Errors view

The IBM P3P Policy Editor automatically checks the policy while it is being created. It checks that the policy is valid according to the P3P, specification, and also checks for common errors that are made in policies. To see the results of this error-checking, select the Errors tab in the Your Policy pane of the editor. This view will look something like the following:

This view will show errors and warnings. Errors indicate areas where the policy is not complying with the P3P specification; they must be fixed for the policy to be valid. Warnings are common mistakes frequently made in policies; you should check that your policy says what you mean for it to say if warnings are present. A policy with warnings (but no errors) is still a valid P3P policy.

The following are common errors and warnings and how to fix them:

Policy Warnings
Warning textSolution
This policy does not tell users what action to take regarding disputes about this site's privacy practices. Most policies will at least include information on contacting the organization's customer service department if there is a dispute or concern about the site's privacy practices. Organizations with a privacy seal should also include this in the policy's assurances.

To do this, open the policy properties and add a dispute procedure from the Assurances tab. At the minimum, you must include a name that uniquely identifies the procedure and a URL for the resolution service or regulation. See Disputes Properties help for more information.

Policy Errors
Error textSolution
The URL for the human-readable privacy policy is not given. P3P privacy policies must contain a URL where the user can find a readable version of this privacy policy. Open the policy properties and enter the privacy policy URL from the Web Sites tab. See P3P Privacy Policy Properties help for more information.
The entity (company or organization) posting this policy is not specified. Privacy policies must contain a description of the organization publishing the policy. Open the policy properties and enter your organization's name from the Organization tab. See P3P Privacy Policy Properties help for more information.
The group group_name does not state what organization(s) will receive the data. P3P policies must state the recipient(s) of all data being collected. Open the properties for the group and select all appropriate choices on the Recipient tab. See Group Properties help for more information.
The group group_name does not state what purposes the data will be used for. P3P policies must state what the data being collected will be used for. Open the properties for the group and select all appropriate choices on the Purposes tab. See Group Properties help for more information.
Data element element_name has no short display name. Data elements should have a short display name in order to display properly. Select the data element in the Data Elements view, and open its properties dialog. Enter a descriptive name for the Short (display) name. See Data Element Properties help for more information.
Data element element_name has two children with the same name. Each data element must have its own name. The element name of each data element must be unique. Open the properties for one of the child data elements and change the Element name to a unique name. See Data Element Properties help for more information.