Today, more than ever, organizations are coping with the increased concerns
of privacy issues. And it is not just consumer fears about how information
collected by Web sites will be used or misused. There are broader
concerns about data collected for direct response marketing, privacy of
financial and health records, and identify theft and fraud. Employees are
also raising questions about acceptable use of phones, e-mail, the Web, and
if and when employers can monitor use. Employers find that without policies
governing the use of these assets, they have no legal basis for action
against employees. Any company conducting business across borders
needs to know how foreign laws will affect transactions with customers
and prospects. There is ever-increasing legislation dictating what organizations
can and cannot do. Corporate espionage is a growth industry, putting
at risk such sensitive information as intellectual property, product development
and marketing plans, and customer files. Finally, government has
the ability to collect more information about more individuals and organizations
than ever before.