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Amazon client checks out
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September 13, 2000: 2:27 p.m. ET
Electronic Privacy Information Center ends pact, citing privacy concerns
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NEW YORK (CNNfn) - The Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) said Wednesday that it has severed its relationship with Amazon.com, because of the recent change in the online bookseller's privacy policy.
"Because Amazon announced that it could no longer guarantee that it would not disclose customer information to third parties, and in the absence of legal or technical means to assure privacy for Amazon customers, we have decided that we can no longer continue our relationship with Amazon," said Marc Rotenberg, EPIC's executive director, in a letter on EPIC's Web site.
EPIC, a public interest research center in Washington, D.C., had sold its publications on the Amazon.com site, since 1996.
On Sept. 1, Amazon.com began notifying its customers that personal information that it receives would be considered a transferable asset in the "unlikely" even that Amazon is sold. But it added that personal information is not currently being shared.
 "We respect their [EPIC's] decision," said Bill Curry, spokesman for Amazon.com in a telephone interview. But he added, the revised policy "is a clearer, more detailed explanation" of what Amazon.com does with its customers' information. Curry said Amazon does not sell personal information and the revised policy on its site is more restrictive and less vague than the one it replaces.
"We are using this action as an example of how self-regulation fails," said Sarah Andrews, publications director of EPIC, in a telephone interview with CNNfn.com. Andrews said EPIC hopes to further discussion in Congress that will help push legislation through that will dictate the parameters of privacy policies.
In his statement, Rotenberg said Wednesday that the problems with Amazon will affect an increasing number of Internet customers in the years ahead unless strong legal and technical safeguards are established. "We are witnessing the slow erosion of online privacy under the industry's self-regulatory approach," he said.
"Our subscribers will still be able to order all of EPIC's publications directly from us," said Andrews. She added that EPIC intends to look into forming a partnership with another online bookseller in the future who can distribute EPIC books and other materials on privacy, free speech, and related topics." 
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