A new campaign aims to impress legislators with the dangers online privacy laws pose to businesses based on four industry studies published by the Direct Marketing Association, which is working closely with the Online Privacy Alliance to preempt Internet privacy legislation at both the state and federal levels. Although observers say any laws are unlikely to be passed this year, businesses in the tech sector are jittery over what they say is a $17 billion threat to the 90 largest financial institutions. According to one of the studies released, the costs of Internet privacy laws would be passed on to consumers in the form of an informal $1 billion information tax. Adding to the concern is companies' worry that sensationalism over privacy infringements on the Web could result in fast-moving laws they would be hard-pressed to stop. The Electronic Privacy Information Center's Marc Rotenberg says the issue is too big and too pressing to ignore. (Wall Street Journal, 13 March 2001)