Effective: May 1, 2006
Last Updated: November 06, 2006
I. General Overview
Zoints takes your privacy and the protection of your personal information very seriously. We value and respect you and your rights as a person. In an age where personal information can be distributed around the globe in seconds, we all have to be cautious about sharing our personal data. Zoints has taken the necessary steps to safeguard your personal information, and we want you to understand how it is used.
This Privacy Policy will describe what information we collect and how we utilize that data. We will ONLY use your information as outlined in this policy. We will not sell, rent or provide your personally identifiable information to any third parties except as described below. This Privacy Policy applies to all services on the Zoints.com website.
By accepting the Privacy Policy and Terms and User Agreement during registration, you consent to our use and disclosure of your personal information as described in this Privacy Policy. If we are going to use or disclose your personally identifiable information in a manner materially different from that stated at the time we collected the information, you will be contacted via email and a posting will be made on the Zoints website. You will have the option to opt out of the new policy and the new changes will go into effect a minimum of 30 days from the mailing. You may check the Zoints Website at http://zoints.com/privacy-policy.z at any time for the current version of our Privacy Policy.
Zoints.com may include links to third party websites. These sites have their own privacy statements, and Zoints is not responsible for how they operate or use personal information. Please take the time to read their privacy policies carefully.
II. The Information We Collect
To open a Zoints account, you must provide your Email Address. This required information is necessary for us to authenticate you, issue new passwords, and to contact you if necessary regarding your account. We may also collect other profile data including but not limited to: age, occupation, education, personal interests, and gender. This information is optional, but can help other Zoints users find and interact with you. Using our usergroup permissions system, you may control who has access to your personal information, and what pieces of information they can access. We suggest that you use extreme caution in sharing this information with other users.
Zoints may also record and track other information such as IP address, browser type, and aggregate user data. This information is used to track the performance of our website and improve our service. User IP addresses are also recorded for security and monitoring purposes.
If you are a member of a forum that utilizes Zoints Local, the data you show to the "guest" usergroup may be indexed by search engines such as Google and sent to Zoints for indexing in our search engine. If you do not want this information indexed, simply change your privacy settings for guests to No.
A. Our Use of "Cookies"
A "cookie" is a small file stored on your computer that allows websites like Zoints to recognize you. We place a "session cookie" on your computer when you login so you can view various pages of the Zoints website without having to re-enter your login information. We do not link the information we store in cookies to any personally identifiable information you submit while on our site. You may set cookie preferences via your browser’s “Help” menu – including opting to reject cookies or be notified when a cookie is set. However, disabling cookies may interfere with some or all functions of the Zoints website.
B. Correspondence with Customer Service
We retain records of all correspondence with our customers, whether the message was sent via electronic means or \'snail mail.\' We use this information to improve efficiency and customer service and to deter fraud and other illicit activities.
III. Our Use and Disclosure of Information
A. Internal Uses
All personal information is collected and stored on servers physically located in the United States of America. We use the information we collect about you to:
Only a limited group of Zoints employees are authorized to view your personal information.
B. Disclosure to Third Parties Other Than Zoints Customers
Zoints will not sell or rent any of your personally identifiable information to third parties. We will only share your information as described below. These third parties are controlled by contract and confidentiality agreements with Zoints and/or by law and cannot use your information in any means other than what is specified and lawful.
C. Contacting Zoints Customers
Zoints sends e-mails and/or private messages to customers on a regular basis as part of our service. Examples of emails we send include but are not limited to notification of new messages, notification of member requests to join your network, and announcements regarding new products or important changes at Zoints. You may opt out of receiving some of these messages via the ‘Settings’ tab of the Zoints navbar. You may also modify or remove any of your personal information at any time by using the ‘Settings’ tab and the permissions system within your profile. If you elect to close your Zoints account, your personal information will no longer be used, except in security and legal matters.
IV. Information Security
Zoints will handle your personal data with information security as a top priority. The safeguards we employ are hardware, software, physical and environmental security, and policy-based and are designed to comply with federal regulations. We regularly employ independent companies to audit our security systems, ensuring vigilance and proactive responses. Please note that despite our comprehensive efforts, we cannot guarantee the security of member account information. Unauthorized entry or use, hardware or software failure, and other factors may compromise the security of member information at any time. As previously mentioned, you should also be very selective about which users you share your personal information with. To learn more about the security Zoints employs and measures you can take to protect your account, please email security@zoints.com.
V. Forum Side Software
Some online communities may choose to install software to connect to the Zoints system. When the user on a community utilizing Zoints accesses member.php, it checks to see if you are viewing your own profile, and if you do not have your profile linked. If both conditions apply, the code generates a random \'authhash\' (md5 of username/timestamp/random number). The authhash is saved in the user\'s current vb session. The user is then redirected to the Zoints link page.
On the Zoints link page, Zoints sends a POST request to the forum (\'zcmd=verify-auth-code&authhash=<authhash>\'). The forum will then first check to see if the request is valid (limited by ips, configurable in the admincp). It then queries the session table to look for an entry with that specific authash, and outputs the userid and username if it is found. This is the info that is then displayed on Zoints. If the user chooses not to link their forum profile to Zoints, Zoints in no way stores or records any information.
VI. Contacting Us
If you have any questions about this privacy policy or how Zoints handles your personal data, you can contact us at privacy@zoints.com.
Last Updated: November 06, 2006
I. General Overview
Zoints takes your privacy and the protection of your personal information very seriously. We value and respect you and your rights as a person. In an age where personal information can be distributed around the globe in seconds, we all have to be cautious about sharing our personal data. Zoints has taken the necessary steps to safeguard your personal information, and we want you to understand how it is used.
This Privacy Policy will describe what information we collect and how we utilize that data. We will ONLY use your information as outlined in this policy. We will not sell, rent or provide your personally identifiable information to any third parties except as described below. This Privacy Policy applies to all services on the Zoints.com website.
By accepting the Privacy Policy and Terms and User Agreement during registration, you consent to our use and disclosure of your personal information as described in this Privacy Policy. If we are going to use or disclose your personally identifiable information in a manner materially different from that stated at the time we collected the information, you will be contacted via email and a posting will be made on the Zoints website. You will have the option to opt out of the new policy and the new changes will go into effect a minimum of 30 days from the mailing. You may check the Zoints Website at http://zoints.com/privacy-policy.z at any time for the current version of our Privacy Policy.
Zoints.com may include links to third party websites. These sites have their own privacy statements, and Zoints is not responsible for how they operate or use personal information. Please take the time to read their privacy policies carefully.
II. The Information We Collect
To open a Zoints account, you must provide your Email Address. This required information is necessary for us to authenticate you, issue new passwords, and to contact you if necessary regarding your account. We may also collect other profile data including but not limited to: age, occupation, education, personal interests, and gender. This information is optional, but can help other Zoints users find and interact with you. Using our usergroup permissions system, you may control who has access to your personal information, and what pieces of information they can access. We suggest that you use extreme caution in sharing this information with other users.
Zoints may also record and track other information such as IP address, browser type, and aggregate user data. This information is used to track the performance of our website and improve our service. User IP addresses are also recorded for security and monitoring purposes.
If you are a member of a forum that utilizes Zoints Local, the data you show to the "guest" usergroup may be indexed by search engines such as Google and sent to Zoints for indexing in our search engine. If you do not want this information indexed, simply change your privacy settings for guests to No.
A. Our Use of "Cookies"
A "cookie" is a small file stored on your computer that allows websites like Zoints to recognize you. We place a "session cookie" on your computer when you login so you can view various pages of the Zoints website without having to re-enter your login information. We do not link the information we store in cookies to any personally identifiable information you submit while on our site. You may set cookie preferences via your browser’s “Help” menu – including opting to reject cookies or be notified when a cookie is set. However, disabling cookies may interfere with some or all functions of the Zoints website.
B. Correspondence with Customer Service
We retain records of all correspondence with our customers, whether the message was sent via electronic means or \'snail mail.\' We use this information to improve efficiency and customer service and to deter fraud and other illicit activities.
III. Our Use and Disclosure of Information
A. Internal Uses
All personal information is collected and stored on servers physically located in the United States of America. We use the information we collect about you to:
- efficiently provide services
- provide customer service
- determine your eligibility to receive offers for special features or products
- improve our various services and product line.
Only a limited group of Zoints employees are authorized to view your personal information.
B. Disclosure to Third Parties Other Than Zoints Customers
Zoints will not sell or rent any of your personally identifiable information to third parties. We will only share your information as described below. These third parties are controlled by contract and confidentiality agreements with Zoints and/or by law and cannot use your information in any means other than what is specified and lawful.
- We share aggregate statistical data with business partners, advertisers, and marketing companies. An example of aggregate data is how many users reside in Texas. We do not provide personally identifiable information in such instances.
- We provide information necessary to investigate fraud, illegal activity, and violations of agreements.
- We disclose information as required by law. This includes but is not limited to: subpoenas, warrants, attachments, court orders, and levies.
- In the event of a merger or acquisition, the new owner of Zoints would have access to all data but would be bound by our current policies.
C. Contacting Zoints Customers
Zoints sends e-mails and/or private messages to customers on a regular basis as part of our service. Examples of emails we send include but are not limited to notification of new messages, notification of member requests to join your network, and announcements regarding new products or important changes at Zoints. You may opt out of receiving some of these messages via the ‘Settings’ tab of the Zoints navbar. You may also modify or remove any of your personal information at any time by using the ‘Settings’ tab and the permissions system within your profile. If you elect to close your Zoints account, your personal information will no longer be used, except in security and legal matters.
IV. Information Security
Zoints will handle your personal data with information security as a top priority. The safeguards we employ are hardware, software, physical and environmental security, and policy-based and are designed to comply with federal regulations. We regularly employ independent companies to audit our security systems, ensuring vigilance and proactive responses. Please note that despite our comprehensive efforts, we cannot guarantee the security of member account information. Unauthorized entry or use, hardware or software failure, and other factors may compromise the security of member information at any time. As previously mentioned, you should also be very selective about which users you share your personal information with. To learn more about the security Zoints employs and measures you can take to protect your account, please email security@zoints.com.
V. Forum Side Software
Some online communities may choose to install software to connect to the Zoints system. When the user on a community utilizing Zoints accesses member.php, it checks to see if you are viewing your own profile, and if you do not have your profile linked. If both conditions apply, the code generates a random \'authhash\' (md5 of username/timestamp/random number). The authhash is saved in the user\'s current vb session. The user is then redirected to the Zoints link page.
On the Zoints link page, Zoints sends a POST request to the forum (\'zcmd=verify-auth-code&authhash=<authhash>\'). The forum will then first check to see if the request is valid (limited by ips, configurable in the admincp). It then queries the session table to look for an entry with that specific authash, and outputs the userid and username if it is found. This is the info that is then displayed on Zoints. If the user chooses not to link their forum profile to Zoints, Zoints in no way stores or records any information.
VI. Contacting Us
If you have any questions about this privacy policy or how Zoints handles your personal data, you can contact us at privacy@zoints.com.
