Lawmakers on Capitol Hill are still grappling with how to protect a person's privacy online. The issue is critical and it's something every IT executive must be sensitive to, especially if you work for a company that collects information from customers. If your company tracks what consumers buy or what websites they visit, and you employ that information for advertising purposes, you may be affected by the outcome of the congressional debate.

It's likely that you already have some rules on how you use your data and what you collect, but even if you do, it might be time to reevaluate these rules.

Lawmakers in the House are currently writing Internet-privacy legislation to provide consumers more information about what is collected online and to give them greater control over how the data can be used.

It's a tough chore and one that will not be easily implemented. But think of it this way: If you were the consumer whose
information was captured by a company that wanted to use it for promotional purposes or for any other purpose with much limitation,
you probably wouldn't be too happy.

The task for the Congress is to find the right balance--to protect privacy and to allow the free flow of commerce and the creativity of the Internet to flow. - Judi