Rather than waiting for the person to say they do not want their information recorded, businesses that collect and use personal data through online behavioural marketing should instead ask for their permission, according to a campaigner.

Jim Killock, executive director of the Open Rights Group, said that an opt-in system should be made clear as standard as sensitive data should always be imparted through an informed choice to do so.

He said that such a system is more acceptable from a commerce-driven view as the opting-in would allow the company to build a relationship with respondents, enabling the organisation to broker better communications with their audience.

Mr Killock stated: "We need to build relationships with people and see what they actually want and then if people do want these services."

The Internet Advertising Bureau has launched the first set of self-regulatory guidelines in the UK this month in order to encourage better practice from companies that use such data, particularly for advertising.

More than half of small businesses (53 per cent) believe that the most important benefit of outsourcing is guaranteed response times for IT support. London-based Connect conducted the research in 2007.