FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE	Contact: Media Relations
October 31, 2003	202-268-2155
	Release No. 081
	www.usps.com

PRIVACY A PRIORITY AT POSTAL SERVICE
 
Chicago, IL - The U.S. Postal Service's Chief Privacy Officer said Friday 
that as new postal products are developed "they will include privacy 
policies that reflect our trusted brand."

 Speaking at a conference of the International Association of Privacy 
Professionals meeting in Chicago, CPO Zoe Strickland said, "The Postal 
Service is a trusted business that seeks to develop modern products and 
services to meet customer needs.  Part of that equation includes 
best-in-class privacy policies."

 As an example, she described a new initiative, Intelligent Mail™ that 
features optional tracking services.  "With these services, the mailer 
will have better and faster information about their mail pieces as they 
move through the postal system."  This has the potential to reduce their 
operating costs and improve customer service, she noted.

  "As always, privacy is a core value of the Postal Service," Strickland 
added, "We have developed a sound privacy policy for Intelligent Mail 
which is in keeping with our trusted brand.  It covers both the mail and 
the mailer.  Mailers are identified only if they choose to register for 
a service."

 When fully developed, Intelligent Mail will allow mailers to choose 
from a suite of services.  A current example is the Confirm® Service, 
launched in September 2002, which provides tracking of letters and flats 
for participating business customers.

 "With Intelligent Mail, the Postal Service does not intend to require 
sender identification for every piece of mail," noted Strickland, 
"Mailer identification, which is voluntary, is needed for the Postal 
Service to provide information to the mailer as part of the service." 

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