp, Interactive Digital Software Association, Interactive Travel Services Association (ITSA), Internet Alliance, Intuit, KPMG, LEXIS-NEXIS, MatchLogic, MCI WorldCom, Microsoft, MindSpring Enterprises Inc., Motion Picture Association of America, National Foundation for Consumer Credit, NCR, Nestle' USA, Netscape, NORTEL, northpole.com. LLC, Novell, Oracle, Preview Travel, PricewaterhouseCoopers, PrivaSeek, Inc., Procter & Gamble, Rights Exchange, Inc., Software & Information Industry Association, Sun Microsystems, The United States Chamber of Commerce, The United States Council for International Business, Time Warner Inc., Unilever United States, Inc., Viacom, ViewCall Canada, Inc., Virtual Vineyards, WebConnect, Women.com Networks, Xerox, and Yahoo!.

The companies underwriting and advising the Georgetown Internet Privacy Policy Survey included: America Online Inc., American Express Company, BBBOnLine, Compaq, eBay, eDirect, Ernst & Young LLP, The Direct Marketing Association, IBM, Media Metrix Inc., Microsoft, MatchLogic, Online Privacy Alliance, Privaseek Inc., Time Warner, TRUSTe and Wave Systems.

Other advisors on the Georgetown Internet Privacy Policy Survey included: Center for Democracy and Technology, Consumer Action, Consumer Federation of America, Federal Trade Commission, National Consumers League, Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, George Mason University and The Named.