Privacy

• 1Are you concerned about the loss of privacy in the United States? Are you extremely concerned, very concerned, somewhat concerned, or mildly concerned?
• 2A trade-off sometimes exists between privacy on the one hand and economic efficiencies that result in such things as lower costs on the other. When a trade-off exists, should government officials err on the side of privacy OR on the side of economic efficiency? Do you feel that way strongly?
• 3Are you more concerned about the unauthorized collection, release and use of your business information OR your personal information? Or, are you equally concerned about both?
• 4In which one part of life are you most concerned over potential for the loss of privacy? Would you say:?
• 5A(abused respondent's privacy) The federal government.
• 5B(abused respondent's privacy) A financial institution.
• 5C(abused respondent's privacy) An insurance company.
• 5D(abused respondent's privacy) An on-line vendor.
• 5E(abused respondent's privacy) A credit reporting agency.
• 5F(abused respondent's privacy) A grocery store.
• 6Do you maintain information on your customers or prospective customers that reasonable people would consider personal or confidential?Top 100 question
• 6Aa(confidential customer information) Allow its release only with written permission of the person providing the information.
• 6Ba(confidential customer information) Keep it in a locked file, room, area or on a secure computer.
• 6Ca(confidential customer information) Limit employee access to it.
• 6Da(confidential customer information) Provide a written policy to all whose private information you maintain.
• 7Do you develop and maintain a list or lists of business customers or prospective customers?
• 7Aa(source of business list) Billing or payment information.
• 7Ba(source of business list) Credit card information.
• 7Ca(source of business list) Printed or electronic directories.
• 7Da(source of business list) Browsers on your Web site.
• 7Ea(source of business list) Information provided by customers or others in return for discounts, prizes, etc.
• 7Fa(source of business list) Names purchased from list compilers or other businesses.
• 7bDo you notify people that they are on the list that you are collecting and compiling information about them?
• 7Ac(list's purpose) Send out promotional material to people on it.
• 7Ac1Do you do that by regular mail, e-mail, or both?
• 7Bc(list's purpose) Send out non-promotional material such as reminders of appointments, annual check-ups, annual servicing, etc., to people on it.
• 7Cc(list's purpose) Use the list to telemarket.
• 7Dc(list's purpose) Sell the list to third parties.
• 7Ec(list's purpose) Send greetings on holidays, birthdays, or special occasions to people on it.
• 8Approximately how many total names are currently on all your lists combined?
• 9How important are your lists to the success of your business? Are they:?
• 10How would you react if Congress passed a law requiring that you remove from your list or lists the name of any person who asks you in writing to do so?
• 11As a business owner and private citizen, do you feel government policy leans too heavily toward the protection of privacy rights OR toward the protection of rights to conduct business activity? Or do you feel they are appropriately balanced? Do you feel that way strongly?
• 11aIs this a good thing or a bad thing?
• 12In which ONE part of life do the competing rights of privacy and business activity MOST need better balance? Would you say:?

Volume 1, Issue 8, 2001
ISSN 1534-8326

Lara Chamberlain
NFIB Research Foundation