A study released by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press finds Americans are split over the Internet privacy issue. Many of those polled say they are concerned about their privacy, but a large number also also willing to share personal information with companies as a matter of convenience and to get more information relevant to their needs.

The survey of 2,117 Americans -- 1,017 of them Internet users -- found that more than half of the Internet users surveyed said they do not know what "cookies" were or how companies can track their Web surfing habits through these data files. Only 10 percent of these Internet users said they had set their machines to reject cookies.

The most significant finding, however, is that 86 percent of those surveyed favored "opt-in" privacy policies -- meaning online group must specifically ask permission to gather any personal data.

This preference is opposite of the "opt-out" policy being pushed by the Clinton Administration, which claims this method requiring Internet users to specifically drop out of data collection is the privacy method preferred by most Americans, the New York Times reports.

The survey also finds that more than half of respondents said they have provided online companies with personal information, and another 10 percent say they have no problem providing information to companies "under the right circumstances." Many people – 27 percent – say they will never provide a Web site with their personal information, the Times reports.

Another 27 percent of respondents said giving companies personal data in exchange for customized consumer information is helpful. However, 54 percent of Internet users agree that tracking their online habits is an invasion of privacy.

A total of 94 percent of the surveyed Internet users said online companies should face some type of punishment for violating privacy policies, the Times reports.

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