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To: michael97123 who wrote (50701)	8/16/2001 2:21:24 PM
From: michael97123	Respond to of 70976

Which companies would benefit most by solving the privacy problem detailed below? US Web sites fail global privacy test-US study (UPDATE: In WASHINGTON story ``Web sites fail global privacy standards-US study,'' the firm that conducted the study was incorrectly identified in the 2nd graph as Andersen Consulting, instead of Andersen. A corrected version, with name in fifth graph, follows.) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- WASHINGTON, Aug 16 (Reuters) - A survey of 75 corporate Web sites released Thursday found that none measured up to a set of international standards for ensuring the privacy of customers' personal information. While many of the Web sites surveyed were found to provide adequate data privacy in one or two areas, the study found that none met all six privacy guidelines developed between the United States and the European Union last year. The guidelines were developed last year to ensure that U.S. companies that do business in the EU abide by tougher EU standards for electronic consumer privacy. The guidelines require companies to notify consumers what they do with personal data such as names and e-mail addresses and use personal information only for its stated purpose. They should also allow consumers to examine and correct data collected about them, give them a choice to forbid sharing that information for marketing purposes, store the data in a secure manner and provide recourse for consumers whose privacy has been violated. Andersen, a Chicago-based business-services firm formerly known as Arthur Andersen, examined 75 large and medium-sized multinational U.S. companies in a variety of industries. None of the 75 firms surveyed met all six principles, and only two firms met five. Eight companies only met the minimum standards for one principle. The study found that while 80 percent of firms surveyed provided adequate consumer choice and 74 percent said they would only use the data for its intended purpose, 25 percent provided adequate notice and only 5 percent had set up enforcement provisions for consumers. Travel and leisure companies scored best on notice and security provisions, while financial services firms were most likely to provide adequate choice. U.S. firms could find themselves in hot water if and when EU officials chose to enforce the privacy standards, an Andersen official said. ``Disruption to the conduct of business is a real risk,'' said Andersen principal Kerry Shackelford.

To: michael97123 who wrote (50701)	8/16/2001 2:34:40 PM
From: Proud_Infidel	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 70976

Taiwan Sees First Decline in Hardware Output Value in First Half of 2001 August 16, 2001 (TAIPEI) -- Taiwan's information hardware industry reported declining output values and volumes in the first half of the year, according to the Market Information Center (MIC) of the Institute for Information Industry. The MIC said that the information hardware industry receded 13 percent year-on-year in the first half in terms of output value, resulting in the first negative growth in Taiwan. The monitor, scanner and notebook computer industries reported relatively deeper declines in the output value. The discouraging first-half results bode ill for the 2001 full-year performance of Taiwan's information hardware industry. The industry's output value is expected to fall 8.4 percent for the whole year, led by monitor, scanner and notebook computer industries, instead of the previously predicted 0.3 percent. Thus, Taiwan's seven major hardware industries will face a year-on-year decrease of as much as NT$120 billion in output value for 2001. With few changes in the market shares, MIC said the recession in various categories under Taiwan's information hardware industry was the result of continuous slowdown in the worldwide economy. MIC predicted the information industry would probably recover by the end of September, enabling the hardware industry to grow by 5 percent to 6 percent in output value in the coming year. Stuck in the quagmire of an economic slowdown and greater inventories in the market, Taiwan's seven major information industries (notebook computers, monitors, desktop computers, motherboards, CD-R drives, digital cameras and scanners) generated a total output value of US$17.1 billion in the first half, down 13 percent year-on-year. MIC admitted the necessity to lower its previous forecast for 2001. The scanner industry reported the largest decline of 32.8 percent in first-half output value. The monitor industry was second with a year-on-year output value decline of 31.6 percent. Notebook computers and desktop computers dropped 16.9 percent and 14.1 percent, respectively, in their output value in the first half. The output volume of the local notebook computers fell by a modest 4 percent, much lower than the decline of output value it incurred for the same period. The MIC said that was because the received orders of Taiwanese notebook computer companies mainly centered onto low-level products. The MIC noted that the recession in the notebook computer industry would become milder in the second half, enabling its full-year output volume to grow by 3 percent to around 13 million units. Meanwhile, the motherboard industry reported a year-on-year decline of 0.4 percent in first-half output value, while the CD-R drive industry dropped 3.5 percent year on year. The LCD and digital camera industries enjoyed rising popularity, with outstanding performances in the period. The LCD industry reported a year-on-year growth of 168.7 percent in its first-half output volume, which amounted to 2.9 million units. Its output value increased by 36.1 percent. Taiwan's LCD output volume is expected to reach 8.34 million units this year, for a 56 percent share of the world market. The digital camera industry enjoyed a rise of 158.3 percent in output volume, and a surge of 168.9 percent in the output value in the first half of the year. (Commercial Times, Taiwan)