eBay Australia and New Zealand welcomes the opportunity to provide submissions on the 2004 review of the Private Sector amendments to the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth).eBay is the world’s online marketplace, with more than 125 million internet users registered worldwide. The benefits provided by online trading are extensive: mums and dads can trade alongside large retailers without high overheads or start up costs; persons in rural areas are able to access a wider choice of items to buy at competitive prices; great flexibility in payment and transaction options; and the opportunities to sell to or buy from a global market from the comfort of your home.Recognizing some of the unique circumstances presented by online trading, eBay has invested and continues to invest heavily in safe trading initiatives, including development of state of the art tools and technologies, employing over 1000 people to help make trading on eBay as safe as possible, and creating and promoting the best consumer education possible. eBay has also implemented numerous policies to facilitate its goal of providing a safe, fair, and legal trading environment, and to make its user experience as easy, safe, and rewarding as possible. eBay is deeply committed to the protection of online consumers and constantly liaises with state Offices of Fair Trading and the ACCC in relation to such issues.eBay is committed to ensuring that Australian users enjoy world-class consumer protection in the online environment and this includes protection of members’ personal information. eBay strives to maintain globally consistent privacy practices in relation to its members worldwide and conducted a review/audit of its practices when the private sector legislative amendments were first introduced.eBay has received public praise for its privacy practices. For instance, in October 2003 eBay received the inaugural (commercial) HP Privacy Innovation Award at the 5th annual privacy con in Columbus, Ohio. The award recognizes entities for their overall integration of privacy protection and practices throughout their organization business process. Furthermore, in November 2004 eBay received the highest score in the Computer & Data Services category in the Customer Respect Group’s Fourth Quarter 2004 Online Customer Respect Study of the largest computer products and services firms in the U.S.From its inception, eBay has known that its success is directly linked to the ability of buyers and sellers to have confidence in the safety and integrity of the eBay marketplace. Protection of privacy has been a key driver of this trust. eBay’s registered membership base of more than 125 million people world-wide shows the level of confidence that people have in eBay as a safe and reliable trading environment.
17 years ago
