their private information is secured online. Many people are wary of conducting financial

transactions online, as they fear that their credit card information will be 

compromised. Indeed, there have been reports of credit card or confidential personal

information accidentally being posted to government and other organisations' websites.

The archives offer the following guidelines:

  Get informed consent when you collect data. 

You should explain to citizens how you plan to use the data that you have collected.

For example, use of mobile telephone numbers for SMS messaging to market library 

based events or activities would be illegal in the UK under the Data Protection Act,

1998 unless the citizen consented to be contacted in this way.

  Collect only the data you need.

By collecting only what you need, you protect citizens' privacy as well as preserve 

storage space and avoid wasting time. 

  Allow customers to view and correct data.

If customers have questions about their personal data, allow them to look at your 

records and make any corrections. 

  Obtain consent for additional use.

If you wish to use data for purposes other than originally intended, you need to 

obtain consent from citizens.

  Use  cookies  only when appropriate. 

A cookie is a text file stored on your computer by a website, which contains information

gathered during a visit to the site. Cookies are often used for facilitating quick logins,

processing transactions and personalising information. Cookies can also be abused;

some monitor customers' routes on the Internet and are often used to person alise ads

to send to users. In light of the negative press about cookies, the federal government

has banned cookies from its agencies' websites. 

  Keep private data confidential. 

Your job entails ensuring that the private data you maintain remains private. That is

why it is important to establish security policies and install security equipment. Of

concern to many is the potential for government employees to misuse personal 

information. 

  Respect customers' concerns. 

In the past, public records were usually only accessible to those who visited your

office in person. Increasingly, however, governments are posting public records on

the Internet. Some citizens are concerned about public records being readily available

to anyone on the Internet, while others want more and more records to be posted on

the Internet for their convenience. Depending on your community's views, you will

need to decide how much and what type of information should be posted on your

website.

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