The ICQ Privacy Policy
 
ICQ Privacy Policy

Please review the updated ICQ Privacy Policy. By continuing to use the ICQ Services you accept the terms of the updated ICQ Privacy Policy.



June 28, 2011

ICQ PRIVACY POLICY

The following Privacy Policy applies to your use of the ICQ Services (as defined below). The ICQ Services improves your online experience by offering you access to a variety of features, offerings and content including, the ICQ instant messaging service, the ICQ Web site, the ICQ Toolbar, and all related servers, directories, listings, message boards, tools, information and databases (collectively the "ICQ Services" or "Services"). Your ongoing use of the ICQ Services signifies your consent to the information practices disclosed in this Privacy Policy. If you object to any provision of this Privacy Policy please do not proceed with registration and please do not use the ICQ Services.


Any reference made in this Privacy Policy to ICQ shall be deemed to have been made to ICQ LLC., its subsidiaries, successors, assignees, affiliates as well as any company that controls ICQ LLC., directly or indirectly, and any other subsidiary of that controlling company.

Collection of your ICQ Services Information

ICQ may collect certain information about you when you interact with the ICQ Services. Depending on how you use the ICQ Services, your “ICQ Services Information” may include:

In addition, many software versions provided by ICQ ("Software") are configured to automatically report back information relating to computer errors arising in connection with use of the Software, without notice to you. Information on your Software configuration settings may be included. This data is sent to ICQ to help us diagnose performance issues with, and improve, the Software.

Your ICQ Services Information may be supplemented with additional information from other companies.


How Your ICQ Services Information is Used

Your ICQ Services Information is used to:

ICQ may also use cookies, web beacons, or similar technologies in combination with your ICQ Services information to enhance and personalize your experience on the ICQ Services, including, without limitation, to operate and improve offerings through the ICQ Services; to help authenticate you when you use the ICQ Services; to remember your preferences and registration information;; to present and help measure and research the effectiveness of ICQ Services offerings, advertisements, and e-mail communications (by determining which Network e-mails you open and act upon); and to customize the content and advertisements provided to you through the ICQ Services.

A cookie is a small text file transferred to your computer that records information about your preferences and use of services. Such cookies may also include cookies which help ICQ to identify your location while others may assist ICQ in remembering certain settings that you have chosen. Web beacons are small pieces of code placed on Web pages that can be used, among other things, to count the users who visit that Web page, or to deliver a cookie to the browser of a user viewing that page. You can control cookies through your browser's settings. If you reject all cookies, however, you may not be able to take advantage of many of the ICQ Services offerings.

In order to provide you with certain services, and except as specified below, ICQ may share with third parties certain information that is not personally identifiable. Any personal identifiable information may be shared with third parties when:

Please be aware that any information you may have published in a public area may be accessible to ICQ or third parties and used by ICQ or such third parties. Therefore carefully consider whether you wish such information to be accessible. Public area’s may include your user profile (depending on the level of your privacy settings) any blogs, message boards, forums or similar services made available through the ICQ Services. Additionally any information you choose to provide on a "Co-Branded" page or through a "Co-Branded" service will be handled by either party and in accordance with this Privacy Policy and the third party privacy policy. A "Co-Branded" page or service is a page or service which bears both the ICQ and third party names, branding, graphics or anything else which makes it clear you are viewing a Co-Branded service, including if the service is “Provided by” or “Powered by” a third party. Please make sure to read both the partner's and ICQ's privacy policies before entering or providing information to a Co-Branded page or service.

In the event that ownership of the ICQ Services was to change as a result of a merger, acquisition or transfer to another company, your ICQ Services information may be transferred.


ICQ Account and Password


The holder of an ICQ account and password has the ability and discretion to edit the user details provided in the user profile for such account. For this reason and other reasons it is very important to choose a difficult password, to keep your password in a safe place and to use updated anti-virus software. It is your responsibility to keep your password and username secure.

Advertising and Added Value Services


ICQ may display various types of advertising to you throughout the ICQ Services and may provide you with certain added value services to enhance your Web browsing experience(i.e. a comparison shopping feature). Certain advertising and added value services displayed may be based, among other things, on certain keywords you’ve entered, search queries, interests added to your profile (or other locations within the ICQ Service), or the content of a Website that you are viewing. For example, when visiting a sports Website ICQ may present you with ads related to sports gear or when viewing a camera on a certain ecommerce site ICQ may present with you alternative prices from other web sites. If you do not want to receive advertisements or added value services relevant to the content you may be viewing then you may opt out of the applicable service as follows:

Advertising on the ICQ Toolbar: Click the arrow on the ICQ button in your toolbar and then click on ‘Options’. Then uncheck ‘Activate ICQ Offers’.

In addition ICQ and its advertisers may use ad network providers and other service providers, to help present customized content and advertisements on the ICQ Services and other Web sites. These providers may use cookies, web beacons, or similar technologies on your computer to help present, better target, and measure the effectiveness of their content and advertisements, using data gathered over time and across their networks of Web pages to determine or predict the characteristics and preferences of their audience. The ICQ Services may share certain non-personally identifiable information about you as an ICQ Services user (such as age or zip code) with certain ad network and service providers, to help them deliver more relevant content and advertisements through their networks.

Our Commitment to Security

ICQ has established safeguards to help prevent unauthorized access to or misuse of your ICQ Services Information, but cannot guarantee that your personally identifiable information will never be disclosed in a manner inconsistent with this Privacy Policy (for example, as a result of unauthorized acts by third parties that violate applicable law or the policies of the ICQ Services and its affiliated providers).

General Internet Hazards

You should be aware that receiving files from third parties, via any application (e.g. ICQ, email, etc.) may be harmful. Before receiving any files from any user, and even if the account from which the file transfer notice is sent looks familiar to you, it is strongly recommended that you verify that the person sending you these files is indeed the person you think he is, for example by asking him for some kind of information known only to the two of you. Please make sure not to receive files from users you do not trust, from users you are not sure they are whom they say they are or whenever you are not sure you want to receive the files.

You should be aware that communications over the Internet are not secure unless they have been encrypted. ICQ does not encrypt your communications. In addition, your communications may be routed through different countries - that is the nature of the Internet. ICQ cannot accept any responsibility for any unauthorized access or loss of Data.

European Union Members - International Transfer of Data

The ICQ Services is international in scope. By using the ICQ Services you consent to your ICQ Services Information being sent and processed in other jurisdictions, including the United States and other jurisdictions outside the European Union and European Economic Area where there may be less stringent data protection laws.

Special Note for Parents or Legal Guardians

The ICQ Services is intended for a general audience. Parents and guardians who would like to permit their children to use the ICQ Services should assist them in setting up their ICQ account and supervise their use of the ICQ Services. The ICQ Services may contain certain content that is not appropriate for children. As parents and guardians it is your responsibility to supervise your children’s use of the ICQ Services and restrict any use of ICQ Services which may not be appropriate for your child.

How to Contact Us

If you have any questions or concerns about the ICQ Services Privacy Policy or its implementation, you may contact us at this email address:

pripol@icq.com

Changes to this Privacy Policy and Additional Information

ICQ may update this Privacy Policy from time to time, therefore you should review this Policy periodically. If there are significant changes to the ICQ's information practices, you will be provided with appropriate online notice, such as notification on the ICQ Web site. You may be provided other privacy-related information in connection with your use of offerings from the ICQ Services, as well as for special features and services not described in this Privacy Policy that may be introduced in the future.

 
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