CMP PRIVACY STATEMENT
Last Updated: February 7, 2006
CMP MEDIA LLC and its affiliates CME LLC, CMP HEALTHCARE MEDIA LLC, CMP HEALTHCARE MEDIA GROUP LLC , Shorecliff Holdings LLC and CMP-Cybermedia LLC (collectively referred to in this Privacy Statement as "we" or "CMP") recognize the importance of protecting the privacy of all information provided by users of our web sites, subscribers to our magazines, registrants for our events, recipients of our e-mail newsletters and all other customers of our products and services. We created this policy with a fundamental respect for our customers' right to privacy and to guide our relationships with our customers. This Privacy Statement discloses the privacy practices for all products and services owned by CMP. A current list of our publications, web sites, online webcasts, newsletters and trade shows can be found at http://www.cmp.com/.
INFORMATION COLLECTION AND USE
CMP collects
information from our website users, subscribers
and other customers. In this section of our
Privacy Statement, we describe the type of
information we collect and how we use it
to provide better services to our customers.
Registration and Ordering
When attending our trade shows and other in-person events, participating
in our customer-sponsored webcasts, using some
of our websites and signing up for certain
selected services (such as free subscriptions),
users must first register. During registration,
users are required to give their contact
information (such as name, e-mail address,
mailing address and phone number). For internal
purposes, we use this information to communicate
with users and provide requested services,
and, for our website visitors, to provide a
more personalized experience on our sites.
We also may collect demographic information
(such as job title and purchasing responsibilities,
company information and professional certification).
We use aggregate demographic information about
our audience to improve our service, for marketing
purposes and/or industry reporting purposes.
Many of our products and services are free to subscribers who meet certain demographic criteria. Independent auditors may need to certify the eligibility of these subscribers. In order to do that, we may collect unique identifiers (such as mother's maiden name) that we disclose to the auditors strictly for industry reporting and audit verification purposes.
For our services that require payment (such as certain events, products and subscriptions), we also collect credit card information (such as account name, number and expiration date), which is used for our or our agent's billing purposes only, and is not otherwise shared.
E-mail Newsletters
If users wish to subscribe
to our e-mail newsletters, we ask for contact
information (such as name, e-mail address
and, occasionally, demographic information).
We use this information in the same manner
as we use contact information in the registration
and ordering process described above. Recipients
of our newsletters can unsubscribe using
the instructions listed at the end of the e-mail
newsletter.
Surveys and Contests
From time to time we invite web site users and other customers to provide
information via surveys or contests. Participation
in these surveys or contests is completely
voluntary and the website user or other customer
therefore has a choice whether to disclose
requested contact information (such as name
and mailing address) and demographic information
(such as zip code or job title). In addition
to the other uses set forth in this policy,
contact information collected in connection
with surveys and contests is used to notify
the winners and award prizes and to monitor
or improve the use of, and satisfaction with
the website or other CMP product or service.
Subject to the given customer's preferences
(as described in the "Permission" section below), such information
also may be shared with third party sponsors
of such surveys or contests.
Interactive Features
At some of our sites, we offer interactive and community features such
as discussion boards, webcasts and user profiles.
Note that all personal information sent or
posted via such features becomes public information
for which we are not responsible.
Tell-A-Friend
If customers elect to use our referral service
for informing a friend about our sites and
services, we may ask them for the friend's
name, job title and e-mail address. CMP will
store and use this information to send the
friend an invitation. This information may
also be used to provide information about
our company and related products and services.
The friend may contact us as specified in
the tell-a-friend message to request that
no further communications be sent.
Communications with Us
We have features where our customers can submit information to us (such
as our feedback forms). Where such submissions
include requests for service, support
or information, we may forward them to our
agents, as needed, to best respond to the specific
request. In addition, we may retain e-mails
and other information sent to us for our
internal administrative purposes, and to help
us to serve customers better. Please note that
letters to the editor and similar submissions
may be made public.
Communications from Us:
Service Updates, Special Offers
In order to
best serve our customers, we may send updates
that contain important information about our
products and services. For example, we send
new members a welcoming message, and verify
password and username for our password-protected
web sites. We may also communicate with a customer
to provide requested services and for account-related
issues via e-mail, phone or regular mail.
In addition to such service and product-essential
messages, we offer our customers the option
to receive information about our company,
related products, services and special deals.
Users, however, can choose not to receive these
communications from us, as set forth in the "Permission" section below.
Automatic Data Collection
Our web sites, newsletters and, from time to time, certain other
products and services have features that automatically
collect information from customers, to deliver
content specific to customers' interests and
to honor their preferences. This information
assists us in creating products and services
that will serve the needs of our customers.
For example, we use "cookies," a piece of data stored on the user's hard drive containing information about the user. Cookies benefit the user by requiring login only once, thereby saving time while on our web site. If users reject the cookies, they may be limited in the use of some areas of our web site. For example, the user may not be able to participate in sweepstakes, contests or drawings. Additionally, we may note some of the pages the user visits on our web sites and via our email newsletters through the use of pixel tags (also called clear gifs) and web beacons. The use of cookies, pixels and web beacons enable us to track and target the interests of our users to enhance the experience on our sites and via our email newsletters.
In addition, some of our business affiliates use cookies on our web sites and in our email newsletters, in ads or promotions. However, we have no access to or control over these business affiliates' cookies; we urge users to read their privacy policies for information. In particular, we use third-party advertising technology to serve ads for CMP products and services when you visit certain CMP Web sites. This technology uses information about your visits to these CMP Web sites (not including your name, address, or other personal information), to serve our ads to you. In the course of serving our advertisements to you, a unique third-party cookie may be placed or recognized on your browser. In addition, we use web beacons, provided by our ad serving partner, to help manage our online advertising for CMP products and services. These web beacons enable our ad server to recognize a browser's cookie when a browser visits these sites and to learn which banner ads bring users to our Web sites. The information used in this process is not personally identifiable. To learn more about our third party ad serving partner, cookies, and how to "opt-out," please {click here}.
We also use an email delivery and marketing company to send emails (including newsletters) for which you have registered (or otherwise agreed to receive). Web beacons and cookies may be used in such email messages to help us measure the effectiveness of our advertising and how customers use our web sites and other products and services.
For our internal purposes, we gather date, time, browser type, navigation history and IP address of all visitors to our web sites. This information does not contain anything that can identify users personally. We use this information for our internal security audit log, trend analysis and system administration, and to gather broad demographic information about our user base for aggregate use.
We may combine demographic information supplied by a customer at registration with web site usage data to provide general profiles, in aggregate non-personally identifiable form, about our customers and their preferences in the content of the site and advertising. We may share this composite information with our advertisers and business affiliates to help them better understand our services.
WITH WHOM
YOUR INFORMATION IS SHARED
When we have co-branded, customized, private label, "powered by" or sponsored products and services, or when we join with other parties to provide specific services (however we do not share credit card information with such third parties), then we may share (provide and receive) personal information with such third party, subject to (other than with respect to users of Techonline.com and related sites) the customer's preferences (as described in the "Permission" section below). In particular, please note that information collected in connection with online webcasts, such as at www.netseminar.com, will be shared with the sponsor of the particular webcast(s)/seminar(s), subject to (other than with respect to users of Techonline.com and related sites) the given customer's preferences (as described in the "Permission" section below).
These sponsors will use the information according to their own privacy policies, and we urge participants to read those policies and be aware of their privacy practices before registering.
On Techonline.com and related sites, if a user affirmatively clicks through to access sponsored content or materials at those sites, that user's information may be shared with the sponsor.
In addition, at EEProductCenter.com and related sites, information may be shared with selected advertisers if a user affirmatively clicks through on a link/ad to such advertiser at those sites or in e-mails.
Finally, on occasion, we may provide targeted lists of names and offline and online contact information for marketing purposes to third parties, subject to our Permission policies, as described below, pursuant to which we give customers the option of not having their name or contact information disclosed to third parties.
Other than as set forth above, we do not share personally identifiable information with other companies, apart from those acting as our agents in providing our product(s)/service(s), and which agree to use it only for that purpose and to keep the information secure and confidential. Also, our parent, subsidiary and affiliate companies, entities into which our company may be merged, or entities to which any of our assets, products, sites or operations may be transferred, will be able to use personal information. We will also disclose information we maintain when required to do so by law, for example, in response to a court order or a subpoena or other legal obligation, in response to a law enforcement agency's request, or in special cases when we have reason to believe that disclosing this information is necessary to identify, contact or bring legal action against someone who may be causing injury to or interference with (either intentionally or unintentionally) our rights or property. Users should also be aware that courts of equity, such as U.S. Bankruptcy Courts, might have the authority under certain circumstances to permit personal information to be shared or transferred to third parties without permission.
We may share aggregate information, which is not personally identifiable, with others. This information may include usage and demographic data, but it will not include personal information.
CORRECTION/UPDATING PERSONAL
INFORMATION
If
your personally identifiable information changes
(such as zip code), or if you no longer desire
our product(s)/service(s), we provide a way
to correct or update your personal data: you
may either contact Customer Support for the
applicable product or service or, to change
your preferences, complete the "Feedback" page as described in the "Permission" section below.
PERMISSION
Our customers are given the opportunity to
choose whether to receive information from
our affiliates and us not directly related
to the product or service for which they registered
(or which they otherwise agreed to receive).
Other than the sharing of user information with certain sponsors by Techonline.com and related sites, as set forth in the "With Whom Your Information Is Shared" section above, Customers also have the opportunity to choose whether to have personal information shared with third parties for marketing purposes. Customers also can go to our "Feedback" page at any time, at http://www.cmp.com/feedback/permission.jhtml to change their preferences. In addition, for those customers that are California residents, you may have additional rights, as described in the "Your California Privacy Rights" section
below.
Please note that we will endeavor to implement your permission requests within a reasonable time, although for a time you may continue to receive mailings, etc., transmitted based on information released prior to the implementation of your request. In addition, please note that even after such request is implemented, you will continue to receive information directly related to the product or service for which you registered (or which you otherwise agreed to receive), so you always are kept informed.
YOUR CALIFORNIA PRIVACY
RIGHTS
Beginning on
January 1, 2005, California Civil Code Section
1798.83 permits those customers that are California
residents to request that CMP not share your
personal information with third parties for
their direct marketing use. To make such a
request, [click here] or write us at: Legal
Department - Privacy Officer
CMP Media LLC
600 Community Drive
Manhasset NY 11030
privacyrequests@cmp.com
SECURITY
We use reasonable precautions to protect our customers' personal
information and to store it securely. Sensitive
information that is transmitted to us online
(such as credit card number) is encrypted and is transmitted
to us securely. In addition, access to all
of our customers' information, not just the
sensitive information mentioned above, is
restricted. Only employees who need the information
to perform a specific job (for example, a billing
clerk or a customer service representative)
are granted access to personally identifiable
information. Finally, the servers on which
we store personally identifiable information
are kept in a secure environment.
LINKS
Our web sites contain links to other sites. CMP is not responsible
for the privacy practices or content of such
other sites. We encourage our users to be
aware when they leave our site and to read
the privacy statements of each web site to
which we may link that may collect personally
identifiable information.
CHILDREN
CMP websites are not directed at individuals under thirteen years of age, and CMP does not intend to collect any personally-identifiable information from such individuals.
NOTIFICATION and
CHANGES
If we change our Privacy Statement,
we will post those changes on this page so our users are
aware of what information we collect, how we
use it and under which circumstances, if any,
we disclose it. Users should check this policy
frequently to keep abreast of any changes.
For questions about this Privacy Statement, contact:
Legal Department - Privacy Officer
CMP Media LLC
600 Community Drive
Manhasset NY 11030
516-562-5000 Ext. 5703
privacyrequests@cmp.com
For all other questions concerning the practices of this site or any dealings with CMP Media LLC, CME LLC, CMP Healthcare Media LLC or CMP Healthcare Media Group LLC, contact us at:
Corporate Communications
CMP Media LLC
600 Community Drive
Manhasset NY 11030
516-562-5000
cmp@cmp.com