Information We Automatically Collect

Categories of Information. We and our third-party service providers (including any third-party content, advertising, and analytics providers) automatically collect certain information from your device or web browser when you interact with the Services to help us understand how our users use the Services and to target advertising to you (which we will refer to in this Privacy Notice collectively as “Usage Data”). For example, each time you visit the Services we and our third-party service providers automatically collect your location, IP address, mobile device identifier or other unique identifier, browser and computer type, Internet service provider used, clickstream information, access time, the Web page you came from, the URL you go to next, the Web page(s) that you access during your visit and your interaction with content or advertising on the Services. We may contract with third parties to collect this information on our behalf for analytics purposes. These include companies such as Chartbeat, Comscore and Google.

Purposes For This Information. We and our third-party service providers use such Usage Data for a variety of purposes including to diagnose problems with our servers and software, to administer the Services, to gather demographic information and to target advertising to you on the Services and elsewhere online. Accordingly, our third-party advertising networks and ad servers will also provide us with information, including reports that will tell us how many ads were presented and clicked on the Services in a manner that does not identify personally any specific individual. The Usage Data we collect is generally non-identifying, but if we associate it with you as a specific and identifiable person, we will treat it as Personal Data.

Cookies/Tracking Technologies

We use tracking technologies, such as cookies, local storage, and pixel tags.

Cookies and Local Storage

Cookies and local storage may be set and accessed on your computer. Upon your first visit to the Services, a cookie or local storage will be sent to your computer that uniquely identifies your browser. “Cookies” and local storage are small files containing a string of characters that is sent to your computer’s browser and stored on your device when you visit a website. Many major Web services use cookies to provide useful features for their users. Each Web site can send its own cookie to your browser. Most browsers are initially set up to accept cookies. You can reset your browser to refuse all cookies or to indicate when a cookie is being sent; however, if you reject cookies, you will not be able to sign in to the Services or take full advantage of our Services. Additionally, if you clear all cookies on your browser at any point after setting your browser to refuse all cookies or indicate when a cookie is being sent, you will have to again reset your browser to refuse all cookies or indicate when a cookie is being sent.

Our Services use the following types of cookies for the purposes set out below:

Flash

A Flash cookie is a data file placed on a device via the Adobe Flash plug-in that is built into or downloaded by you onto your device. Flash cookies are used for various purposes, including, without limitation, enabling a Flash feature and remembering your preferences. For more information about Flash and the privacy choices Adobe offers. If you choose to adjust your Flash privacy settings on your device some features of the Services may not function properly.

Pixel Tags

We also use “pixel tags,” which are small graphic files that allow us and third parties to monitor the use of the Services and collect Usage Data. A pixel tag can collect information such as the IP address of the computer that downloaded the page on which the tag appears; the URL of the page on which the pixel tag appears; the time (and length of time) the page containing the pixel tag was viewed; the type of browser that retrieved the pixel tag; and the identification number of any cookie previously placed by that server on your computer.

We use pixel tags, either provided by us or by our third-party advertisers, service providers and ad networks, to collect information about your visit, including the pages you view, the links you click and other actions taken in connection with our sites and Services and use them in combination with our cookies to provide offers and information of interest to you. Pixel tags also enable ad networks to serve targeted advertisements to you when you visit the Services or other websites.

Log Files

A log file is a file that records events that occur in connection with your use of the Service, such as your service use data.

App Technologies, Customization, and Usage

There are a variety of tracking technologies that may be included in our apps that allow us to collect information about your installation, use, and updating of our apps as well as information about your device, including your unique device identifier (“UDID”) and other technical identifiers. More specifically, these tracking technologies allow us to collect data about your device and your use of our apps, the pages, videos, other content, or ads you see or click on during your visit and when and for how long you do so, and items you download. These tracking technologies are not browser-based like cookies and cannot be controlled by browser settings. For example, our apps may include third party SDKs, which is code that sends information about your use to a server, and is in effect the app version of a pixel. These SDKs allow us to track our conversions and communicate with you across devices, bring you advertising both on and off the Sites, customize the app to your interests and preferences and link such across platforms and devices, and provide you with additional functionality, such as the ability to connect our Site with your social media account.

Location-Identifying Technologies

GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth, and other location-aware technologies may be used to collect precise location data when you enable location-based services through your device. Location data may be used for purposes such as verifying your device’s location and delivering or restricting relevant content and advertising based on that location.

In addition, we use a variety of other technologies that collect similar information for security and fraud detection purposes essential to the operation of our sites and business.

For more information about the use of cookies and similar technology on our Site, please review Section 13 of this Privacy Notice and our Cookies and Tracking Technologies Policy. You can also find more information about cookies and how they work, what cookies have been set on your computer or mobile device and how to manage and delete them.

Information You Choose To Submit

You can visit the Services without telling us who you are or revealing any information by which someone could identify you as a specific, identifiable individual (which we will refer to in this Privacy Notice collectively as “Personal Data”). If, however, you wish to register to become a member of the Services, you are required to provide certain Personal Data (for example, your name and email address), and you must also provide a username and password. We use your Personal Data to fulfill your requests for products and services, to improve our Services, to contact you from time to time, with your consent, about us and our products and services, and as otherwise described in this Privacy Notice.

We refer collectively to all information we collect that is not Personal Data, including Usage Data, demographic data and de-identified Personal Data, as “Non-Personal Data”. If we combine Non-Personal Data with Personal Data, we will treat the combined information as Personal Data under this Privacy Notice.

Personal Data, Non-Personal Data, and User Submissions are referred to in this Privacy Notice collectively as “User Information.”

You may choose to enter contests, sweepstakes, competitions, participate in surveys, subscribe to newsletters, comment articles, use message boards, chat rooms, reader photo upload areas, reader ratings and reviews, save articles or other content on our Sites, reader-created content upload areas, contact us and customer support areas, and areas that allow you to register for SMS text messaging and mobile alerts, or otherwise interact with us in similar ways (“Interactive Areas”). These Interactive Areas may require that you provide Personal Data corresponding with the activities. You understand and agree that the Interactive Areas are voluntary and that your providing Personal Data for those activities will be collected and used by us to identify and communicate with you. In certain circumstances, we may share that Personal Information with sponsors, advertisers, affiliates or other partners. If you have questions about a specific Interactive Area, please contact us and reference that specific Interactive Area.

In addition, you are required to provide certain Personal Data when you submit a job application and supporting materials. Where you submit a job application on behalf of another person, you confirm that you have made that person aware of how we collect, use and share their Personal Data, the reason you have provided it, how they can contact us, the terms of this Privacy Notice and related policies and that they have consented to such collection, use and sharing. You can also choose to submit or we may collect additional information about yourself, such as demographic information (for example your gender, birth date, or zip code) and information about your preferences and interests. Failure to provide any required Personal Data will prevent us from being able to provide the Services you request (e.g., member registration or submission of job application) or otherwise inhibit our ability to provide the Services.

Here are examples of User Information we may collect:

• Contact Data. We collect your first and last name, email address, postal address, phone number, and other similar contact data.
• Credentials. We collect passwords, password hints, and other information for authentication and account access.
• Demographic Data. We collect demographic information including your age, gender, and country.
• Payment Data. We collect data necessary to process your payment if you make a purchase, including your payment instrument number (such as a credit card number), and the security code associated with your payment instrument.
• Profile Data. We collect your username, interests, favorites, and other profile data.
• Contacts. We collect data about your contacts in order to fulfill a request by you, such as fulfilling a gift subscription. Such functionality is only intended for United States (“U.S.”) residents. By using this functionality, you acknowledge and agree that both you and your contacts are based in the U.S. and that you have your contacts’ consent for us to use their contact information to fulfill your request.
• Content. We collect the content of messages you send to us, such as feedback and product reviews you write, or questions and information you provide to customer support. We also collect the content of your communications as necessary to provide you with the services you use.
• Resume Data. We collect data to consider you for a job opening if you submit an application to us, including your employment history, writing samples, and references.
• Survey Data. We may also survey visitors about various topics, including events and experiences, media consumption preferences and how we can improve our Sites and services. Response to our surveys is entirely voluntary.

Information We Receive From Other Sources

We may supplement the information we collect with outside records in order to learn more about our users, to better tailor the content and offers we show you, and for other purposes. We may receive this information about you from public sources or third parties, including without limitation consumer data resellers, social networks, and advertisers that demonstrate collection complaint with applicable privacy laws. We may combine the information we receive from those other sources with information we collect through the Services. In those cases, we will apply this Privacy Notice to the combined information.

Information Use

We use the information we collect, including Personal Data and Usage Data:

• to enable you to use our Services, to create an account or profile, to process information you provide via our Services (including verifying that your email address is active and valid) and to process your transactions;
• to provide related customer service and care, including responding to your questions, complaints, or comments and sending surveys and processing survey responses;
• to provide you with information, products, or services that you have requested;
• to offer SMS text message mobile alerts for specific purposes;
• to offer an “Email This” feature that allows visitors to email a link to another person to inform them about an article or feature on the Sites. We do not retain telephone numbers or email addresses collected for these purposes after sending the SMS text message or email;
• to receive and process job applications for jobs with us;
• to provide you with information, products, or services that we otherwise believe will interest you, including special opportunities from us and our third-party partners;
• to tailor content, recommendations, and advertisements we and third parties display to you, both on the Services and elsewhere online;
• for internal business purposes, such as to improve our Services and content;
• to administer and process contests, sweepstakes, promotions, conferences and special events (collectively “Events”). Information collected through our Sites in conjunction with such Events is also used for marketing additional products, services and events by us and/or by our advertisers, sponsors, and marketing partners. Please see the rules of each individual Event and any applicable privacy policies for those Events for additional information on the choices you may exercise with respect to the use of your personal information collected in connection with that Event. To the extent there is a conflict between this Privacy Notice and the rules or policies applicable to an Event, the rules and policies associated with the Event shall govern.;
• to contact you with administrative communications and, in our discretion, changes to our Privacy Notice, Terms of Use, or any of our other policies;
• to comply with regulatory and legal obligations; and
• for purposes as disclosed at the time you provide your information and as further described in this Privacy Notice.

Social Network and Platform Integration

The Services contain integration with social networks and other platforms in which information is shared between us and such platforms. For example, if you create or log into your account through a third-party social media site, we may have access to certain information from that site, such as your name, email address, account information, photo and friends lists, and other information in accordance with the authorization procedures determined by such social media site. If you don’t want a social network to collect the information about you as described above, or you don’t want a social network to share it with us, please review the privacy policy, privacy settings and instructions of the applicable social network before you visit and use our Services.

Our Information Sharing Practice

Generally

We share Non-Personal Data, including Usage Data, de-identified Personal Data and aggregated user statistics, with third parties in our discretion. Information collected via the Sites is shared among our affiliates. For example, we may share your information with our related entities including our parent and sister companies for customer support, marketing, and technical operations. We share User Information, including Personal Data, as otherwise described in this Policy, and under the following circumstances.

Service Providers

From time to time, we enter into relationships with third parties who provide services to us (for example, analytics and research companies, advertisers and ad agencies, data management and storage services, credit card processing services, merchandise sales facilitators, sweepstakes or contest prize fulfillment). We share your information with third parties for the purposes of facilitating your requests (such as when you choose to share information with a social network about your activities on the Sites) and in connection with tailoring advertisements, measuring and improving our Sites and advertising effectiveness, and other enabling enhancements. We share aggregate information about our visitors with our advertisers, sponsors, and promotional partners, such as how many persons visited a particular page or activity, the average age of our visitors on the Site(s) or page(s), or the likes and dislikes of our visitors, but this information is not specific to any individual visitor. We obtain geographic information such as zip code clustering from other sources, but this aggregate information will not reveal the precise location of a specific visitor. We also obtain other demographic information from third parties to improve our products and services, for marketing purposes or to display more relevant advertising. In those circumstances, we disclose User Information so that such service providers perform those services. These service providers are only permitted to use your Personal Data to the extent necessary to enable them to provide their services to us. They are required to follow our express instructions and to comply with appropriate security measures to protect your Personal Data. And our sites use certain Google analytics and other services, and certain pages use the Google AMP Client ID API, each of which enable collection and sharing of your information (including Personal Data) with Google for further use. For specific information on Google usage and how to control it, please see How Google uses data when you use our partners’ sites or apps and Google’s Privacy Notice.

Operational Providers

For your convenience, we may provide the opportunity to purchase certain goods, merchandise and services through the Sites (including, without limitation, retail purchases, print and digital magazine subscriptions and special event tickets). Companies other than Vox Media, Inc., its parents, partners, affiliates or subsidiaries may process these transactions. We call these companies that conduct our e-commerce operations, order and contest fulfillment and/or contract services “operational providers.” They are third parties that perform services on our behalf. If you choose to use these optional services, our operational providers will request your personal information to fulfill your order or request. The voluntary submission of your personal information to these operational providers, including your order or request, will be governed by the specific provider’s terms of use and privacy policies. To facilitate an order or request from you, we may share your personal information with the provider. The operational provider may also share your personal information and information about your purchases with us. We may store this information in our membership database. In most instances, we request that our operational providers adhere to the provisions in our Privacy Notice and that such providers only share visitors’ personal information with us, unless necessary to complete a visitor’s request or order. Operational providers are only permitted to use any personal information for the purpose of conducting the sale or fulfilling your requested service or order. However, you must read an operational provider’s privacy policy to determine the extent of use and disclosure of your personal information collected online. We are not responsible for the collection, use and disclosure practices of operational providers, nor are we responsible or liable for their services.

Events

Our Events and promotions may be jointly managed, sponsored or offered by third parties. If you voluntarily choose to enter or attend an Event, we may share your information with third parties as set forth in the official rules that govern the Event as well as for administrative purposes and as required by law (e.g., on a winners list). By entering a contest or sweepstakes Event, you agree to the official rules that govern that Event, and may, except where prohibited by applicable law, allow the sponsor and/or other parties to use your name, voice and/or likeness in advertising or marketing materials. Some events may be managed wholly by a third party and will be governed by any rules or terms they provide for that event and it is your responsibility to review and comply with those terms.

Third-Party Direct Marketing

We may share your information with third parties for our own direct marketing purposes (for example, email blasts, special offers, discounts, etc.). If you have not opted out of us sharing your information with third parties for marketing purposes, we may also share your information (including Personal Data) with third parties for their own direct marketing purposes. Please note, messages delivered from a third-party will subject you to the third-party’s privacy policy. We may also match your email address with third parties and use such match to deliver custom offers or emails to you on the Services and off the Services.

Third Party Features

We may allow you to connect our Sites to a third party service or offer our Sites through a third party service (“Third Party Features”). If you use a Third Party Feature, both we and the applicable third party may have access to and use information associated with your use of the Third Party Feature, and you should carefully review the third party’s privacy policy and terms of use. Some examples of Third Party Features include the following:

Logging-In. You may choose to log in, create an account or enhance your profile on the Sites through the Facebook Login feature. By doing this, you are asking Facebook to send us certain information from your Facebook profile, and you authorize us to collect, store, and use in accordance with this Privacy Notice any and all information available to us through the Facebook interface.

Brand Pages. We offer our content on social networks such as a Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Any information you provide to us when you engage with our content (such as through our brand page) is treated in accordance with this Privacy Notice. Also, if you publicly reference our Sites on a third party service (e.g., by using a hashtag associated with us in a tweet or post), we may use your reference on or in connection with our Service.

Change of Control

In the event we go through a business transition (such as a merger, acquisition by another company, bankruptcy, or sale of all or a portion of our assets, including, without limitation, during the course of any due diligence process), your Personal Data will likely be among the assets transferred. By providing your Personal Data, you agree that we can transfer such information in those circumstances without your further consent. Should such a business transition occur, we will make reasonable efforts to request that the new owner or combined entity (as applicable) follow this Privacy Notice with respect to your Personal Data. If your Personal Data would be used contrary to this Privacy Notice, we will request that you receive prior notice.

Other Disclosure Scenarios

We reserve the right, and you hereby expressly authorize us, to share User Information: (i) in response to subpoenas, court orders, or legal process, or to establish, protect, or exercise our legal rights or defend against legal claims; (ii) if we believe it is necessary in order to investigate, prevent, or take action regarding illegal activities, fraud, or situations involving potential threats to the safety of any person or property; (iii) if we believe it is necessary to investigate, prevent, or take action regarding significant abuse of the Services infrastructure or the Internet in general (such as voluminous spamming, denial of service attacks, or attempts to compromise the security of information); (iv) to protect and defend our legal rights or property, our services or their users, or any other party, and to protect the health and safety of our users or the general public; and (v) to our parent company, subsidiaries, joint ventures, or other companies under common control with us (in which case we will require such entities to honor this Privacy Notice).

Anonymous Data

When we use the term “anonymous data,” we are referring to data and information that does not permit you to be identified or identifiable, either alone or when combined with any other information available to a third-party. We may create anonymous data from the Personal Data we receive about you and other individuals whose Personal Data we collect. Anonymous data will include analytics information and information collected by us using cookies. We make Personal Data into anonymous data by excluding information (such as your name or other personal identifiers) that makes the data personally identifiable to you. We use this anonymous data to analyze usage patterns in order to make improvements to our Services.

Public Information

If you identify any User Information as public, you are authorizing us to share such information publicly. For example, you can elect to make certain of your User Submissions (such as your alias, bio, email or photos) publicly available. Also, there are areas of the Services (for example, message boards, discussion rooms, and other online forums) in which you are able to post information that automatically will be available to all other users of the Services. By choosing to use these areas, you understand and agree that anyone can access, use, and disclose any information that you post to those areas.

Users Outside of the United States and Consent to Transfer

The Services are operated in the United States. If you are located in another jurisdiction, please be aware that information you provide to us will be transferred to, stored and processed in the United States. By using the Services or providing us with any information, you consent to this transfer, processing, and storage of your information in the United States, a jurisdiction in which the privacy laws are not as comprehensive as those in the country where you reside or are a citizen such as the European Union. You understand that the U.S. government can obtain access to the Personal Data you submit if necessary for investigative purposes (e.g., terrorism investigation). We will take all steps reasonably necessary to ensure that your data is treated securely and in accordance with this Privacy Notice. We use appropriate and suitable safeguards for transferring your Personal Data to the U.S. (e.g., standard contractual clauses issued by the European Commission, which can be accessed here).

Important Information for California Residents: Your California Privacy Rights

These additional disclosures for California residents apply only to individuals who reside in California. The California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (“CCPA”) provides additional rights to know, delete and opt out, and requires businesses collecting or disclosing personal information to provide notices and means to exercise those rights. The words used in this section have the meanings given to them in the CCPA, which may be broader than their common meaning. For example, the definition of “personal information” under the CCPA includes your name, but also more general information such as age.

Notice of Collection

Although the information we collect is described in greater detail in Sections 1-6 above, the categories of personal information that we may have collected – as described by the CCPA – in the past 12 months are:

• Identifiers, including name, email address, phone number account name, IP address, and an ID or number assigned to your account.
• Customer records, billing and shipping address, and credit or debit card information.
• Demographics, such as your age or gender. This category includes data that may qualify as protected classifications under other California or federal laws.
• Commercial information, including purchases and engagement with the Services.
• Internet activity, including your interactions with our Service.
• Audio or visual data, including pictures or videos you post on our Service.
• Geolocation data, including location enabled services such as WiFi and GPS.
• Employment and education data, including information you provide when you apply for a job with us.
• Inferences, including information about your interests, preferences and favorites.

For more information on our collection practices, including the sources we receive information from, please review the different forms of information collected through various means as described in more detail in Sections 1 – 6 above. We collect and use these categories of personal information for the business purposes also described in Sections 1 – 6, as well as our sharing practices described in Section 7.

We do not generally “sell” personal information as the term “sell” is traditionally understood. However, to the extent “sale” under the CCPA is interpreted to include advertising technology activities such as those disclosed in the Advertising (Section 13) as a “sale,” we provide you the option to request that we not “sell” your personal information. We do not sell the personal information of minors known to be under the age of 16 without affirmative authorization.

We sell or disclose the following categories of personal information for commercial purposes: identifiers, demographic information, commercial information, internet activity, geolocation data and inferences. We use and partner with different types of entities to assist with our daily operations and manage our Service. Please review Our Information Sharing Practices in Section 7 above, Advertising in Section 7 below, and our Cookies and Tracking Technologies Policy for more detail about the parties we have shared information with.

Right to Know and Delete

If you are a California resident, you have the right to delete the personal information we have collected from you and the right to know certain information about our data practices in the preceding 12 months. In particular, you have the right to request the following from us:

• The categories of personal information we have collected about you;
• The categories of sources from which the personal information was collected;
• The categories of personal information about you we disclosed for a business purpose or sold;
• The categories of third parties to whom the personal information was disclosed for a business purpose or sold;
• The business or commercial purpose for collecting or selling the personal information; and
• The specific pieces of personal information we have collected about you.

We have a duty as the holder of certain personal information to verify your identity when making requests to know or delete personal information and to ensure that dissemination of that information would not cause harm to you if it were distributed to another person. To verify your identity, we will request and collect additional personal information from you to match it against our records. We may ask for additional information or documentation if we feel it is necessary to confirm your identity with the necessary degree of certainty. We may communicate with you through email, a secure message center, or other reasonably necessary and appropriate means. We do have the right to deny requests under certain circumstances. In such cases, we will notify you of the reasons for denial. We will not provide you with specific pieces of personal information if the disclosure creates a substantial, articulable, and unreasonable risk to the security of that personal information, your account with us, or the security of our systems or networks. In no event will we disclose, if we have collected it, your Social Security number, driver’s license number or other government-issued identification number, financial account number, any health insurance or medical identification number, an account password, or security questions and answers.

Authorized Agent

You may submit a request through a designated agent. You must instruct that agent that they will need to state that they are acting on your behalf when making the request, have reasonably necessary documentation, and be prepared to provide the necessary personal information to identify you in our database.