Privacy Policy
Effective August 1, 2007:
About Neighborology
Neighborology is an online service that allows users to participate in a social network existing on three levels: Home, Community, and Region. Neighborology users can create unique user profiles in their Homes and post blog entries, discussion comments, reviews, photos, and videos. Such information may be accessed through the user’s Home, as well as the Community and Region pages if a user participates on those levels. Posts submitted solely for purposes of the Community level are accessible only to members of that Community. Verification by use of an invitation code or verification question will be required before a user is granted access to a Community.
Neighborology cares deeply about online privacy. If you have any questions concerning this privacy policy, please contact us.
Information Collection and Use by Neighborology
Neighborology collects user submitted information such as name, date of birth, email address, and zip code to authenticate users, verify residence to grant membership in a particular Community, and to send notifications to users relating to the Neighborology service.
Neighborology also logs non-personally-identifiable information, including IP address, profile information, aggregate user data, and browser type, from users and visitors to the site. This data is used to manage the website, track usage, and improve services. This non-personally-identifiable information may be shared with third-parties to provide more relevant services and advertisements to users. User IP addresses are recorded for security and monitoring purposes.
User profile information including users’ pictures and city of residence may be displayed to people in order to facilitate Community and user interaction on Neighborology. Email addresses are used for purposes of inviting new neighbors and friends to join Neighborology and to send notifications related to the service. With the exception of inviting neighbors and friends to Neighborology, a user's email address is not shared or displayed to people within a user's Home, Community or Region. Users within a Home, Community or Region communicate with each other on Neighborology through the Neighborology messaging service, without disclosing their email addresses. Users' full names are never directly revealed to other users, except when users send email invitations to neighbors and friends.
Neighborology or a Community may also use a user's email address to send updates, a newsletter or news regarding the service or a Community. Users may choose not to receive emails of this type by first logging in to their Home, clicking on the “Settings” tab at the top of the page, then clicking “Manage Homes” and checking “No” for “Receive email notifications.” Users belonging to a Community may access their Community page, click on the “Settings” tab at the top of the page, then click on “Manage Communities” and select “No” for “Receive bulletins” and “Receive updates.”
Invitations and Other Communications to Non-users
Neighborology users can invite neighbors and friends to join the service by sending invitation emails via our automated invitation system. Neighborology stores the email addresses that users provide so that the respondents may be added to the community or neighbors and friends’ list of the user sending the invitations, and also to send reminders of the invitations. Neighborology does not sell these email addresses or use them to send any other communication besides invitations and up to three invitation reminders per email address. Recipients of invitations from Neighborology may contact Neighborology to request the removal of their information from our database.
You may prevent Neighborology email invitations and other messages from being sent to any email address you control by sending a request to privacy@neighborology.com. Please note that the email must come from the email account you wish to block.
Use of Cookies
Neighborology uses cookies to store users' preferences and to record session information, for purposes including ensuring that users are not repeatedly offered the same advertisements and to customize newsletter, advertising, and web page content based on browser type and user profile information. We do not link the information we store in cookies to any personally identifiable information you submit while on our site. You may be able to configure your browser to accept or reject all or some cookies, or notify you when a cookie is set. Each browser is different, so check the "Help" menu of your browser to learn how to change your cookie preferences. However, you must enable cookies from Neighborology in order to use most functions on the site. Please note that Neighborology allows third party advertisers that are presenting advertisements on some of our pages to set and access their cookies on your computer. Advertisers' use of cookies is subject to their own privacy policies, not the Neighborology Privacy Policy.
Links
Neighborology contains links to other sites. Neighborology is not responsible for the privacy policies and/or practices on other sites. When linking to another site a user should read the privacy policy stated on that site. Our privacy policy only governs information collected on Neighborology.com.
Blogs, Forum, Reviews, and Other Public Forums
Please be aware that whenever you voluntarily post personal information to a blog, the forum or the reviews, or any other public forum, that information can be accessed by the public and can in turn be used by those people to send you unsolicited communications.
Correcting/Updating or Removing Information
Neighborology users may modify their personal information at any time by logging in to their Home and accessing the “Settings” tab at the top of the page.
Email Choice/Opt-out
Neighborology or a Community may also use a user's email address to send updates, a newsletter or news regarding the service or a Community. Users may choose not to receive emails of this type by first logging in to their Home, clicking on the “Settings” link at the top of the page, then clicking “Manage Homes” and checking “No” for “Receive email notifications.” Users belonging to a Community may access their Community page, click on the “Settings” link at the top of the page, then click on “Manage Communities” and select “No” for “Receive bulletins” and “Receive updates.”
Third Party Advertising
Ads appearing on this site may be delivered to users by Neighborology or one of our Web advertising partners. Our Web advertising partners may set cookies. These cookies allow the ad server to recognize your computer each time they send you an online advertisement. In this way, ad servers may compile information about where you, or others who are using your computer, saw their advertisements and determine which ads are clicked on. This information allows an ad network to deliver targeted advertisements that they believe will be of most interest to you. This privacy statement covers the use of cookies by Neighborology and does not cover the use of cookies by any advertisers.
Security
Neighborology user accounts are secured by user-created passwords. Neighborology takes precautions to ensure that user account information is kept private. We use reasonable measures to protect user information that is stored within our database, and we restrict access to user information to those employees who need access to perform their job functions, such as our customer service personnel and technical staff. Please note that we cannot guarantee the security of user account information. Unauthorized entry or use, hardware or software failure, and other factors may compromise the security of user information at any time. For any additional information about the security measures we use on Neighborology, please contact us.
Sharing and Disclosure of Information Neighborology Collects
Except as otherwise described in this privacy statement, Neighborology will not disclose personal information to any third party unless we believe that disclosure is necessary: (1) to conform to legal requirements or to respond to a subpoena, search warrant or other legal process received by Neighborology, whether or not a response is required by applicable law; (2) to enforce the Neighborology Terms of Service Agreement or to protect our rights; or (3) to protect the safety of members of the public and users of the service. Neighborology reserves the right to transfer personal information to a successor in interest that acquires rights to that information as a result of the sale of Neighborology or substantially all of its assets to that successor in interest. For more information see "Changes in Our Privacy Policy" below.
Changes in Our Privacy Policy
From time to time we may make changes to our privacy policy. If we make changes, we will post them on our site so users will always be aware of what information we collect, how we use it, and when we may disclose it. A user is bound by any minor changes to the policy when she or he uses the site after those changes have been posted. If, however, we are going to use users' personally identifiable information in a manner materially different from that stated at the time of collection we will notify by posting a notice on our site for 30 days.
Contacting Neighborology
If you have any questions about this privacy statement, the practices of this site, or your dealings with this site, please contact us.