DegreeSearch.org Web Privacy Statement
Summary
This privacy policy was last updated on June 5, 2009 DegreeSearch.org is committed to protecting your privacy when you visit our Websites, so we want you to know what information we collect when you visit one of our sites, how we use that information, and how you can update it. We reserve the right to append or otherwise modify this Privacy Statement at any time, so please re-visit this page occasionally to check for updates.
Information We Collect
We collect various types of information from our visitors so we can adjust our site to meet our users' needs and expectations. Some of this information is collected automatically through cookies and other information is collected when you register for any of our online services or when you request information from one of our partners.
Information Collected Automatically
The types of information your browser or Internet session automatically sends us each time you visit one of our sites, which we automatically collect, includes:
- Your browser, e.g., Internet Explorer, Netscape Navigator.
- Your Internet domain, e.g., AOL, Netcom, Earthlink, etc.
- Your computer's operating system, e.g., Windows, Macintosh, UNIX, Linux.
- Your navigation path, i.e., the URLs of where you come to our site from, which of our pages you visit, and where you go as you leave.
- Your IP address. This information lets us see how users are finding our sites, and it tells us which pages are visited the most often so we can make our Websites more useful.
Information You Provide to Us
In addition to the information automatically collected by your browser, we also collect information that you provide to us when you request information about a particular school or educational program.
Our websites provide users the opportunity to request information from schools, and to learn about various education opportunities. These information request sites require users to provide us with contact information (name, address, phone number, email address, age, work experience, etc.) as well as information about their interest in one of our marketing partners (universities, colleges, test prep companies, financial aid providers, etc.). We collect this information that you provide, and may use it to make your future requests from our websites easier by pre-populating contact forms with the information that you have provided. We provide this contact information that you provide to the marketing partner that you requested information from. Customer interest information is collected to determine what information the customer wishes to be sent.
How We Use This Information
We use the information we automatically collect to help us better plan our sites to meet your Internet needs. Information you provide to us is used for marketing purposes, and may result in follow-up communications.
Your Rights Our Obligations
The company respects the privacy of users visiting our sites and will abide by all applicable laws concerning the release of personal information. On an occasion we may use certain directory information that we have collected to send you information about products and services, or updates and other information we think may be of interest to you. We may share this information with our marketing partners to bring similar information to your attention. If you tell us that you do not wish to have this information used as a basis for further contact with you, we will respect your wishes. Please contact us to request your name and address be removed from our lists. If you do not want to receive our e-mail marketing, please submit a request to have your e-mail address removed here.
We reserve the right to share data with third party partners.
Our Security Measures
Our Websites have security measures in place to protect against the loss, misuse, and alteration of the information under our control.
Why We Use "Cookies"
When you visit some of our sites, we use cookies to keep track of your information. This small piece of program code resides on your computer and stores your contact information for all of our request information sites. We do this so you are not required to re-enter your contact information.
Links From Our Site To Other Sites
Some of our sites may contain links to other sites external to our sites. DegreeSearch.org is not responsible for the privacy practices or the content of any Websites which we do not directly control.
Definitions
- Cookies
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Data created by a Web server that is stored on a user's computer. It provides a way for the Website to keep track of a user's patterns and preferences and, with the cooperation of the Web browser, to store them on the user's own hard disk.
The cookies contain a range of URLs (Web addresses) for which they are valid. When the browser encounters those URLs again, it sends those specific cookies to the Web server. For example, if a user's ID were stored as a cookie, it would save that person from typing in the same information all over again when accessing that service for the second and subsequent time during the same browser session.
You can opt out of the use of cookies by having your browser disable cookies or warn you before accepting a cookie. Look for the cookie options in your browser in the Options or Preferences menu.
- IP (Internet Protocol) Address
- This is the address of a computer attached to a TCP/IP network. Every client and server station must have a unique IP address. Client workstations have either a permanent address or one that is dynamically assigned for each session. IP addresses are written as four sets of numbers separated by periods; for example, 204.171.64.2.
- Browser Session
- A browser session is defined as the period of time a browser is in consecutive use. The session begins when you open the browser and ends when you close it. When you reopen the browser, you begin a new session.
- SSL Encryption (Secure Sockets Layer)
- The leading security protocol on the Internet. When an SSL session is started, the browser sends its public key to the server so that the server can securely send a secret key to the browser. The browser and server exchange data via secret key encryption during that session.
- URL (Uniform Resource Locator)
- An Internet address. URLs are used to locate sites on the Internet and to navigate between sites and pages within sites. The URL for DegreeSearch.org is www.DegreeSearch.org.