Compare.com Privacy Policy
Last Updated: May 18, 2012
As a user of this website ("Site") or the services ("Services") provided by Compare.com, this Privacy Policy is intended to describe for you:
- the information we collect about you,
- how that information may be used,
- with whom it may be shared,
- how you may access the information you provide us, and
- your choices about such uses and disclosures.
We encourage you to read this Privacy Policy carefully before using the Site or Services or transacting business with us. If you have questions or concerns regarding this Privacy Policy, please contact us via email or mail using the contact information provided below.
Information Collection
We may collect personal information such as your name, mailing address, e-mail address and phone number, as well as other information. When you provide personal information through the Site, the information may be sent to our servers located in the United States and other countries around the world. We may collect and store any information that you enter into the Site or provide to us in some other manner.
Third Party List Information. We may also obtain both personal and non-personal information about you from third party data gathering sources. We may match this third-party collected information with the personal information that you provide to us.
Cookies, Web Beacons, and Other Information Collection Technology. We and our business partners, such as advertisers, may use various technologies to collect information from your computer and about your activities on the Site. For example, we and our business partners may collect and store non-personally identifying information through technologies such as cookies, log files, clear gifs (also known as web beacons), and other technologies to help determine user viewing preferences for advertising and other purposes.
- Log Files. Technical information from your browser may be automatically collected when you visit the Site. This information includes your IP address, your browser type, operating system, access times, the content of any undeleted cookies that your browser previously accepted from us (see "Cookies" below), and the referring website address.
- Cookies. A cookie is a piece of data stored on a user’s browser that tracks non-personal information about the user. When using the Site, we may assign your computer one or more cookies which enable us to improve the quality of our Service, to customize your experience, and for other purposes. Cookies allow us to automatically collect information about your browser or device activity on the Site, such as the web pages you visit, the links or advertisements you click, or the other actions you conduct while using the Site. Most browsers automatically accept cookies, but you can usually modify your browser setting to disable cookies. If you choose to disable cookies, you will still be able to access the Site, but you may not be able to use all of the interactive features we offer. Additional information on cookies can be found at: http://www.microsoft.com/info/cookies.htm.
- Web Beacons. We, or our advertisers, may use standard Internet technology such as web beacons, clear gifs, pixels, and other similar technologies, to gather aggregate information about your browser or device activity on the Site. We also may include web beacons in promotional e-mail messages or newsletters to determine whether messages have been opened and acted upon. We use such web beacons to gauge the effectiveness of our marketing efforts and the quality of the Site, and for other purposes.
- Information collected by third-parties. We and our business partners, such as advertisers, may use technologies, such as cookies and pixels, to collect information about users who view or interact with these advertisements and connect to other websites. This information allows us and our business partners to deliver customized advertisements and gauge their effectiveness. Please note that we do not have access to or control over third parties’ cookies used on the Site, and this policy does not govern the use of cookies by these third parties. Some of these third-party advertising companies may be advertising networks that are members of the Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) and/or participants of the Digital Advertising Alliance (DAA), which offer a single location to opt out of ad customization from their respective participating companies at http://www.networkadvertising.org/managing/opt_out.asp and http://www.aboutads.info/choices/.
Sponsor or Link Websites. Links or sponsor websites may be presented in a manner that allows us to keep track of whether the links or sponsor sites have been used. We use this information to improve the quality of the Site, to keep track of advertising, and to customize your online experience. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of other websites.
Information Use and Sharing
PLEASE NOTE THAT WE MAY USE THE INFORMATION THAT WE COLLECT ON THE SITE, AND IN THE COURSE OF PROVIDING THE SERVICES, FOR ANY PURPOSE IN OUR SOLE DISCRETION. We may match any of the information we gather to any personally identifying information or other information we have obtained from or about you to improve the content of the Site and Services for you. Examples of some of the ways we use or share information that we collect about you include, but are not limited to, the following:
- providing you with products or services, including the display of customized content, advertising, and services;
- providing technical or customer support;
- performing research and analysis to gauge use of or interest in products, services, or content offered on the Site, and to develop new services;
- responding to your requests and inquires;
- communicating with you by e-mail about products or services that may be of interest to you;
- enforcing our terms and conditions, or otherwise managing our business;
- performing functions as otherwise described to you at the time of collection.
Communications From This Website. Unless you have opted out of these features where available, we may use your information in a variety of ways to communicate with you, such as through email, newsletters, RSS feeds, service announcements, or for customer service.
Personal Information. Unless you have opted out where available, we may rent, sell, or share any of your information, personal or otherwise, with third parties, including without limitation for the following purposes:
- Service providers: We may share your personal information, alone or in combination with non-personal information, with third party service providers in connection with the Services we provide or your request for customer service on the Site. These service providers may include entities such as credit bureaus, financial institutions, marketing and customer services firms, credit card payment processors, as well as companies that support contests, sweepstakes, surveys, or other features offered through the Site, or that provide business analysis or website support. These service providers may have access to personal information needed to perform their functions, which may include using the information to contact you.
- Business partners: Business partners: When you express interest in promotions offered through the Site or our Services, we may share your personal information, alone or in combination with non-personal information, with the relevant business partners or affiliates to offer you those products, services, promotions, contests and/or sweepstakes. When you elect to engage in a particular offer or program, you authorize us to provide your personal information address and other information to that business so that they may contact you
- Third parties for business reasons: Third parties for business reasons: In connection with a substantial corporate transaction, such as the sale of our business, a divestiture, merger, consolidation, or asset sale, or in the unlikely event of bankruptcy.
- Third parties for legal process: In response to a subpoena or similar investigative demand, a court order, or a request for cooperation from any law enforcement or other government agency; to establish or exercise our legal rights; to defend against legal claims; or as otherwise required by law. In such cases, we may raise or waive any legal objection or right available to us in our sole discretion. In addition, we may disclose your information when we believe it is appropriate in connection with efforts to investigate, prevent, or take other action regarding illegal activity, suspected fraud or other wrongdoing; to protect and defend the rights, property or safety of our company, our users, our employees, or others; to comply with applicable law or cooperate with law enforcement; or to enforce the Site terms of use or other agreements or policies.
Aggregated and Non-Personal Information. We may rent, sell, or share aggregated demographic information not specifically identifiable to you, and other non-personal information we collect, with any third parties for any reason, including to develop and deliver customized advertising, and to conduct general business analysis. We may combine non-personal information we collect with additional non-personal information collected from other sources. For example, we may tell our advertisers the number of visitors to the Site and the most popular features or Services accessed.
Please note that our Privacy Policy does not cover any third party's use or handling of your information once it is shared. Rather, the privacy policies of the various third parties will govern. If you want to learn more about their privacy practices, we encourage you to visit the websites of those third parties. These entities or their servers may be located either inside or outside the United States.
Links. This Site contains links to other websites, including through advertisements. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of third party linked websites, even if this Site frames the linked third party website. We encourage you to be aware of when you leave the Site and to review the privacy statements of each and every website that you visit that collects personally identifiable information. This Privacy Policy applies solely to information we collect.
Choice/Opt-Out
We give our users the opportunity to “opt-out” of having their personal information used for purposes not directly related to the Site at the point where we ask for the information, including the sharing of personal information with third parties for their own marketing purposes. Please be aware that this may result in our not being able to provide certain services to you that require us to share information with third parties. If you choose to receive communications from us but later wish to discontinue receiving communications or our Services, you can opt-out by contacting us via email or mail using the contact information provided below.
Please note that opting out of receipt of promotional e-mail communications will only affect future activities or communications from us. If we have already provided your information to a third party before you have changed your preferences or updated your information, you will have to change your preferences directly with that third party. To opt-out of communications from our third party business partners, please contact them directly.
Visitors Outside the United States
This Privacy Policy is intended to cover collection of information on the Site from residents of the United States. The data protection and other laws of the United States and other countries might not be as comprehensive as those in your country. If you are visiting the Site from outside the United States, you acknowledge and agree that your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States where our servers are located and our central database is operated. By using our Services, you acknowledge and agree that your information may be transferred to our facilities and those third parties with whom we share it as described in this privacy policy.
User-Generated Content
The Site enables users to post information about themselves, comments, reviews, pictures, videos and other user-created content. Please remember that any information that you post on the Site becomes public information and exercise caution when deciding to disclose your contact, financial, or other information in a submission. We cannot prevent such information from being used in a manner that may violate this Privacy Policy, the law, or your personal privacy and safety.
Privacy Policy Changes
This Privacy Policy may be updated from time to time. You should visit this page frequently to review any such updates.
General Contact:
Compare.com
Attn: Privacy
17 West 18th Street, 8th Floor
New York, NY 10011
privacy@compare.com