TRUSTe PARTNERS WITH TNS TO INTRODUCE THE CONSUMER PRIVACY INDEX

A New Quarterly Survey to Track Emerging Privacy Issues and Consumer Activism

San Francisco, CA – October 27, 2004 – TRUSTe, the leading online privacy certification and seal program, today announced that it has partnered with TNS, the world’s second largest market information company, to launch the Consumer Privacy Index, a quarterly study of consumer attitudes and behaviors on privacy topics.

Companies are collecting and using information in more beneficial ways than ever," says Fran Maier, executive director and president of TRUSTe, “but daily advances in technology introduce new threats to privacy and have the potential to erode trust between legitimate businesses and consumers.

The Index is designed to monitor overall consumer perceptions of benefits and risks associated with online transactions, and track consumers' reactions to new privacy issues as they arise.Stark will be presenting about the issues of advanced marketing techniques and consumer privacy, touching on the elements of the first Consumer Privacy Index at the IAPP Privacy & Data Security Summit in New Orleans on October 28, 2004. The Index's full results will be released at the end of November.

"TNS and TRUSTe are both dedicated to helping organizations understand industry best practices when it comes to collecting and using consumers' personal information," said Stark. "Our intention is to build a knowledge-base that spans a variety of sectors and helps businesses adapt to changing consumer perceptions on privacy."

This partnership illustrates TRUSTe's ongoing commitment to build trust between consumers and businesses in the evolving networked world. The TRUSTe / TNS partnership will provide a resource for privacy professionals, advocates and the media to benchmark the value and concern individuals place on their personal information.

About TNS
TNS is one of the world's leading providers of market information. The company delivers strategic market measurement, analysis, insight and advice to many of the world's largest organizations and most recognized brands. TNS's research helps its clients better understand the needs and wants of their customers, and its capabilities span market segmentation, advertising and communications, new product development, brand performance and stakeholder management. The company is also one of the leading providers of social and political polling. From its global network that spans 70 countries who together conduct research in more than 110 countries, TNS allows for local expertise and knowledge to be combined together with internationally consistent information and analysis.

TNS is listed on the London Stock Exchange (TNN) and is a trade mark of Taylor Nelson Sofres plc. Further information can be found on www.tns-global.com.

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About TRUSTe
TRUSTe is an independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to enabling individuals and organizations to establish trusting relationships based on respect for personal identity and information in the evolving networked world.

Founded in 1997, TRUSTe runs an award-winning global privacy certification and seal program. Its seal programs are considered Safe Harbors for the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and the EU Safe Harbor Framework. Today, TRUSTe maintains the largest privacy seal program with more than 1,400 Web sites certified throughout the world including AOL, Microsoft, IBM, Nationwide and The New York Times. TRUSTe's mission extends standards, certification and oversight into email with Bonded Sender and wireless with the Wireless Advisory Committee. For more information on TRUSTe please visit www.truste.org.

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Ponemon Institute