So that we can provide you with the most efficient and enhanced service, we request information about you. Since your privacy as a participant in About.com, Inc. communities and on the Internet is a priority to us, we have provided this detailed policy statement about our privacy and information dissemination practices for our network of GuideSites^TM

This site is a member
of the TRUSTe program

and is in compliance with
TRUSTe privacy principles.

About.com, Inc. is a member of the TRUSTe program. This statement discloses the privacy practices for About.com Web site. 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. Because this site wants to demonstrate its commitment to respecting your privacy, it has agreed to disclose its information practices and have its privacy practices reviewed for compliance by TRUSTe. When you visit a Web site displaying the TRUSTe mark, you can expect to be notified of:

Privacy Policy Detailed Review...

1. Information We Gather or Track
2. What We Do with Collected Information
3. Who Can Use Collected Information and How
4. Choosing to Opt-out of Information Collection
5. Corrections & Updates to Personal Information
6. Deleting or Deactivating Your Name from Our Database
7. How to Contact About.com, Inc.

Information on general usage and any optional personal details you provide to us will be used to provide you with enhanced features such as customized content, access to our bulletin boards, participation in chats and the ability to participate in any of our GuideSite^TM communities. The following are details of the information we collect:

• About.com, Inc. collects data so that we may display personalized content to our visitors. Additionally, usage information may be analyzed so that we can judge our system's performance or execute your customized features.
• Your computer reaches us via a particular IP, (InternetProtocol), address. This can tell us things like what part of the world you're connecting from. Or what service provider you are using.
• Your browser offers so-called "cookies" which -- if you allow their use -- store small amounts of data on your computer about your visit to any of our sites. Cookies assist us in tracking which of our features you like best. And when you re-visit our GuideSites^TM, cookies can enable us to customize our content according to your preferences. However, cookies tell us nothing about you personally unless you specifically give us additional information.
• Our registration form asks for contact and demographic information used to send news about our products or promotional material from our partners. You will be able to opt-out of receiving any mailings. Demographic information may be used to customize the display of our GuideSites^TM to you by showing content that we think might be of interest or related to your past visits.
• Surveys may ask for contact information or unique identifying information to increase the value of the results. Contests may require contact information or other demographic/personal information in order to determine your eligibility.
• Some of the banner ads displayed in our GuideSites^TM are provided by outside companies. These ads may contain cookies. While we use cookies in other parts of our Web site, cookies received with banner ads are collected by our advertisers and we do not have access to this information. Cookies in and of themselves do not contain any personally identifiable information about you.

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• We sometimes use provided information to personalize features of our GuideSites^TM based upon your preferences.
• From time to time we extend various offers through our partner companies. These may include news or additional details on their products and services. Your personal preferences or usage history may result in your being offered special screens or products. These offers would be sent via About.com and your personal information is not shared with entities outside of About.com, Inc.
• We produce aggregate reports for advertisers. For example, we tell advertisers how many people saw or clicked on an ad and additionally, how many people saw or clicked on ads in different portions of our service. Where available, we may offer additional information about viewer characteristics. However this does not include personally identifiable information about you or your online usage patterns. Our advertisers allow us to provide our service to you. In return, they need to know how to effectively place their ads to potential customers.
• We'll use your email contact information to provide you with newsletters to which you subscribe, or for similar information we think you may find of interest. However, you can choose to opt out of these mailings. By providing your contact information you will be eligible to acquire user ID's and passwords that will allow you to participate in our discussion features, including chat and bulletin boards.

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• As mentioned in our "What We Do With Collected Information" section, we provide our advertisers with aggregate reports on advertising activity.
• Feedback is used both by About.com, Inc. staff as well as the individual Guides for each of the GuideSites^TM Guides not only link to content from their sites and provide their own original content, but would have available to them any information that you send them directly. Guide use of this information is bound by the principles and practices expressed here..
• Please be aware that if you voluntarily disclose information online, personal or otherwise, that information can be collected and used by others. For example, using chat, bulletin boards, or your e-mail, if you post personal information online you may receive unsolicited messages from others. About.com, Inc. will have no means to control this.

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• We provide visitors the opportunity to opt-out of receiving e-mail from us when we first request registration information from you.

  Some personal information is required for registration. However, for specific contests or to enable your participation within our discussion areas, some degree of personal and contact information will be necessary. You can always choose not to receive additional mailings at that time.

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• Visitors can change or correct information about themselves via online forms which are part of our registration system. If there is a problem with a change being accepted by our system, you may contact us at the email address: registrar@about.com

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• Visitors may un-subscribe from newsletters and opt out of various mailings though our online registration forms. If you have difficulty using these forms, you can send email to registrar@about.com

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If you have any questions about this privacy statement, our practices, or your dealings with About.com, Inc., you can contact

Registration Manager

About.com, Inc.

220 East 42nd Street

24th Floor

New York, NY 10017

registrar@about.com

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User Agreement