Privacy Policy
Effective Date: April 29, 2009
Thank you for visiting our website located at www.searchguardplus.com ("Site"). The Site is an Internet property of Make the Web Better, LLC ("MTWB," "we" or "us"). MTWB has created this privacy policy ("Privacy Policy") in order to disclose our information gathering and dissemination practices. We understand the importance that Internet users place on privacy and have designed our Site with this in mind. You agree to this Privacy Policy, in its entirety, when you: (a) access or use the Site; and/or (b) register for any of our proprietary products or services on the Site or via another web venue ("Software Product"). Please be advised that, as a policy, other than with respect to the limited exceptions set forth below, MTWB does not collect your personal information.
Information Collected/Tracked by MTWB
As a general rule, other than with respect to the limited exceptions set forth below, MTWB does not request or collect any personally identifiable information directly from end-users.
Certain of the Software Products enable end-users to provide comments and/or other feedback directly to the Site via the applicable feedback forms (collectively, "Feedback"). All Feedback is collected and recorded on a non-personally identifiable basis and is kept strictly anonymous. To the extent that you submit any Feedback to us when using the Site, you acknowledge and agree that by doing so, you surrender any and all intellectual property rights to same, and that any and all such Feedback content may be used in any and all media, commercial or otherwise, by MTWB, without the need to obtain further authorization and without compensation to you.
In addition, if you utilize the Software Product within certain online venues including, but not limited to, social networking websites ("Social Networking Sites"), such Social Networking Site(s) may give you the option to allow MTWB to access the user information that you have provided to such Social Networking Site(s). Where you agree to grant MTWB such access, MTWB may view certain portions of your profile information, photographs (if any), certain portions of the profile information of friends that is compiled in your account and other content (collectively, "Social Networking Site Information").
We gather end-users' server, IP address and browser-type related information as part of the general administration of the Site ("Browser Data"). The Browser Data is comprised of the demographic, usage and/or other characteristics of Site end-users as a group without any associated personally identifiable information of Site end-users. In order to obtain the Software Product, you must provide a unique end-user ID ("ID").
In addition, the Site tracks the number of times that you access and utilize the search functions ("Query") associated with the Software Product, and which, if any, of the links generated by the applicable search were clicked and activated by you (collectively, "Usage Data" and together with the Browser Data and ID, the "Site Data"). The Software Product, in the course of processing a given Query, sends a request to our servers. This request includes the keyword used in connection with the Query, time of day, an anonymous unique ID, Browser Data and a code which identifies the marketing or distribution source of the Software Product used by you. We use this information in order to properly process your Query. All information collected from a Query is recorded on a non-personally identifiable basis and is kept strictly anonymous. In addition, all information about Query-related activity is evaluated only on an aggregated basis except: (a) for MTWB tracking and reporting purposes; (b) in response to a customer service inquiry; or (c) in connection with a legal process.
The Software Product also sends a configuration request when you start your browser. This request is approximately 5K in size and includes only anonymous data such as the Browser Data and the specific release date and distribution source of your Software Product. Such information is anonymous, non-personally identifiable and is used only for the purposes of delivering the Software Product-related services and content in accordance with your preferences.
When an end-user visits the Site, we send a cookie and/or gif file ("Cookie") to assign an anonymous, unique identifier to the applicable end-user's Internet browser. A Cookie is a piece of data stored on your hard drive containing non-personally identifiable information about you. Cookies have many benefits to enhance your experience at the Site. For example, we use the cookies to store a code designating a marketing or distribution source for the Software Product. This information allows us to properly distinguish the Software Product for purposes of analyzing Browser Data and/or Usage Data, on an aggregated basis. We do not use cookies to track your use of the Internet in any other way or to store any personally-identifiable information, and we do not disclose cookie information to third parties (other than as required by legal process). To find out more about Cookies, please visit www.cookiecentral.com. To disable and reject certain Cookies, Click Here. Even in the case where a user rejects a Cookie, he or she may still use the Site. MTWB reserves the right to retain Cookie data indefinitely.
Use of Information Obtained by MTWB
As a general rule, and other than with respect to the limited exceptions set forth below, MTWB will not sell, share or rent your Feedback, Site Data or Social Networking Site Information to or with others. Notwithstanding the foregoing, MTWB reserves the right to share your Feedback, Site Data and/or Social Networking Site Information: (a) in the event that we believe that the Site is being or has been used in violation of this Privacy Policy or the Site's End-User License Agreement, or to commit unlawful acts; (b) if the information is subpoenaed; (c) where necessary to perform a function associated with the Software Product; or (d) if MTWB is, or its assets are, sold or acquired.
Further, MTWB reserves the right to use your: (i) Social Networking Site Information to serve you targeted marketing messages within the applicable Social Networking Site(s) and other online venues; and (ii) Site Data for tracking and, where necessary, verification purposes with MTWB's third party partners.
While MTWB strongly encourages clients, affiliates and partners to adopt responsible approaches to online marketing, MTWB is not responsible for the information practices of its clients, affiliates and/or partners. The collection, use and disclosure of information by clients, affiliates and/or partners is subject to their respective privacy policies, which may differ from this Privacy Policy. MTWB reserves the right to use all Feedback, Site Data and/or Social Networking Site Information to investigate fraudulent or other claims made against MTWB. MTWB reserves the right to transfer and/or sell Browser Data for lawful purposes. MTWB reserves the right to share, rent, sell distribute and/or use the Feedback, on a non-personally identifiable and anonymous basis, in any and all manner as permitted by applicable law, in MTWB's sole discretion, without the need to obtain further authorization and without compensation to you.
Changes to our Privacy Policy
If we change our Privacy Policy, we will prominently post a link to those changes on the homepage of each of our Sites so that our end-users are always aware of what information we collect, how we use it and under what circumstances, if any, we disclose it. Your continued use of the Site after posting of the Privacy Policy change on the Site constitutes an affirmative acknowledgement and acceptance by you of the modified Privacy Policy.
Security
All collected information is stored in a technically and physically secure environment. Access to end-user information is strictly limited, and not accessible to the public. The practices for handling end-user information are disseminated in written form to all of our employees. Employees not adhering to our policies are subject to disciplinary action. In compliance with applicable federal and state law, we shall notify you and any applicable regulatory agencies in the event that we learn of an information security breach with respect to any of your personally identifiable information that we may have in our possession. Please be advised that notice may be delayed in order to address the needs of law enforcement, determine the scope of network damage, and to engage in remedial measures.
Links
The Site contains links to other websites. Please be aware that MTWB is not responsible for the privacy practices of other websites. We encourage our end-users to be aware when they leave the Site and to read the privacy policies of each and every website that collects personally identifiable information. This Privacy Policy applies solely to information collected by the Site.
Children's Privacy
MTWB is very sensitive to the issue of children's privacy and, therefore, we endeavor to protect the privacy of children using the Internet. We do not knowingly solicit or collect personal information from any person, including persons under the age of thirteen (13) years old. MTWB encourages parents and guardians to spend time online with their children and to participate and monitor the interactive activities of their children.
Contacting the Site
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, the practices of the Site, or your dealings with the Site, please Contact Us.