Your Privacy Is Sealed: Effects of Web Privacy Seals on Trust and Personal Disclosures

Online privacy is an issue of increasing national importance, and voluntary privacy seals provided by third‐party organizations such as TRUSTe and BBBOnline have been proposed as a means of assuring consumer privacy. Few studies have examined privacy seal effects. This study presents results of an online experiment that evaluated consumer response to privacy seals in a naturalistic exposure setting. Findings suggest that privacy seals enhance trust in the Web site and expectations that the site would inform the user of its information practices. While concern for privacy‐threatening information practices had no influence, privacy self‐efficacy, confidence in ability to protect one's privacy, moderated seal effects. Implications for the continued role of privacy seals are discussed.