QUATRO vocabulary
The following list of descriptors and their definitions is designed to act as a core vocabulary for a wide variety
of trust mark schemes around the world. It is unlikely that an individual trust mark scheme will use the full
vocabulary or would only use the descriptors here. However, where a scheme's criteria match those given below, using
elements of the common vocabulary when creating machine-processable labels will enhance the usability, interoperability
and value of the trust mark.
The vocabulary was created as part of the QUATRO project [QUATRO] under the European Union's
Safer Internet Programme [SIP]. It drew on earlier work carried out by BEUC [BEUC]
and the project partners.
About this document
This document sets out the Quatro vocabulary in human readable terms without reference to the encoding used for
machine processing.
The same information is available for machine-processing as an RDF Schema [RDFS] and a schema
description is provided for developers and implementers [SCHEMA].
This version is published in British English. Alternative versions are available in American English, Italian,
Greek, Spanish and Catalan.
Version 1.0
23 June 2005; revised April 2006; second revision September 2006
General Criteria
- The content publisher is identified [Definition]
- Clear language that is fit for purpose is used throughout [Definition]
- The publisher's privacy policy is declared [Definition]
- A data protection contact point is declared [Definition]
- The content publisher agrees to be bound by the labelling authority's enforcement mechanism [Definition]
- The content and/or service meets legal practice in at least the following country or countries: [Definition]
- The labelling authority's usability criteria have been met [Definition]
- The size of available downloads and details of any extra programmes required to access them is given [Definition]
- The content is displayed correctly using all major desktop browsers [Definition]
- The domain name is transparent [Definition]
- Meets WAI accessibility level [Definition]
- The person or organisation taking responsibility for third party content is made clear [Definition]
Criteria for labelling to ensure accuracy of information
- The content provider is qualified to publish the given information [Definition]
- Relevant information is provided about the content [Definition]
- Advertising and funding is transparent [Definition]
Criteria for labelling to ensure compliance with rules and legislation for e-business
- Fair commercial communications and marketing practices are used [Definition]
- The labelled site takes into account the age, knowledge and level of maturity of the intended audience [Definition]
- Clear information is provided about the goods and services on offer, including price [Definition]
- Clear information on contract terms and conditions is provided [Definition]
- The order confirmation process is clear [Definition]
- Orders are acknowledged and include a summary [Definition]
- The progress of orders can be tracked [Definition]
- An effective security policy is in place [Definition]
- Payments are handled securely [Definition]
- Special care is taken when collecting data from children [Definition]
- An in-house complaints procedure is in place [Definition]
- A dispute settlement procedure, separate from the in-house complaints procedure, is in place [Definition]
Terms used in operating the trust mark scheme itself
- URL of the RDF instance [Definition]
- Date label issued [Definition]
- Valid Until Date [Definition]
- Date label last reviewed [Definition]
- Date label withdrawn [Definition]
- Reviewed by [Definition]
- Approved by [Definition]
- Site May Edit [Definition]
- Label location [Definition]
- Service URL [Definition]
- Content Analyser URL [Definition]
- Label Hash Algorithm [Definition]
Definitions
General Criteria
- The content publisher is identified
- The labelled website gives suitable information concerning the publisher, such as the name, telephone number, postal
and electronic-mail addresses. Where relevant, information on the office hours or times when telephone contact can be
made is given.
- Clear language that is fit for purpose is used throughout
- The labelled site uses clear and intelligible language throughout its website. This includes the general
terms and conditions under which the site operates and the description of the website operator's complaints
and settlement procedures.
- The publisher's privacy policy is declared
- A statement summarizing the labelled website's privacy policy is made easily available before or at any time
when data is collected. It includes information on:- what information is being collected;
- how it is collected;
- who is collecting it;
- what the information is to be used for;
- the use, if any, of cookies/tracking technologies and their purpose.
- A data protection contact point is declared
- A contact point responsible for privacy inquiries is clearly indicated.
- The content publisher agrees to be bound by the labelling authority's enforcement mechanism
- The labelled site operator agrees to be subject to the enforcement mechanism operated by the labelling
organisation.
- The content and/or service meets legal practice in at least the following country or countries:
- The labelling authority asserts that the labelled website, its content and services, meet the legal practices
in the given list of countries. Countries are identified in a whitespace-separated list of their (two character)
ISO 3166 [ISO] country codes. NB. The absence of a country from the list does NOT imply that
the content or service is illegal in that country.
- The labelling authority's usability criteria have been met
- It is for the labelling authority to define its criteria for usability. As examples, these might include:
- The website is structured in such a way that allows for clear access to the different sections within it as well as to external websites.
- The colours of the typeface provide for easy reading on screen and when printed. Background or image colours
enhance rather than detract from legibility of the typeface. - Hyperlinks are identified within text in a graphic format (colours, underlined, etc.).
- Animations and multimedia items may be deactivated; prior presentations in Flash or other technologies can
be skipped if they are of no use to the user. Dynamic content operates at a speed that is displayed appropriately
for users, particularly when it contains text.
- The size of available downloads and details of any extra programmes required to access them is given
- Both the size of downloads and details of any ancillary programmes required to open files are given
(e.g. Adobe Acrobat Reader for PDFs or Macromedia Flash Player for Animations in Flash).
- The content is displayed correctly using all major desktop browsers
- The website is compatible with major desktop browsers, operating systems and platforms, i.e. the page displays
properly or, if not, information on its limitations is provided.
- The domain name is transparent
- The domain cannot easily be confused with the names of other websites, particularly those of well-known
brands and celebrity names.
- Meets WAI accessibility level
- Web accessibility is generally governed by the recommendations of the W3C's Web Accessibility Initiative
[WAI]. The allowable values for this descriptor are WAI-A, WAI-AA and WAI-AAA.
- The person or organisation taking responsibility for third party content is made clear
- The website indicates acceptance of, or exemption from, responsibility for content that is not controlled
by the website itself (e.g. forums, links to third parties, etc.)
Criteria for labelling to ensure accuracy of information
- The content provider is qualified to publish the given information
- It is for a labelling authority to define its criteria for establishing the necessary credentials of a publisher.
As examples, these might include:- the background of the organisation;
- information on education and/or specialisation of publishers;
- a brief résumé including most significant training and professional experiences, memberships of professional
associations.
- Relevant information is provided about the content
- It is for a labelling authority to define its criteria for whether suitable information about the content has
been provided. As examples, these might include:- Informative content includes the author, a bibliography and such details as dates of both initial publication
and of subsequent updates. - The date of the last update made to a website. Although this does not give a definitive indication of when
each page of the website was last updated, it does provide a general one. This date should preferably appear on
the home page. - References to content from other sources, and the Internet address of the entity or of the document cited, are
given whenever possible. - All links within the website that lead to external sources indicate a destination. Providing a brief
description of the source in small text alongside the link is an example of best practice.
- Informative content includes the author, a bibliography and such details as dates of both initial publication
- Advertising and funding is transparent
- Advertising material, in whatever format, is distinguished from informative material. When the website is
financed either completely or partially through a sponsor, information about the sponsor is clearly displayed in
a prominent location on the webpage.
Criteria for labelling to ensure compliance with rules and legislation for e-business
- Fair commercial communications and marketing practices are used
- It is for the labelling authority to define its criteria for assessing site's communication practice. As
examples, these might include:- labelled websites are able to substantiate any expressed or reasonably implied factual claims made in their
advertising or marketing and possess reasonable substantiation prior to disseminating a claim. - Information about the basis for any price comparisons is readily available and regularly updated by the labelled
website. - The labelled website does not knowingly link to, or accept, affinity or royalty payments from fraudulent or
illegal sites. Also they make the complete rules for any offered contests, sweepstakes or games easily available
online and take into account the regulatory characteristics of the markets they target (This does not address whether
the laws of any particular jurisdiction apply). - The labelled website does not use Internet technology to mislead consumers about the nature of the product or
service being promoted or offered, and they ensure that search terms fairly reflect the content of the site.
- labelled websites are able to substantiate any expressed or reasonably implied factual claims made in their
- The labelled site takes into account the age, knowledge and level of maturity of the intended audience
- It is for the labelling authority to determine its own criteria for the protection of vulnerable groups,
especially children. As examples, these might include:- An independent label, such as an ICRA label, provides a clear description of the content to empower parents and
other carers to make choices about whether the material is suitable for their children. - The labelled website ensures that commercial communications, advertising or promotional activities:
- take into account the age, knowledge and level of maturity of the intended audience and identify material intended only for adults;
- do not encourage children to enter inappropriate websites;
- The labelled website ensures that websites addressing children:
- do not cause moral, mental or physical detriment to children;
- encourage children to gain parental consent prior to on-line purchasing;
- do not encourage children to contract for credit or engage in long-term contracts;
- do not encourage children to buy a product or a service by exploiting their inexperience, sense of loyalty,
credulity or trust; - do not lead children to persuade their parents or others to purchase the goods or services on offer;
- make guidelines for safe shopping for children available.
- An independent label, such as an ICRA label, provides a clear description of the content to empower parents and
- Clear information is provided about the goods and services on offer, including price
- It is for the labelling authority to determine its criteria for providing information about goods and services.
As examples, these might include:- The labelled site provides all relevant information about the goods and services on offer in qualitative and
quantitative terms. Also geographical restrictions on sale are prominently indicated as well as the currency in
which the goods/service is priced and other currencies available for use. - Information is made available about the types of payment that are accepted and the implications of each in
terms of any extra charges or discounts as well as the earliest billing time. - Information about the availability of the goods or service and the time for delivery is updated regularly.
- Information is provided on the existence or non-existence of the right of withdrawal and period, if any.
- Information is provided about the return policy including any costs of return.
- Information is given to consumers that the labelled site may reject orders should there be a reasonable
suspicion that such orders may be fraudulent.
- The labelled site provides all relevant information about the goods and services on offer in qualitative and
- Clear information on contract terms and conditions is provided
- It is for the labelling authority to determine its criteria for the provision of suitable contract terms. As
examples, these might include:- The labelled site makes the terms and conditions of the contract easily accessible.
- Terms and conditions are printable by the consumer.
- The terms and conditions are presented in a clear and unambiguous fashion and there is an express acceptance of
them by consumers prior to the purchase.
- The order confirmation process is clear
- It is for the labelling authority to determine its criteria for assessing the clarity of the order confirmation
process. As examples, these might include requirements that before placing the order, consumers can:- review the goods/services to be purchased and the selected payment method;
- cancel the order;
- modify the order;
- express an informed and deliberate consent to the purchase;
- retain a complete and accurate record of the transaction.
- Orders are acknowledged and include a summary
-
When acknowledging receipt of the order, the labelled website includes a summary of the order that
normally includes:- the date and time of order;
- a statement of what was ordered, the price, and any other charges;
- the method of payment and an indication of the earliest billing time;
- a unique purchase number;
- sufficient contact information to enable purchasers to obtain order status updates;
- where applicable, the anticipated date of dispatch.
- The progress of orders can be tracked
-
The labelled site provides information on the status of the dispatching process either through e-mail or access to
an order-tracking tool.
- An effective security policy is in place
- The labelled website has an effective security policy to keep consumers' personal and transactional
information confidential and to prevent it from being interfered with. It is for the labelling authority to
define its own precise criteria for this but, as examples, these might include:- The security policy is regularly reviewed.
- Any subcontractors or third parties involved in the operation of the website or its transactions also have
an effective security policy. - Steps are taken to prevent the content of the site from being interfered with.
- The labelled website provides general information about the level of security and authentication systems being
used on their site, and identifies a contact point responsible for security.
- Payments are handled securely
-
High-standard technological means are used to ensure the authenticity and confidentiality of financial transactions
and payments made by consumers. The labelled website provides general information on the technology used to protect
the transmission of financial information.
- Special care is taken when collecting data from children
- In addition to legal requirements, the labelled website takes special care with data collected from children. In
particular, parental permission for the collection of data is sought. Information about privacy-enhancing
technologies is provided by the labelled site and their use by consumers is encouraged.
- An in-house complaints procedure is in place
- The labelled website offers an in-house complaints system, which is fair, effective, transparent and
confidential. It is for the labelling authority to determine the precise criteria but as examples, these might
include:- complaints are acknowledged within a short period of time and the consumer is advised on the timescale for
dealing with the complaint. - the labelled website maintains a record of the complaints received and reports to the trustmark owner on them.
- complaints are acknowledged within a short period of time and the consumer is advised on the timescale for
- A dispute settlement procedure, separate from the in-house complaints procedure, is in place
- When a consumer has followed the in-house complaints procedure but remains dissatisfied, the labelled website
provides information that it has an alternative dispute resolution scheme that it adheres to.
Terms used in operating the trust mark scheme itself
It is assumed that the Trust Mark Scheme (TMS) will generate a file containing the machine processable data,
technically an RDF instance. This will be based on both the Quatro schema and the underlying RDF Content Labels
schema [RDF-CL]. In addition, the TMS will make available an online manifest, that is a database
of sites carrying its label. The manifest should not duplicate data available from the label itself.
The terms defined below are designed to make this process interoperable with other Semantic Web systems. Please note
that the Dublin Core Metadata Set [DC] provides elements such as creator and publisher that are also
likely to be of value. The date-based terms below are defined in the Quatro RDF schema as a specialisation of
Dublin Core's date element.
- URL of the RDF instance
-
The URL of the RDF instance that contains the machine-processable version of the trust mark.
- Date label issued
-
The date on which the trust mark was first issued to the labelled site. This may be made available in
the TMS manifest and should be presented in the format YYYY-MM-DD.
- Valid Until Date
-
The date until which the label is considered valid by the TMS operator. This should be presented in the format YYYY-MM-DD.
- Date label last reviewed
-
The date on which the labelled site was last reviewed and on which it was found to still be in compliance
with the TMS criteria. This data should be available in the TMS manifest and presented in the format YYYY-MM-DD.
- Date label withdrawn
-
The date on which the labelled site was reviewed and found to have breached the TMS criteria. This data
should be available in the TMS manifest and presented in the format YYYY-MM-DD.
- Reviewed by
-
Likely to be used internally by the TMS to identify the individual who reviewed the site and awarded the
trust mark. It is up to the TMS to decide how the individual should be identified, perhaps by an ID, a simple
string, or by using the FOAF vocabulary [FOAF].
- Approved by
-
This is provided for internal use by a TMS that may operate a hierarchical structure of reviewers and
editors. The person identified in this field should have reviewed the labelled site and endorsed the decision made
by the primary reviewer.
- Site May Edit
-
This is used as a flag to declare whether the schema operator allows or does not allow the labelled site owner to edit the label once issued.
- Label location
-
This declares whether a client should expect to find the label on the labelled site (site) or in a database operated by the labelling authority (database).
- Service URL
-
The URL of the application interface (DAcc) that handles communication with the labelling authority's database.
- Content Analyser URL
-
Specifies the URL of a service that is able to analyse content and return a result in terms of either the Quatro vocabulary, the TMS operator's own vocabulary, or both.
- Label Hash Algorithm
-
Indicates the algorithm for the label hashing; both the LA (for the initial label hash) and QUAPRO (for the real-time label hash) should use the same hashing mechanism.
Links and references
- [QUATRO]
- Quatro Project
- [SIP]
- European Union Safer Internet Programme
- [BEUC]
- Bureau Européen des Unions de Consommateurs, The European Consumers' organisation
- [RDFS]
- http://purl.org/quatro/elements/1.0/
- [SCHEMA]
- http://www.quatro-project.org/vocabulary/1.0/schema-description/
- [ISO]
- ISO 3166 country codes
- [WAI]
- Web Accessibility Initiative
- [RDF-CL]
- RDF Content Labels: Schema Description
- [DC]
- Dublin Core Metadata Initiative (DCMI)
- [FOAF]
- FOAF (Friend of a Friend) Vocabulary Specification
