    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (1999, Book II)]
    [November 27, 1999]
    [Pages 2151-2152]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    The President's Radio Address
    November 27, 1999

        Good morning. On this holiday weekend, when we count our many
    blessings, Americans are also busy buying gifts for the next holidays,
    right around the corner. Today I'd like to speak with you about the
    remarkable rise of the Internet as a destination for holiday shopping
    and

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    about how we can ensure that on-line commerce will live up to its
    enormous promise.
        On Thanksgiving, beyond our family's personal blessings, my family
    and I gave thanks for the enormous prosperity America is carrying
    forward into the 21st century. One of the key reasons our economy
    continues to thrive, with the longest peacetime expansion in history, is
    that we're making the most of new technologies. Especially, the Internet
    and other information technologies are revolutionizing our economy,
    powering one-third of our economic growth.
        As the Vice President will make clear
    in a report he'll soon release, few applications of information
    technology have more potential than electronic commerce. During the
    holiday season alone, on-line shopping could exceed $9 billion, doubling
    or even tripling the on-line totals for the same period last year.
        About 4 million American families will buy some of their gifts on-
    line for the first time this holiday season. I intend to join them,
    because on-line shopping has significant benefits not just for consumers
    and large, established retailers. On-line commerce also opens a world of
    opportunity for local artisans and small entrepreneurs.
        As with shopping in stores, when consumers shop on the Internet,
    they must take basic precautions to ensure that what they see is what
    they get. To help familiarize on-line consumers with these precautions,
    the Federal Trade Commission has prepared a useful check list. You can
    find the complete checklist at www.consumer.gov.
        But today I'd like to emphasize at least some of the essentials.
    First, in the on-line world, you must pay close attention to details.
    Carefully check for shipping and delivery dates, for extra fees,
    warranties, return policies, and phone numbers to call if you run into a
    problem. Second, always buy with a credit card. With credit cards you
    are protected by Federal law against unauthorized charges. Third, guard
    your privacy at all times. Look for the unbroken key or padlock symbols
    on the order page to ensure that your credit card information will be
    transmitted securely. Don't share passwords with anyone, and be sure to
    read the merchant's privacy policy to see what information is being
    collected about you and how it will be used.
        I'm pleased to announce that, thanks to the leadership of Vice
    President Gore, many leading companies and
    organizations, including the Better Business Bureau's OnLine, American
    Express, MasterCard, Dell, Get Netwise, eBay, America OnLine, and
    Amazon.com, all are joining with us to protect and educate consumers
    this holiday season. Many are distributing guides to help people shop
    on-line safely and wisely. Some are offering financial guarantees that
    go above and beyond Federal law. If we want Internet commerce to
    continue to grow, we all must work together to make sure that shopping
    on-line is just as safe as shopping in a mall.
        I'd like to close today by asking all of you to think not only about
    using the Internet to buy gifts for friends and family but also to give
    more lasting gifts to our community and our future. As I discovered
    during the philanthropy conference we held at the White House last
    month, charitable websites, like Helping.org, have made signing up to
    contribute time or money in your community as easy as checking on the
    weather. So this holiday season, let's use every avenue possible,
    including the Internet, to give something back to our communities.
        Enjoy the rest of your Thanksgiving weekend, and thanks for
    listening.

    Note: The address was recorded at 6:17 p.m. on November 26 at Camp
    David, MD, for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on November 27. The transcript
    was made available by the Office of the Press Secretary on November 26
    but was embargoed for release until the broadcast.