ZKS and Anonymizer have the wrong business model in terms of what consumers want. They're too techie. What people (as opposed to cypherpunks ;-) want is privacy AND the ability to make purchases without spreading their CC# all over. This is the hottest area of privacy services, and competition is starting to heat up, with more and more firms deciding to provide such services. Card issuers would seem to have an advantage here. An early "release" (can you say 'vaporware') is being promoted in TV commercials by American Express. The commercial shows the narrator/consumer talking about wanting Internet privacy, while his face is obscured the entire commercial. The ending has him claiming complete Internet privacy, including for purchases, and shows a symbolic AmEx card with the name X'd out. ("I'm finally getting the recognition I deserve.") AmEx signed an agreement on 9/7/2000 with Privada to provide the proxying Internet access, and AmEx says it will roll out Privacy Payments within the next month. Privada notes at http://www.privada.net/news/index.html Enclosed are two URLs-Info, some corporate speak deleted. Note that the "click here's" ask you for your email address so you can be notified when it's available. ---- http://www10.americanexpress.com/sif/cda/page/0,1641,4534,00.asp American Express Privacy Products -------- ------- ------- -------- Introducing a suite of exciting online privacy initiatives from American Express. American Express has always helped our Cardmembers enjoy the recognition they deserve. But there are places where you may want to reveal less about yourself, such as the Internet. American Express has a long history of protecting consumer privacy, and we're committed to continuing this tradition online. That's why we're introducing a range of new products and services to provide additional security for our customers when they are shopping or browsing on the Internet. The first product, Private PaymentsSM will be available soon, followed by Private Browsing later this year and additional offerings in 2001. Private Payments - An Innovative Online Payment Solution ------- -------- -- ---------- ------ ------- -------- Be one of the first to try Private Payments. Click here. Private Payments is an industry breakthrough for secure purchasing online. This new way to pay creates a random, unique number for each online purchase. Customers never transmit their actual card number over the Internet, thus ensuring their Card?s security. This service is free to U.S. American Express Consumer Cardmembers and Small Business Cardmembers. It is not available to corporate Cardmembers at this time. Private Browsing - Browse Anonymously Online - Coming Soon ------- -------- ------ ----------- ------ ------ ---- Be one of the first to try Private Browsing. Click here. American Express has recently partnered with Privada Inc. a leading digital privacy infrastructure provider, to create Private Browsing. This exciting software product will enable American Express Cardmembers to choose how much information is shared about them when they browse the Web-from their full identity to anonymity. It will be available later this year. ---- http://home3.americanexpress.com/corp//latestnews/payments.asp First Product in Series Provides Innovative Way to Pay Online: Unique, Random Number Safeguards Customers and Helps Reduce Fraud NEW YORK, September 7, 2000 -- Addressing consumer concerns about online privacy and security, American Express Company today announced a new series of products that provides customers with greater choice and protection when browsing and shopping online. The first product, known as Private PaymentsSM, is an industry breakthrough that offers a more secure way to pay online using a random, unique number for each online purchase. Private Payments enables customers to purchase online without transmitting their actual card account numbers over the Internet. Private Payments will be available free within the next month to American Express consumer and small business cardmembers in the United States. The company has also signed an agreement with and made a minority investment in Privada Inc., a digital privacy infrastructure provider, to deliver a second product that will enable customers to choose how much of their information is shared when they browse any site on the Web. This private browsing product will allow customers to select from settings that range from sharing their full identity to anonymity. This service will be introduced later this year. Additional offerings in the new suite of American Express products will be announced next year. "While the Internet has dramatically eased the way consumers research and purchase products, it also has increased concern for protecting privacy and security," said Alfred F. Kelly, Jr., group president of U.S. Consumer and Small Business Services at American Express. How Private Payments Works Using Private Payments to shop online is quick and easy. Interested cardmembers can register for the free service here. When cardmembers are ready to purchase online, they can access the service by going to the Private Payments home page at americanexpress.com or by clicking on the Private Payments icon on their desktop. This launches the service, which then prompts them for username and password, and to select the American Express. Card they want linked to the Private Payments number. A unique Private Payments number with expiration date is then randomly created by American Express. The cardmember transfers this information into the merchant order form to complete the purchase. The cardmember's actual card account number is not sent over the Internet, thus keeping this information secure. The item purchased is charged to the cardmember's selected American Express Card and appears on the monthly billing statement, as usual. Further safeguarding the online purchase, the Private Payments number is designed to be used for a single purchase and to expire after the merchant authorization process is completed. Upon expiration, the Private Payments number cannot be used again if stolen.