Arlington, VA, May 16, 2000 - BBBOnLine, an online arm of the Better Business Bureau system, today announced that its BBBOnLine Reliability program has grown to include 5,000 businesses. These companies account for over 6,000 distinct websites, all covered by the BBBOnLine Reliability seal and the standards it represents.

BBBOnLine Reliability's growth has made it the most significant website trustmark program in the world. The program is currently receiving 300 - 400 new applications each month.

"As more people use the Internet to do everything from buying stocks to shopping for clothes to ordering pizza, they need to know that the merchant on the other end of the modem will deliver. The BBBOnLine Reliability seal helps distinguish trustworthy companies among the thousands of businesses marketing online, allowing consumers to easily identify them," said Ken Hunter, President and CEO of the Council of Better Business Bureaus.

Consumers will find the BBBOnLine Reliability seal on a vast range of websites, from online businesses such as MotherNature.com and Travelocity, to traditional multi-national corporations, such as GTE and Home Depot.

Authorized BBBOnLine seals are "clickable" and are always linked to a BBB message confirming that the company is qualified to use the seal.

Online shoppers can also find reliable businesses via the BBBOnLine search engine at www.BBBOnLine.org. This database, containing all 5,000 BBBOnLine participants, allows users to search for participants by type of business/keyword, company name, and location.

To qualify for BBBOnLine Reliability, participants must:

• Qualify for and become a member of the Better Business Bureau;
• Provide the BBB with information regarding company ownership and contact information for the business, which will be verified by the BBB in a visit to the company's physical premises;
• Be in business a minimum of one year (with limited exceptions);
• Have a satisfactory complaint handling record with the BBB;
• Agree to participate in the BBB's advertising self-regulation program, and correct or withdraw online advertising when challenged by the BBB and found not to be substantiated or not in compliance with children's advertising guidelines;
• Respond promptly to all consumer complaints;
• Agree to dispute resolution, at the consumer's request, for unresolved disputes involving consumer products or services advertised or promoted online.

The BBB's efforts to promote consumer trust and confidence on the Internet also include the development of a code of ethical online business practices, and a Privacy seal program. The proposed BBB Code of Online Business Practices, which is in its second draft, will encourage online business practices that reflect high standards of conduct. Intended to be a global road map for businesses engaged in e-commerce, the Code is expected to be made final within a few months.

The BBBOnLine Privacy seal program, which helps consumers identify online businesses that honor privacy protection policies, now covers 500 websites and has hundreds of applications in process.

To see a complete list of both Reliability and Privacy seal program participants, or to view the draft BBB Code of Online Business Practices, go to http://www.bbbonline.org.