Look for a privacy policy on every Web site that asks you for personal information.

Reputable Web sites post credible privacy policies. A privacy policy will tell you what information is collected when you visit a site and how that information is used. Sites that are most sensitive to your privacy concerns offer you a choice to share your personal information or restrict its use (opt-out).

A privacy policy should be easy to find and easy to read. Look for the word “privacy” or a privacy icon, the company information site, or the term “information practices.” If you can’t find a privacy policy, contact the company directly to ask about its policy and request that it be posted. Knowing what to look for, you will have to decide if you’re willing to shop Web sites that have no privacy policy. Click here to check out the ABC’s of Online Privacy — the three questions to ask yourself when you surf the Web.

Look for a privacy seal for added assurance that a Web site complies with credible privacy principles.

Privacy seals are branded symbols of trust on the Internet similar to the Good Housekeeping “seal of approval.” They give added assurance that a Web site is abiding by its posted privacy policy. BBBOnline and TRUSTe seal programs offer third-party verification and monitoring of information practices. BBBOnline is a subsidiary of the Council of Better Business Bureaus. TRUSTe is an independent, non-profit initiative working to build consumer trust and confidence on the Internet.