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U.S. corporate values give priority to "freedom," particularly freedom of speech, over privacy," the right of an individual to control what is recorded and said about him. Though both values are important to Americans, the priorities are entirely reversed by Europeans.
The "Consumer Privacy Directive" of the European Union reflects this difference by protecting the right of individuals to approve whatever data is collected about them, and their right to chose how it is used. The directive, implemented in October 1998, can make it impossible for many US firms to do business in Europe if they do not comply.
Until now, US policy regarding the use of personal information collected through the internet or otherwise has been "hands off"; let the industry develop its own regulations (totally consistent with the primacy of the "freedom" value.) Growing abuses of data about individual consumers however; fuels campaigns for government regulation in this sphere. Unless the Culture" of US business – meaning the culture of the individuals who work for a business – starts to change, government intervention will be the likely outcome.
Only when employees are culturally committed to such perspectives, will they consistently sense and act in ways that support enlightened policies toward consumer privacy.
Donald L. Marx, President, Global Privacy Solutions Inc. ( 1/2000 )
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