Americans have a higher opinion of federal Web sites than of the federal government as a whole, according to American Consumer Satisfaction Index reports released Jan. 26.

Satisfaction with government Web sites scored 75.2 on ACSI's 100-point scale for the fourth quarter of 2009, the highest score in the index's seven-year history and 1.5 percent higher than in the same quarter a year ago. Overall satisfaction with the federal government dropped to 68.7 in 2009 from 68.9 in 2008 on the index's 100-point scale.

The ACSI scores customer satisfaction with both private and public-sector organizations, and the federal government traditionally lags behind the private sector. The private sector scored a 76 for overall satisfaction through the third quarter of 2009, the last scored by the ACSI. Private-sector search engines scored an 83, and private-sector e-retail scored an 82.

The highest-scoring Web sites provide easy access to information people value, said David VanAmburg, ACSI's managing director. The Social Security Administration's retirement estimator and iClaim electronic claims-filing Web sites both scored 90 because they are simple to use and provide people with the information they want, VanAmburg said.

"It is becoming clear to us that Web sites are increasingly important in disseminating information to citizens," he said. "But a gap does remain between the citizenry and computers to the degree to which people are Web active and Web savvy."

Web sites that are easy to read and navigate can improve people's perception of the government, VanAmburg said. People satisfied with federal Web sites are 52 percent more likely to trust the government and 50 percent more likely to participate in government programs and services, the report concludes.

Good Web sites can also save money, as satisfied citizens report being 80 percent more likely to use a Web site first instead of contacting a call center or federal office. Citizens who had to interact in person with federal employees were less satisfied with the government as a whole.

The Interior Department ranks No. 1 among federal agencies in overall government satisfaction for the third straight year with a score of 81, up from 78 in 2008. People like Interior because of the National Park Service, VanAmburg said.

"You can Google them and see all of the wonderful things they are doing. People that visit Interior parks and sites report extremely high levels of satisfaction with their trips," he said.

The Homeland Security Department is at the bottom with a score of 58, but that is an improvement from the department's score of 49 in 2007, VanAmburg said. Agencies that restrict and regulate the public's activities such as the Transportation Security Administration and Customs and Border Protection are going to be less popular with the public because customers don't enjoy their interactions with these agencies, VanAmburg said.

And that dissatisfaction may not be a bad thing, VanAmburg said.

"If people loved TSA, I might then wonder if TSA is doing a good job — if people are buzzing through [airport] lines with no security," he said.