Consumer confidence in Web site privacy policies is at an all-time low. One of the main reasons for this is the way sites change their policies. As e-tailers have become more and more cash starved, the lure of selling this information has proven too great. At best, the e-tailers break users' promises when they sell information from users who logged in under stricter privacy policies; at worst they commit fraud. It's about time someone stepped forward to sanction this activity.

If I bought a book from Amazon.com, secure in the knowledge that the giant e-tailer follows its published privacy policy and refrains from selling my personal information, I should demand justice if they do indeed sell my information. Well, I'm glad I'm not the only one who demands justice. According to a story on our site today, the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) and Junkbusters have filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), alleging that Amazon violated data protection and trade practice laws.

You might think, "Users should read the privacy policy before buying." True. But should they need to read it every time they buy? If a user comes to Amazon and reads the claim that it would never sell or otherwise disclose her personal information, she should be secure in the knowledge that her transaction will be private, no matter how many times she comes back to Amazon.com--even if in subsequent trips to the site, the privacy policy changed, allowing for the sale of personal information.

I can sort of understand why small e-tailers that face extinction would sell information--they're fighting for their lives. This is not an excuse (the behavior is inexcusable), however, it's just an explanation. To me it's worse for a company that's got plenty of cash reserves to get it through the holidays if it violates its own privacy policies. Instead of survival, Amazon's motivation is simply greed.

EPIC didn't single out Amazon because of greed. It did so for tactical reasons. By going after the biggest e-tailer, EPIC and Junkbusters hope it will put an end to the practice at smaller sites. If successful, Amazon will not be the only e-tailer hurt by this. All those that are staying afloat simply by selling personal information (more than you might think) would likely go under.

If EPIC's plea is unsuccessful, I hope Congress puts this issue on the docket for the next session and makes it officially illegal to violate published privacy policies. And, as EPIC and others have suggested, the law should enable users to see the personal information that companies hold on them and delete it if desired.

James Mathewson is editorial director of ComputerUser.com. Also check out his monthly Insights column in ComputerUser magazine.