Upoc Networks Privacy Policy

Upoc Networks respects your privacy and has instituted this Privacy Policy to protect you. Please read on to learn how we collect and use information obtained from this web site or from the text messages we receive from you to opt-in for services.

If you have any questions about our Privacy Policy or the Terms and Conditions, feel free to contact us at feedback@UpocNetworks.com.

WHEN AND HOW DOES UPOC NETWORKS COLLECT PERSONAL INFORMATION?

Registration
Personally identifying information is any information that can be used to identify and contact you, including your e-mail address or telephone number (what we call your "Personal Information"). When you register to use Upoc Networks-enabled services, we ask for your Personal Information. We may also ask for your date of birth, gender, carrier service provider and/or zip code (what we call your "General Information"). We use your General Information to manage your account and to provide you with the Upoc Networks services. Therefore, when you register as a member of a Upoc Networks-enabled service or program, we ask for your honest responses to this information, and you represent that your responses are correct and accurate, so that we can serve you more efficiently and effectively.

A cell phone number and carrier service provider is only required if you want messages sent to your mobile phone. As with your other Personal Information, we use your cell phone number only for the purposes of delivering those Upoc Networks services to which you have opted-in.

If you are a member of a Upoc Networks-enabled community service ("Community"), such as Upoc.com and vText Communities, we also may ask for optional General Information, including your hobbies and personal interests. Like other General Information, this information may be entered into your personal profile page and may be accessed by other Community members. You are not required to give us this information.

We use your Personal Information in order to manage your account and to deliver the Upoc Networks services. If you are a member of Upoc.com, we also use both your Personal Information and General Information in order to help us customize and enrich your Community experience by allowing us to send group and channel information, as well as new features announcements and advertisements to you based upon your interests. While you are receiving information directly to your account, advertisers never see or have access to your Personal Information.

Cookies
If you are using a Upoc Networks-enabled web site, in order to provide you with thorough and personalized service, Upoc Networks uses "cookies" to keep and occasionally track information about you. A cookie is a small piece of data that is sent to your browser from a web server and stored on your computer's hard drive. Upoc Networks sometimes uses cookies to track information for our users' convenience and to understand our customers better. The cookies that are gathered by Upoc Networks are only used by Upoc Networks. At no time do we share information from cookies with third parties.

Links to Other Sites
Please note that you could be directed to another site while using Upoc Networks-enabled web sites. When you link to another site, you should review their privacy policy, as it may be different from our Privacy Policy. Such sites may send their own cookies to users and otherwise collect data or solicit personal information. Upoc Networks is not responsible, and shall not be liable, for the privacy practices of linked sites or any use such sites may make of any information collected from you. This Privacy Policy applies solely to information collected by Upoc Networks-enabled web sites.

Children
Children should not submit any Personal Information without the permission of their parents or guardians. Upoc Networks encourages all parents or guardians to instruct their children in the safe and responsible use of their Personal Information while using the Internet. Upoc Networks will not allow children under the age of thirteen (13) to use the web site. By clicking the "accept" button, you are representing that you are at least 18, or that you are at least 13 years old and have your parents’ permission to register for Upoc.

WHEN DOES UPOC NETWORKS SHARE MY PERSONAL INFORMATION?

Profile Page
Upoc Networks publishes a profile page that is accessible to other Upoc Networks Community members. Your user profile tells other members a little about you. Currently, some user information is automatically published in your profile as soon as you register, including date of birth and gender. You may, however, modify your profile to make anything but your date of birth private. Please note that though date of birth is requested, it is your age, not your date of birth, that is displayed in your profile for others to see. Displaying ages in profiles is mandatory to ensure the safety of all users.

New Subscribers From Our Linking Client Sites
If you are not already a member of a Upoc Networks-powered service and were directed to a Upoc Networks Client page from a link on that Client's web site, we may share Personal Information and/or General Information with the linking Client. In these instances, we will inform you, before you give us any Personal Information and/or General Information or complete the registration process, that we share this information with the linking Client. We may also include a link to the linking Client's privacy policy. Because our linking Clients may have different privacy policies than Upoc Networks, and Upoc Networks has no control over the linking Clients, we encourage you to read the Client's privacy policy before you decide whether or not to continue the registration process. By completing the registration process, you acknowledge and agree that Upoc Networks is not responsible, and shall not be liable, for the practices of any linking Client site or any use such linking Client may make of your Personal Information or General Information. If you do not want us to share your data with the linking Client, your only option is to choose not to register during a visit to Upoc Networks directly from a linking Client. Similarly, you will be solely responsible for any information you choose to disclose to such third parties.

Newsletters, Contests and Other Information from Clients
When you sign up to receive alerts and other information from one of our Clients, the settings default to your having opted-in to receive newsletters, sign up for contests, or receive additional information directly from that Client as well. If you do not choose to opt-out from receiving such additional content directly from the Client, you grant us permission to share your Personal Information and General Information with them for that purpose. You may opt-out by logging on to Upoc.com and going to Settings > My Messages. Even if you elect not to receive such additional content directly from our Clients, it is generally necessary for us to share portions of your Personal Information and/or General Information with such Client to the extent necessary to provide you with the alerts and other information you have requested. Because Clients may have different privacy policies than Upoc Networks, and Upoc Networks has no control over its Clients, we encourage you to read the Client's privacy policy before receiving additional content, alerts or other information. By not opting-out from receiving additional content directly from a Client, or from receiving alerts or other information from one of our Clients, you acknowledge and agree that Upoc Networks is not responsible, and shall not be liable, for the practices of any Client or any use such Client may make of your Personal Information or General Information. If you do not want us to share your data with the Client, you should opt-out from receiving additional content, alerts and other information from such a Client.

Business Transfers
Upoc Networks does not sell, rent or disclose any of your Personal Information with third parties without first asking your consent to do so. However, in the event that Upoc Networks or substantially all of its assets are acquired, Upoc Networks may transfer your Personal Information and General Information without your prior notification or consent as one of the transferred business assets.

When Required by Law
Upoc Networks releases Personal Information and/or General Information when we believe release is appropriate to comply with laws; enforce or apply our Terms and Conditions and other agreements; or protect the rights, property, or safety of Upoc Networks, our users, or others.

Aggregate Data
When you access Upoc Networks-enabled web sites, our server automatically collects certain information that is not personally identifiable, such as your IP address, pages viewed, and length of time spent on the web site. We collect and use this information, in the aggregate only, to diagnose problems with our server, to improve our sites, and to provide content of interest to you. We also give Clients access to aggregate data about our users and their use of the Upoc Networks services during user sessions. The information we share will not include Personal Information, but may include General Information.

A Note About Groups and Public Forums
Upoc Networks Community services give you the opportunity to create and send messages to other Upoc Networks members. Please remember that the messages you send out are publicly available. We encourage you to be careful and not to publish any Personal Information in messages you send out. Always keep in mind that any information you disclose on the Internet or through the Upoc Networks services (through e-mail, SMS or voice messages, message boards or chat groups) is public and can be read by others. Also, whenever you send messages through the Internet or through the Upoc Networks services, there is a risk that your personally identifying information can be collected by a third party, resulting in unsolicited e-mail messages or advertisements. Please note that any group containing unlawful material or activity will be disbanded. Group owners are encouraged to boot any members from their groups who post harmful or harassing messages to the group. However, group owners are not responsible for what occurs in the personal messages of its members, only messages posted to the group as a whole.

Security
Upoc Networks takes precautions to ensure the security of your Personal Information and strives to keep it accurate. However, we cannot guarantee that hackers or unauthorized personnel may gain access to your Personal Information despite our efforts. Upoc encourages users to be proactive in not posting Personal Information in individual messages to other users or in groups, and recommends that all users choose a password of at least 8 characters in length and a mix of letters and numbers.

Opting-Out / Turn Off Message Delivery
In the event that you elect to no longer receive Upoc Networks services, you may always opt-out or turn off messaging at any of the Upoc Networks-enabled web sites. Additionally, users on most major carriers can reply ".Quit" to any Upoc Networks-enabled message to opt-out of the program associated with that message. If users encounter difficulty, they can also write to feedback@upocnetworks.com.

CONSENT TO PRIVACY POLICY

By using Upoc Networks-enabled services, you consent to the collection and use of information about you in the ways described in this Privacy Policy. Upoc Networks reserves the right to update and amend this Privacy Policy from time to time to remain consistent with new products, services, processes, and Internet privacy legislation. We will post changes to the Privacy Policy on this page so that you are always aware of what information we collect, how we use it, and under what circumstances we disclose it. The amended Privacy Policy shall automatically be effective five (5) days after they are initially posted on the web site. Your continued use of the services after the effective date of any posted change constitutes your acceptance of the amended Privacy Policy as modified by the posted changes. For this reason, we encourage you to review this Privacy Policy whenever you use the services. The last date this Privacy Policy was revised is set forth below.


LAST UPDATED: 8/23/2005
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