Abstract:

The paper reviews various ways in which security breaches occur and suggests ways to prevent them. It addresses crime on the Internet, specifically phishing and spyware, and considers what could happen to panel research firms if their panelists' names and email addresses ended up in the hands of identity thieves. The paper also recommends strategies to build trust in the face of sophisticated Internet scams that threaten to erode consumers' confidence in joining online panels and participating in Web-based research.