Your privacy on our web sites, eGrip and eCals, is of the utmost importance to us. Because we gather certain types of information about you, we feel you should fully understand the terms and conditions surrounding the capture and use of that information. This privacy statement discloses what information we gather, how we use it, and how to correct or change it.

1. What information this site gathers/tracks about you
2. What this site does with the information it gathers/tracks
3. With whom this site shares the information it gathers/tracks
4. This site's opt-out policy
5. This site's policy on correcting and updating personally identifiable information
6. This site's policy on deleting or deactivating your name from its database

1. Information eGrip Gathers and Tracks eGrip gathers three types of information about users:
   • data that users provide through optional, voluntary registrations on several of our sites and in certain contests and sweepstakes;
   • data eGrip gathers through aggregating tracking information derived mainly by tallying page views throughout our sites and click through on our newsletters. Such information enables us to better tailor our content to readers' needs and to help our advertisers better understand the demographics of our audience. Because eGrip derives its revenue mainly from advertising, providing such aggregated demographic data is essential to keeping our service free to users. The only situation in which eGrip divulges information about an individual user to a third party is with certain contests and sweepstakes--and then, only with the user's express consent.

   eGrip gathers user information in the following processes:

   • Optional Registration

     Several eGrip sites offer free, voluntary registration to users. By registering, users can enter the sites without having to log on each time; they can take advantage of personalization (the ability to select content according to a user-supplied profile).

     During registration the user is required to supply a username, password, and email address, and must answer mandatory survey questions about age, gender, income, Internet connection, zip code, country, employment status, and other employment information.

     During registration the user has the option of supplying a first name, last name, and password hint. In addition, the user can opt to subscribe to various eGrip electronic newsletters and to have his or her email address and/or URL appear in postings.

   • Electronic Newsletters (Dispatches)

     eGrip may provide electronic dispathes (distributions/newsletters) to users. eGrip will gather the email addresses of users who voluntarily subscribe. Users may remove themselves from this mailing list through the subscription management pages. Users can also subscribe to the newsletters at the time of registration. eGrip delivers newsletters, marketing and product offerings via email to only registered recipients from our subscription center. The email tracking system recognizes the URL that was clicked, and records some information about you and your computer, such as the email address that you provided to us, the browser, operating system and IP address.

   • "Tell-A-Friend" Service

     A reader can choose to electronically forward a notice to someone else by clicking the link next to the item. The user must provide their email address, as well as that of the recipient. This information is used only in the case of transmission errors and, of course, to let the recipient know who sent the story. The information is not used for any other purpose, unless it registers the sender and/or recipient in a contest.

   • Surveys

     Occasionally eGrip conducts user surveys to better target our content to our audience. We sometimes share the aggregated demographic information in these surveys with our advertisers and partners. We never share any of this information about specific individuals with any third party.

   • Contests and Sweepstakes

     eGrip offers contests and sweepstakes in which we request certain personal information. At a minimum, the required information includes name and email address; in some cases, the user must answer mandatory survey questions about a range of other personal data. The information gathered in the entry form is used to verify the entrant's identity, to send the entrant an email notification that their entry has been received, and to contact winners and/or prize recipients. There are two situations in which eGrip will divulge this information to a third party--provided the user gives express consent:

     • A user may expressly choose to receive additional information from the contest sponsor, in which case the user's personally identifiable information is divulged to the advertiser.
     • Some of the contests may be hosted on the eGrip site but administered by the sponsor; in such cases, the information a user provides is passed on to the third party as long as that user gives express consent.

     Because the rules and terms of each contest can vary, all information about each contest is clearly posted during the event. All contests and sweepstakes are conducted in full accordance with United States federal and state laws.

   • Usage Tracking

     eGrip tracks user traffic patterns throughout all of our sites. eGrip sometimes tracks and catalogs the search terms that users enter in the search, but this tracking is never associated with individual users.

   • Cookies

     A cookie is a small data file that certain Web sites write to your hard drive when you visit them. A cookie file can contain information such as a user ID that the site uses to track the pages you've visited. But the only personal information a cookie can contain is information you supply yourself. A cookie can't read data off your hard disk or read cookie files created by other sites.

     eGrip does NOT use cookies to track user traffic patterns.

     You can refuse cookies by turning them off in your browser. You do not need to have cookies turned on to use any eGrip site. However, you do need cookies to participate actively in Amazon.com sites.

   • Opt-in Email Newsletters

     eGrip may offer free email newsletters to users. When users subscribe to a eGrip newsletter, they are given the opportunity to opt in, or join, announcement lists. If users choose to opt in for an announcement list, they will receive email newsletters from third parties on topics selected by the users. Users may have their email addresses removed from the opt-in announcement lists at any time by following the instructions printed in the email newsletters.

   • Third-Party Ad Servers

     Some of our advertisers use third-party advertising companies to serve their ads on our sites. These third-party advertising companies employ cookie technology to measure ad effectiveness. To do so, these companies may use information about your visits to our sites and other Web sites. Unless you are otherwise notified, these advertising companies do not use names, addresses, email addresses, or telephone numbers, and they do not link any online actions or cookies to an identifiable person. Use of their cookies is subject to their own privacy policies. If you would like more information about the privacy policies of the third-party advertisers on eGrip's sites, including information on how to opt out of their cookies, check their sites:

2. Use of the Information

   eGrip uses any information voluntarily given by our users to enhance their experience in our network of sites, whether to provide interactive or personalized elements on the sites or to better prepare future content based on the interests of our users.

   As stated above, eGrip uses information that users voluntarily provide in order to send out electronic newsletters and to enable users to participate in polls, contests, message boards, and auctions. eGrip never shares newsletter mailing lists with any third parties, including advertisers or partners. When we use tracking information to determine which areas of our sites users like and don't like based on traffic to those areas. eGrip does not track what individual users read, but rather how well each page performs overall.

3. Sharing of the Information

   We do not share information about individual users with any third party, except in the case of some contests and sweepstakes--and then, only with a user's express consent. eGrip may make registration records and log files available on a confidential basis to third-party auditors and to select measurement and analysis firms.

   eGrip does not control the practices of our advertisers. If you have questions about how one of our advertisers uses information about you when you click their ad and go to their content, please contact them directly. (eGrip will divulge information only as necessary to comply with state and federal laws.)

4. Opt-out Policy

   eGrip gives users options wherever necessary and practical. Such choices include:

   • Opting not to receive our electronic distributions when completing a form.
   • Opting not to provide certain personal information when completing a form.
   • Opting not to participate in certain interactive areas, which completely alleviates the need to gather any personally identifiable information from our users.

5. Correct/Update Policy

   eGrip offers users the ability to correct or change the information collected during registration for any site (see above). Users may change this information at any time and as often as necessary. Users who are experiencing problems or who have any questions about how our services work can contact us by using our feedback form.

6. Delete/Deactivate Policy

   Users may unsubscribe to any of our electronic services at any time by following the instructions contained at the end of every service or by using our feedback form.

Since eGrip and eCals are Amazon affiliates we suggest you read the Amazon Privacy Notice.