." However, in an email exchange with a DVDTalk member, an Amazon customer service representative stated "I would first like to send along my most sincere apology for any confusion or frustration caused by our dynamic price test". Whether it was dynamic pricing, or not, the deeper issue of consumers' online privacy still remains.Amazon.com was able to perform this "price test" because of a lack of laws regulating e-commerce, and consumer privacy. There are only a few laws now pertaining directly to Internet related issues, and most of these are state laws, not national. (1) On April 13, 2000, a bill was introduced to the Senate (referred to as S.2448, or `Internet Integrity and Critical Infrastructure Protection Act of 2000'). Designed "to enhance the protections of the Internet and the critical infrastructure of the United States, and for other purposes," it addresses issues such as cyberhacking, anti-fraud protection, national security, and computer crime enforcement. Title III of this bill addresses privacy and confidentiality protection, which would provide a great deal of protection to online consumers. There are two sections of this title that might have protected consumers from Amazon.com's "price test" had the bill been in place today:"Sec. 304. Fraud in online collection and dissemination of personally identifiable information." "Sec. 306. Fraudulent access to personally identifiable information." In my opinion, Amazon's price test was not a good idea. It was easily caught by a knowledgeable consumer who noticed a significant difference in a price for a book after he stripped his computer of the electronic tags that identified him as a repeat customer.Although Amazon has a right to adjust their prices, should they be collecting information from us (even as minute as whether are a repeat customer) by placing an electronic key into our systems without notifying us? Furthermore, should they have the right to access that ...
