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Interactive Frontiers
Statement of Privacy
Interactive Frontiers
wants to help you maintain your privacy
on the Internet
The Internet is an amazing tool. It has the power to change the way we live, and we're starting to see that potential today. With only a few mouse-clicks, you can follow the news, look up facts, buy goods and services, and communicate with others from around the world--even people you might never have met. It's important to Interactive Frontiers to help its customers retain their privacy when they take advantage of all the Internet has to offer.
Interactive Frontiers is a member of TRUSTe, an independent, non-profit initiative that exists to help people such as yourself feel confident about using the Internet for your communication, shopping, research, and living. TRUSTe aims to build this confidence by promoting the principles of disclosure and fair information practices among the Web sites that participate in the program.
What this means to you is, we are committed to protecting your privacy and developing technology that gives you the most powerful, safe, online experience that you can get anywhere.
TRUSTe Certification
Interactive Frontiers is a premier sponsor of TRUSTe and a member of the TRUSTe privacy program. TRUSTe is an independent, non-profit initiative whose mission is to build users' trust and confidence in the Internet by promoting TRUSTe's principles of fair information practices.
Questions regarding this statement should be directed to Interactive Frontiersprivacy@ifrontiers.com. If the Web site has not responded to your inquiry within seven days or your inquiry has not been satisfactorily addressed, contact TRUSTe.
Privacy Principles
Because your privacy is important to us, sites displaying this privacy statement will operate by the following six principles. Users should additionally consult the Frequently Asked Questions section accompanying this statement for more information regarding the principles.
Principle 1.
sites will explicitly ask when they need information that personally identifies you or allows them to contact you ("Personal Information"). Generally this information is requested when registering for a site, when requesting a particular service, or when entering a sweepstakes or contest. When possible, sites will provide you with the means to make sure that your Personal Information is correct and current.
Principle 2.
sites and their necessary service partners use your Personal Information to operate the sites and services and to inform you of new features, services, and products from Interactive Frontiers and its affiliates. Some sites may also carefully select other companies to send you information about their products or services which are related to the site's service but are not necessary to its operation (a "Secondary Use").
Principle 3.
If an site intends to use Personal Information for a Secondary Use, the site will provide you with instructions on how to decline this service. A list of aliases that allow you to decline this service is in the "Frequently Asked Questions" section accompanying this statement. You may also stop the delivery of informational or promotional mail from sites by following the instructions on the mail.
Principle 4.
sites that are primarily directed at children will not use Personal Information for a Secondary Use without obtaining the consent of a parent or guardian. When possible, these sites will provide e-mail notice to parents that children have provided Personal Information to the site.
Principle 5.
sites may disclose Personal Information if required to do so by law or in the good-faith belief that such action is necessary to (a) conform to the edicts of the law or comply with legal process served on Interactive Frontiers or the site; (b) protect and defend the rights or property of Interactive Frontiers, the site or the users of , and (c) act under exigent circumstances to protect the personal safety of users of Interactive Frontiers, , the site or the public.
Principle 6.
If at any time you believe that an site has not adhered to these principles, please notify by e-mail at Interactive Frontiersprivacy@ifrontiers.com and we will use all commercially reasonable efforts to promptly determine and correct the problem.
For more information about our privacy statement, see the following Frequently Asked Questions or the FAQs accompanying the sites.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do all sites on follow these privacy principles?
How will users know which privacy policy statement applies to their Personal Information?
Why is TRUSTe so important?
Does Interactive Frontiers belong to any other privacy organizations?
Do all sites on need Personal Information?
How do sites collect Personal Information?
What about Cookies?
How do sites use Personal Information?
Does that mean sites sell my Personal Information to other companies?
What about companies that partner with sites to provide the site's products or services?
What about the Privacy of children?
Do sites collect other forms of information about its users?
How do I correct or change Personal Information that I have given to an site?
Is my Personal Information secure from others using the site?
How else might someone learn of my Personal Information while visiting an site?
Do all sites on follow these privacy principles?
Interactive Frontiers
is made up of many sites, and new ones are added all the time. At this time, the
Interactive Frontiers privacy policy statement applies to those sites which display this policy in conjunction with the privacy notice on the site's Web pages. While Encourages other site operators on
Interactive Frontiers to comply with these principles, users should carefully examine the privacy statements of sites appearing on or linking to or from
Interactive Frontiers which do not display this statement. Personal Information that you choose to provide to other sites will be subject to the privacy policies of that Web site.
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How will users know which privacy policy statement applies to their Personal Information?
Pages throughout display a "Privacy Policy" link which identifies the policy statement applying to the site. Users may click on the link at any time to read the applicable policy statement.
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Why is TRUSTe so important?
TRUSTe is an independent organization whose mission is to build users' trust and confidence on the Internet. Businesses that display the TRUSTe logo have agreed to privacy principles developed by TRUSTe and to periodic reviews to make sure that the businesses' privacy practices are in keeping with the policies. In the event TRUSTe learns of serious violations of a businesses' privacy practices, TRUSTe takes steps to insure compliance. Interactive Frontiers strongly believes in the TRUSTe mission and is a premier sponsor of the organization.
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Does Interactive Frontiers belong to any other privacy organizations?
Interactive Frontiers has taken a leadership position on privacy, working closely with both policy and technology organizations to create standards and best practices for putting people in control of their Personal Information online. Amongst others, Interactive Frontiers is a member of TrustE, the Online Privacy Alliance and the P3P Working Group at the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).
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Do all sites on need Personal Information?
No, for many sites it is not necessary for you to provide any information in order for them to provide their services. In other instances, the site may request minimal information, such as your ZIP code, in order to personalize the site. ZIP codes allow the site to provide targeted services, such as the local news or weather, but do not provide the site with any information regarding who you are or how to contact you. Other sites need more information about you in order to operate their service. For example, CarPoint needs your name and other contact information in order to allow its service partners to respond to your request for more information about a particular vehicle.
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How do sites collect Personal Information?
Personal Information is collected by specifically requesting it from you. Generally this occurs when you register at a site, request a service, or enter an online contest.
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What about Cookies?
Cookies are pieces of information that a Web site transfers to your computer's hard disk for record-keeping purposes. Cookies can make the Web more useful by storing information about your preferences on a particular site, such as your preferred chart settings for Encarta. The use of cookies is an industry standard, and many major Web sites use them to provide useful features for their customers. Cookies in and of themselves do not personally identify users, although they do identify a user's computer. Most browsers are initially set to accept cookies. If you'd prefer, you can set yours to refuse cookies. However, you may not be able to take full advantage of a Web site if you do so. For example, the subscription services of Encarta may only be accessed if you accept cookies.
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How do sites use Personal Information?
Usually, sites and their necessary service partners use your Personal Information to operate the site and to deliver their services. For example, if you are using HomeAdvisor, a completed mortgage application may at your request be forwarded to potential lenders. sites also use your Personal Information to inform you of other products or services available from Interactive Frontiers and its affiliates. Some sites also use Personal Information to allow other companies to contact you regarding products and services that may be of interest to you (Secondary Uses). If an site proposes to use Personal Information for Secondary Uses, you will be provided an opportunity to instruct the site to not allow such contact.
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Does that mean sites sell my Personal Information to other companies?
No, we do not sell customer lists.
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What about companies that partner with sites to provide the site's products or services?
An site may have several necessary service partners who assist in providing the service or product associated with the site. As part of the operations of the site, these companies may have access to your Personal Information. These companies may provide routine services, such as credit card processing, or may provide essential elements of the site. For example, CarPoint must provide contact information to automotive dealers in order to respond to specific requests made by customers. Without this relationship CarPoint could not provide its service to you. These uses of Personal Information are primary to the operation of the site and are not considered Secondary Uses.
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What about the Privacy of children?
Safeguarding the Personal Information of children is extremely important. For those sites specifically directed at children, and where users have indicated they are younger than 18, sites will collect the minimum amount of Personal Information necessary to the operation of the service. These sites will also send follow up mail to the user's e-mail address instructing them to seek parental permission for their use of the site. A child's Personal Information will be used for the operation of the service but it will not be used for Secondary Uses without a parent's permission.
There are a number of emerging standards in the area of children's privacy that will affect how we process a child's Personal Information in the future. Through its participation in the Online Privacy Alliance and TRUSTe, is monitoring these changes and is redesigning its systems so as to comply with these new requirements.
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Do sites collect other forms of information about its users?
In addition to the use of Personal Information to operate sites, an site may also gather anonymous information, which may be used by Interactive Frontiers or shared with third parties. This is information which does not personally identify you, but which may be helpful for marketing purposes or for improving the services we offer. For example, might tell its advertisers how many users visited a particular advertisement, and for how long, so they can measure whether the advertisement was effective. This information is also used to generate advertising rates. Generally this information is collected through "traffic data" and may entail the use of "Cookies" "IP addresses" or other numeric codes used to identify a computer.
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How do I correct or change Personal Information that I have given to an site?
Some sites operate registration pages that allow you to review and update the Personal Information you have submitted. Elsewhere, you are simply given the option of unsubscribing to the service for which you signed up. In all other cases where you need to correct Personal Information you have submitted to an site, please contact the service address published by the particular site.
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