AlmondNet is a New York-based interactive advertising company that provides a service to both consumers and the online advertising community by presenting consumers who are surfing the Internet ("Users") with relevant ads and finding a more likely audience for advertisers' products.

 

So that we may help you to understand how AlmondNet's technology works, and to allow you to exercise your privacy preferences, we offer this Technology Privacy Policy. For information about the information collected and used from this web site, www.almondnet.com, please see our web site privacy policy here.

What types of information does AlmondNet's technology collect?

In order to increase the relevance of online advertisements, our technology collects information about Users from our data partners, and from Users as they visit our partner web sites. This information is typically collected:

• When a User enters a word or phrase into an online search engine where our technology is used;
• When a User conducts an online search for a product or service at a web site where our technology is used;
• While a User visits certain web sites where our technology is used and/or views certain content while online;
• When AlmondNet obtains demographic information (e.g., area code, city, gender, age) from our data partners.

This information (e.g., the search term itself, the product or service searched for, the web site visited) may be collected as-is or may be categorized into segment categories (e.g., sports, news, apparel, electronics) to help us determine which types of online advertisement might be relevant to each User. For example, if a User searches for a "digital camera" on a partner web site of AlmondNet, AlmondNet will collect the term "digital camera" and store both the term in its raw form (e.g., "digital camera") as well as a segment category (e.g., "electronics").

 

AlmondNet does NOT actively collect any personally identifiable information from Users. AlmondNet also does NOT store any personally identifiable information such as name, address, telephone number, social security number or e-mail. As a result, we have no way of tying any of the information we collect back to a particular User.

 

It is important to note that AlmondNet only stores collected information that has commercial value for advertisers. For example, if a User searches for his own name on a partner site of AlmondNet, AlmondNet's servers will collect the information but will not store it as the information has no commercial value. We may store an aggregate list of search terms entered by Users, but none of that information could be used to identify a particular User.

 

It is also worth noting that AlmondNet does not store collected information that includes searches about or visits to adult and gambling sites regardless of their commercial value to advertisers. This means that your visits to or searches about such sites will not be used to target ads to you through AlmondNet's technology.

How is the information collected through AlmondNet's technology used?

The information collected by AlmondNet is checked for its commercial value. Information found to be of value is stored both in its raw form as well as its categorized form. As noted in the example mentioned earlier, if a User searches for a "digital camera" on a partner web site of AlmondNet, AlmondNet will collect the term "digital camera" and store both the term in its raw form (e.g., "digital camera") as well as a segment category (e.g., "electronics").

 

This information is later used in order to provide advertisements on other web sites about goods and services that may be of interest to you. These relevant advertisements are delivered in one of two ways:

• Directly by AlmondNet when we obtain advertising space on certain web sites, and;
• By AlmondNet's advertising partners, when we share non-personally identifiable information with them.

Either way, AlmondNet doesn't use this information to identify you or anyone else personally.

Do you use Cookies in connection with your technology?

AlmondNet's technology uses cookies. A cookie is a small text file that a browser stores on a User's computer for record-keeping purposes and future recognition of that User's computer by the server that placed the cookie. The AlmondNet cookie contains an automatically-assigned value. This value is a series of letters, numbers and characters that does not contain your name, email address, or other personally identifiable information.

How do I know if a web site I visit provides AlmondNet with data?

We require our partner web sites to inform Users about their privacy and information collection practices via their privacy policies, including whether or not the web site is using AlmondNet's technology, and a way to opt out from the storing of data by AlmondNet. AlmondNet is a member of the Network Advertising Initiative ("NAI") and follows the NAI's Self-Regulatory Principles. AlmondNet's data providers can provide Users with a means to opt out of AlmondNet storing data related to their web sites visits either by linking directly to this policy or to the NAI Consumer Opt Out page. We encourage everyone to read the privacy policies of any web site they visit.

To whom is the information disclosed?

AlmondNet discloses the information collected by our technology on a limited basis, including the following:

• As described above, we share non-personally identifiable search terms and segment category information with our advertising partners so they may deliver relevant online advertisements to Users. However, we contractually require our advertising partners not to transfer this information to anyone else.
• We may grant our partner web sites and advertising partners access to reports that aggregate information about the ads presented by the AlmondNet system. Please note that the information in these reports is in the aggregate, and could not identify anyone personally.
• We may also disclose to third parties the information we collect through our technology when we have a good faith belief that it is necessary to do so: in response to legal process, to protect and defend AlmondNet's rights or property, to prevent fraud or in cases of imminent danger, or in the event of a merger, acquisition or sale of all or a part of AlmondNet's assets.

How long do you retain the information?

We generally store demographic information (e.g., area code, city, gender, age) obtained from our data partners for up to two years. After two years, demographic information is discarded. Please note that demographic information collected prior to June of 2009 is stored in a cookie with a longer expire date. However, as AlmondNet encounters these cookies, we reset their expire date to two years.
We store search terms and segment categories for up to 180 days. After 180 days, search terms and segment categories are discarded.

What are your security procedures?

The security of the information collected through AlmondNet's technology is important to us. Information collected by the AlmondNet system is stored in databases that are maintained in a secure data center in the United States. Both physical and Internet access are strictly protected and limited. Access is granted only to those with authorization. The information is stored anonymously, and is therefore not personally identifiable – even by AlmondNet. No method of transmission over the Internet, or method of electronic storage is 100% secure, however. Therefore, while we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your information, we cannot guarantee its absolute security.

How can I opt-out? 

 

If you would like to opt-out from viewing ads that are made more relevant to your interests by AlmondNet, please click here:

 

OPT-OUT

 

This will take you to a page that will enable you to opt-out from AlmondNet. If you choose to opt-out, we will place an AlmondNet opt-out cookie on your computer that tells AlmondNet's servers that you don't want us to store your non-personally identifiable information or to present you with targeted online advertisements.

 

Please note that if you change your computer, change your Internet browser (e.g., from Internet Explorer to Firefox) or delete all your cookies, you will need to get another opt-out cookie from AlmondNet.

How can I learn more about AlmondNet's Privacy Practices?

You may contact AlmondNet with any questions or concerns you may have at:

AlmondNet, Inc.
134 Spring Street, Suite 302
New York, NY 10012

E-mail: privacy@almondnet.com