MyFRIENDsite.com CERTIFIED TO JOIN TRUSTe PRIVACY SEAL PROGRAM

MyFRIENDsite.com, today announced that its Web site has been certified to display the TRUSTe Privacy Seal, exemplifying its commitment to consumer privacy and security.

Marinette, WI and San Francisco (PRWEB) July 7, 2004 --MyFRIENDsite.com, today announced that its Web site has been certified to display the TRUSTe Privacy Seal, exemplifying its commitment to consumer privacy and security. TRUSTe, the leading privacy certification and seal program, awards its privacy seal only to companies that complete the TRUSTe certification process and agree to comply with ongoing TRUSTe oversight and consumer dispute resolution procedures.

"By becoming a TRUSTe licensee, MyFRIENDsite.com gives its customers a clear signal that it is trustworthy and respects the privacy wishes of the people who visit its Web site," said Fran Maier, Executive Director and President of TRUSTe. "We are pleased to have MyFRIENDsite.com as part of our distinguished roster of participants in the TRUSTe Privacy Seal program."

The TRUSTe Privacy Seal is a consumer branded symbol that signifies a Web site has posted a privacy statement and, moreover, that its Web site information gathering and dissemination practices address the elements of notice, choice, access, security and redress outlined in the Federal Trade Commission's Fair Information Practices. Specifically, TRUSTe's members agree to:

1) Disclose their information gathering and dissemination practices;

2) Give consumers choice to limit any secondary uses of their personal information through opt-in or opt-out;

3) Provide consumers with access to their personal information to correct any inaccuracies; and

4) Ensure that reasonable security mechanisms are being used to protect the data that is collected.

"We are pleased to join TRUSTe in fostering fair information practices online," said Romy Blystone, founder of MyFRIENDsite.com. "TRUSTe certification serves as a benchmark in our ongoing commitment to safeguard consumer privacy and security."

A cornerstone of the TRUSTe Privacy Seal and Certification Program is the ongoing monitoring and Watchdog Consumer Dispute Resolution mechanism. Through automated Watchfire monitoring, TRUSTe regularly monitors its seal program participants to ensure the integrity of the privacy statement. In addition, TRUSTe provides consumers and organizations an effective method to build trust through the Watchdog Dispute Resolution mechanism, an easy-to-use service for consumers to resolve their privacy disputes.

About MyFRIENDsite.com
MyFRIENDsite.com is 100% dedicated to helping people create, rekindle and cultivate relationships with family and friends. MyFRIENDsite.com is a community of personalized FRIENDsites (i.e. personal Web sites) designed to promote online relationships. Each of our member's personalized Web sites are built without the member needing to know any html or other programming language. Using a unique format, unlike other networking Web sites out there, MyFRIENDsite.com has created a platform for people to truly express themselves, many times in ways that are foreign to them. In fact, this free service has been specifically geared towards helping members strengthen their relationships with others through edification and storytelling.

We are not just creating a simple check-box, drop-down list, query the database (later) marketing model like all the others. Instead, MyFRIENDsite.com is truly interested in helping people rediscover their 'warm and fuzzy side," says MyFRIENDsite.com founder Romy Blystone. To learn more about MyFRIENDsite.com, please visit us at www.myfriendsite.com.

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 the world's largest online privacy seal program with nearly 1,300 Web sites certified, including all the internet portals and leading brands such as IBM, Oracle, Intuit, Microsoft and eBay. Its seal programs are considered Safe Harbors for the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and the EU Safe Harbor Framework. The coalition of TRUSTe sponsors includes AOL, AT&T Wireless, Intuit, the Japan Engineers Federation and Microsoft Corp.

Truste also acts as an Independent Email Trust Authority, currently providing oversight, standards, certification and dispute resolution to the Bonded Sender email program. To learn more about privacy, visit the TRUSTe Web site at www.truste.org.

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