We at PlanetOut Inc. ("PlanetOut") are strongly committed to protecting the privacy of our users. We have prepared this privacy policy to inform you how we handle the information that we automatically collect about you or that you choose to submit to us. This privacy policy applies to all of PlanetOut's properties, including planetout.com, gay.com, kleptomaniac.com, outandabout.com, planetoutinc.com, and any country-specific (e.g., uk.gay.com or ar.gay.com) or foreign language (e.g., latino.gay.com) versions thereof (collectively, the "Network"). Because the Network is global, information about you that we collect or that you submit may be transferred to, processed in, and held in countries (including the United States) other than the one in which you reside. By using the Network, you explicitly consent to such use of your information. This Privacy Policy is effective as of January 11, 2005.
Your California Privacy Rights
Under California Civil Code section 1798.83, a California resident has the right to request and obtain either (1) information about certain companies' disclosures of personal information to third parties for direct marketing purposes, or (2) access to a cost-free means of preventing such disclosures. As more fully described in this Privacy Policy, you may request that PlanetOut Inc. not disclose your personal information to third parties. You may do so either at the time you register, by following the instructions below in the "Modifications and Deactivations" section, or by contacting us by e-mail at CalPrivacy@planetoutinc.com, by mail at P.O. Box 500, San Francisco, CA 94104-0500 or by fax at (415) 834-6226.
Information We Automatically Collect
We automatically collect certain information to help us understand how our users use the Network (which we will refer to in this privacy policy collectively as "Usage Data"). For example, each time you visit the Network we automatically collect your IP address, browser and computer type, access times, the web page from which you came, and the web page(s) you access. In addition, we use a technology called "cookies" that allows us to enhance your experience on the Network (for example, to keep track of your purchases, to allow you to see information you've previously entered (like responses to member polls), to deliver content specific to your interests, and, if you tell us to do so, to save your member name and password so that you do not have to re-enter it each time you visit the Network or access an area of the Network that requires you to log in). We use cookies to deliver advertisements that are most likely to interest you, based on the areas of the Network you visit, and the products, features and services you select on the Network. We also use cookies to track information related to your searching and browsing of member profiles, such as which profiles you browse or respond to, search parameters of searches you conduct, the number of results returned by your searches, how you review, rank and respond to search results, and how often your profile is searched or browsed. We may use such information to improve the functionality of the Network and to offer additional services, such as enhanced searching or automated user matching. In addition, third parties who place advertisements on the Network may also collect information through cookies to ensure that their advertising systems and technologies work properly and to allow them to track responses to their advertisements. Cookies set by these third parties are governed by the privacy policies set by those third parties. From time to time we may share Usage Data with third parties. We do so, however, only in the aggregate and not in a manner that will enable the recipient to personally identify you (unless you have given us permission to do so). In addition, we may combine Usage Data with Personal Information (as defined below) in a manner that enables us to trace Usage Data to an individual user. We do so, however, only for our own internal purposes and will not share such combined data with third parties unless you have given us permission to do so.
Information You Choose To Submit
When you register to become a Network member or when you participate in certain Network activities (e.g., contests or surveys), we may ask that you provide us with demographic information (e.g., gender, age, zip code) and with information through which you could be contacted (e.g., your full name, postal or e mail address, or phone number) (which we will refer to in this privacy policy collectively as "Personal Information"). Except for aggregate demographic information that we may share with third parties in a manner that does not link such information to any individual, we will not share your Personal Information with third parties unless you have given us permission to do so. In addition, when you order products or services through the Network, we may ask that you provide us with information (e.g., credit card number, billing, and shipping information) we will need to enable us to provide you with the requested product or service. We will share such information (e.g., to our billing vendors) with third parties to the extent necessary to fulfill your order.
Other Authorized Disclosures
Notwithstanding anything in this privacy policy to the contrary, we may share any information we have collected about you or that you have submitted: (1) in response to subpoenas, court orders, or legal process, or to establish, protect, or exercise our legal rights or defend against legal claims; (2) if we believe it is necessary in order to investigate, prevent, or take action regarding illegal activities, fraud, or situations involving potential threats to the safety of any person; (3) if we believe it is necessary to investigate, prevent, or take action regarding situations that involve significant abuse of our Network infrastructure or the Internet in general (such as voluminous spamming, denial of service attacks, or attempts to compromise the security of the Network infrastructure); (4) to our parent company, subsidiaries, joint ventures, or other companies under common control with PlanetOut (in which case we will require such entities to honor this privacy policy); and (5) if PlanetOut is acquired by or merged with another entity (in which case we will require such entity to assume our obligations under this privacy policy).
Public Areas
Your use of areas of the Network that are intended for interaction with other users (e.g., personal ads, chat rooms, online polls, and message boards) may reveal your member name and e-mail address and may allow you to publish certain personal information about you. By choosing to use these areas, you understand and agree that anyone may access and forward any information about you that is contained in or that you post to those areas. While chat, e-mail, and instant message-like conversations pass through our servers, our practice is not to store contents of such communications. We do, however, temporarily store logs of certain data related to such communications, such as the length and frequency of messaging and the Network member with whom communications are exchanged. We may use such data to improve the functionality of the Network and to offer additional services, such as enhanced searching or automated user matching.
Modifications and Deactivations
If you would like to modify any Personal Information you previously submitted through the Network, click here for instructions (which will vary depending on the Network property to which you made the submission). If you have agreed to receive communications from us or to permit us to share your Personal Information with third parties, you may request that, in the future, we not send you communications or share your Personal Information by clicking here. Please note, however, that we reserve the right to send you administrative messages relating to the Network (e.g., about changes to this privacy policy). If at any time you would like us to deactivate your member profile and remove it from public and member viewing on the Network, please click here and we will do so. Please note that (1) we will retain your Personal Information in back-up storage after deactivation, and (2) we are not responsible for removing information about you from the database of any third parties to whom you previously authorized us to share your Personal Information.
Changes to Policy
We may update this policy from time to time. If we make any significant changes to the way in which we treat Personal Information about you, we will inform you of such changes via e-mail or by posting a notice on relevant areas of the Network. If you have any questions about this privacy policy, please feel free to contact us by clicking here.
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