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Our system automatically collects information about the pages that visitors view on our Web site. We may use this aggregate information to understand how our members as a group use the services we provide so that we can improve our Web site. Furthermore, we may share such aggregate statistical information with our partners, affiliates or other outside companies, but in doing so, it is not our practice to disclose individual names or other personal information. Some examples of how we aggregate such information are as follows:
Cookies: A cookie is a small amount of data that is sent to your browser from a Web server and stored on your computer's hard drive. Cookies are widely used on the Internet and have become an industry standard. Cookies enable user registration, login and personalization, among other things. Although a cookie cannot identify you personally, it can identify your computer. Your browser is most likely set up to accept cookies automatically. If you would like to disable this feature you may do so by adjusting the options or preferences in your browser. However, by doing so, you will lose some of the conveniences of our Web pages.
IP addresses: An IP address is a number that is automatically assigned to your computer whenever you begin service with an Internet Service Provider. We collect IP addresses for the purposes of system administration and to audit the use of our site. Each time you log onto our site and each time you request one of our pages, our server logs your IP address. Although we log your session with us, we will not normally link your IP address to anything that can enable us to identify you. However, we can and will use IP addresses to identify a user when we feel it is necessary to enforce compliance with our rules or terms of service or to protect our service, site, users or others.
Computer information: We query your computer automatically for information about the computer or operating system you are using such as the baud rate of your modem or error messages you may have received. We may do so in order to fit our services to your individual needs and to diagnose problems you may be having with our Web site. We use a unique identifier in the form of a user ID to give you access to special areas of our Web site intended for registered users.
Geographic location: We may gather information about your geographical location by determining where your computer is located. We do this in order to provide either localized service or to provide faster service by sending your server localized content.
Other information: We may require other information for tracking or verifying compliance with our policies, abiding by federal, state and local laws and for editorial and feedback solicitation purposes. In addition, from time to time, we may use your information for unanticipated uses, such as notification of new services, announcements and general communications. If our information practices materially change at some time in the future, we will post such changes to the site before we use your data for these new purposes. If you are concerned about how your information is used, please periodically check this privacy policy.
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