It is a well known fact that Web sites collect information about who visits their sites, and then sell that information. Some lawmakers are pushing for regulations that would require online companies and even “main street firms” to disclose the information that they collect and then share, and also permit people to opt against collection and sale of personal information. Author, Michael Lewis, believes “when it comes to companies trafficking in personal information to better target what they try to sell, most people don’t care.” The free flow of information mean that people can get more stuff at a cheaper price. The idea of “privacy” is complicated and so is the relationship between privacy, consumers, and businesses. Federal regulation over personal information in order to more effectively move merchandise will hurt internet commerce and consumers. There will be more negative consequences for small businesses versus larger corporations, whom already have a assembled comprehensive databases (they have the same need to purchase information from websites to the same degree small businesses do.) In the post 9.11 world we live in even Washington seeks access of personal information. The USA Patriot Act allows government to monitor and access citizens emails, something that raises constitutional issues. Why should the whitehouse have regulation over the collection and sale of information to businesses when they themselves do not honor privacy? Businesses are responding to the consumers concerns surrounding privacy. Popular sites now feature privacy policies so that internet users can set their browser to reject the gathering of private information. There are also software tools that allow users to anonymously surf the web or warn then when their information is being collected. All of these privacy protection are further protecting the autonomy of consumers. This seems to be a more constitutional and democratic way of protecting and ensuring internet privacy than government regulations.