Microsofts Latest Security Stab: Online Quiz

Microsoft Corp. on Tuesday launched a new Web-based tool designed to help Internet users set their level of online privacy.

The tool, dubbed the Privacy Assessment Quiz, takes the form of an interactive 10-question quiz that puts the user into one of six categories based on the answers. The categories range from “Defender: One who is extra-cautious about protecting information and prefers anonymity online as much as possible”, to “Supporter: One who fully supports sharing information with Web sites because of the benefits received.”

After the quiz, users are offered several privacy-protection tips based upon the category they were placed in. Microsoft, of Redmond, Wash., said the quiz is meant to make consumers more aware of what information Web sites gather and how it can be used.

However, critics of the company say that the tool is just another example of an effort by some companies to shift attention from themselves.

“This is part of a larger movement to redefine what privacy means,” said Chris Hoofnagle, legislative counsel at the Electronic Privacy Information Center in Washington, D.C. “Theyre trying to redefine privacy as notice and ignore access and use limitations. These are often just self-justifying systems that allow a company to continue its business practices and say its protecting privacy.”

EPIC and others have been sharply critical of Microsoft in recent months over the companys controversial Passport single sign-on technology for Web services. The software stores a users personal data—including credit card numbers, address and phone numbers—and can retrieve the information and automatically fill in forms on Passport partner sites.

Privacy groups worry that access to users personal information will be made available to Passport partners for marketing purposes.

Microsoft denies such charges, saying that all customer information is held in Microsofts own databases and only provided to partner sites during a customer transaction.

Still, critics say, Microsoft has some distance to travel to remedy its own privacy issues.

“Passport enables unnecessary data collection, which will lead to profiling,” said EPICs Hoofnagle.

The new privacy assessment tool can be found on Microsofts Web site.