Respondents stuck to their conclusion even when the sites display privacy policies, the report states.
Some 64 percent of survey participants told Jupiter they had little faith that site operators wouldn't misuse their private information. What's more, another 27 percent said they do trust sites bearing third-party privacy seals.
"The intense media coverage of the online privacy issue is fueling consumers' fears," and most site operators are missing the opportunity to have their say on the issue, Slack said.
Wait and see
"Taking a wait-and-see stance will prove disastrous from both the regulatory and revenue perspectives," according to the report.
Only 14 percent of respondents said they would trust sites more if they were subject to privacy regulations.
Interestingly, some 26 percent of respondents said they trust e-commerce sites more if the companies running them also have an off-line presence. Nine percent said they are more likely to trust sites recommended by family and friends.
"The intense media coverage of the online privacy issue is fueling consumers' fears."
-- Jupiter analyst Michelle Slack
Unless sites clearly articulate how they will protect users' privacy, traffic and revenues will suffer, and new government regulation could follow, she predicted.
