This page explains how the information you provide at this Web site is collected and used. Since this is a Web site about privacy and data use, we intend to experiment with better ways to communicate with people about data collection. We may also experiment with ad banners and additional tracking tools and test better ways to explain how these functions work. In all respects, we want you to understand what is going on, so you have control. So although this is our policy statement for now, stay tuned for our efforts to use this site to test more prominent and easier to understand ways to explain widely used advertising and tracking technologies.
What information do we collect?
What about cookies and web beacons?
What information is collected from children?
How do we protect personal information collected on this Site?
How can you opt out of e-mail communications from us?
What websites does this policy cover?
What happens to your information if there is a corporate change of control?
What about changes to this privacy policy?
How can you ask questions or raise concerns?
What Information do we collect?
We may collect both personally identifiable information about you and non-personally identifiable information about your visit when you access our website.
Personally Identifiable Information: The personally identifiable information we collect includes information you submit to us. For example, if you decide to receive FPF’s eNews and updates, we will ask you to provide us with your e-mail address. In addition, if you leave a comment on our Site’s Blog, we may collect contact information, such as your name and e-mail address. Because participation in these activities is completely voluntary, you have a choice whether or not to disclose this information. We may also collect some personally identifiable information through web beacons, as explained further below in the section addressing that technology.
Non-personally Identifiable Information: The non-personally identifiable information we collect includes the domain name of the site providing you with Internet access, the Internet protocol (IP) address used to connect your computer to the Internet, which is usually associated with the place from which you enter the Internet, like your Internet Service Provider, your company or your university. We may also collect your browser type and version, the operating system your computer is running, and other site visit data such as the pages you view, and/or the information you search for. Much of this information is tracked through log files, which are stored on FPF’s servers.
Personally Identifiable Information: FPF considers the personally identifiable information contained in our business records to be confidential. We will not sell, rent, or share your personally identifiable information with unaffiliated third parties without your consent, except as described in this policy. We use your personally identifiable information such as your contact information to send you breaking news or updates about our Site.
Non-personally Identifiable Information: Non-personal information collected about your site visits will be used to allow us to better understand the entire audience that is visiting our site. Except as noted below we track and record IP addresses that access our site for reporting and analysis purposes only. We also gather anonymous browsing habits of our visitors to better identify content preferences. We monitor and analyze this information to increase the functionality and user-friendliness of our site and better tailor the site to our visitors’ needs. We may use your IP address to help diagnose problems with our servers, gather broad demographic information, and administer our website.
Other disclosures of Personally Identifiable and Non-personally Identifiable Information: To the extent permitted by law, any information collected over our website or concerning its use (personal and non-personal) may be disclosed to government authorities or third parties pursuant to a legal request, subpoena, or other process that requires disclosure of information. We also may use or disclose your information as permitted by law to fight fraud or protect the rights or property of FPF, our Site, its users, or third parties, or when we otherwise believe in good faith that the law requires it.
Information Posted to Public Forums: This Site allows users to leave comments on the Site’s Blog. Please remember that any information that is disclosed through this function becomes public information and you should exercise caution when deciding to disclose your personal information. FPF cannot accept any responsibility for ensuring the privacy of information that you choose to disclose.
What about cookies and web beacons?
FPF and certain of our service providers working on the Site use technologies such as cookies and web beacons to enhance the information we have about your preferences and to learn about your visit. A cookie is a piece of information that is sent to your browser from a web server and stored on your computer’s hard drive. A cookie allows FPF to determine that a visit has occurred within our site, as well as which pages were viewed. Cookies are not used to identify you and will not collect personal information. You can decide if and how your computer will accept cookies by configuring your preferences option within your web browser. If you choose to decline cookies, however, some of the functionality of the Site may be impaired.
Web beacons, also known as clear gifs and web bugs, allow us to recognize a cookie on your computer when you view a web page. These electronic images help us measure the effectiveness of our e-mail campaigns by, for example, counting the number of individuals who visit our website or the number of individuals who open or act upon an e-mail message. For example, the Google analytics service on this Site provides us reports about how many unique visitors came to our Site, and the links they may have clicked on to get here.
Some of the information we collect using web beacons is personally identifiable. We may combine this information with other personal information we have collected about you to better tailor our marketing or website content to you and may use this information for other purposes, such as internal research.
What Information is Collected from Children?
FPF is concerned about children’s privacy. This Site is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personally identifiable information from children under the age of 13 without verifiable parental consent and unless expressly identified on specific pages of our website. If you are under the age of 13, please do not provide personally identifiable information of any kind whatsoever.
How Do We Protect Personally Identifiable Information Collected on this Site?
We take reasonable precautions to protect your personal information in our possession from loss, misuse, and unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration and destruction.
How Can You Opt Out of E-mail Communications From Us?
If you do not wish to receive communications from us, or our affiliates, regarding special offers and product updates, you may e-mail us at info@futureofprivacy.org or you may click on the link at the bottom of any e-mail communication from us to indicate that you do not wish to receive future e-mails.
What Websites Does This Policy Cover?
To assist you and provide you as much information as possible, this website may contain links to other websites. This policy applies only to our Site, www.futureofprivacy.org, which is owned and operated by FPF. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or the content of any other websites that you link to. We encourage you to read the privacy policy of every website you visit.
What Happens to Your Information if There is a Corporate Change of Control?
In the event of a corporate change in control resulting from, for example, a merger with another entity, we reserve the right to transfer your personal information to the new party in control.
What About Changes to This Privacy Policy?
If we make any material changes to this privacy policy we will notify you 30 days in advance by posting the revised policy with the date it was revised on this page and with a notice on the home page of this site. We will not use any information collected under a materially different policy for a different purpose without your affirmative express consent.
How Can You Ask Questions or Raise Concerns?
If you have other questions or concerns about our privacy policies or data use, or wish to change your options, please e-mail us at info@futureofprivacy.org
Effective: Monday, November 17, 2008