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Your privacy is very important to
us. We want to make your experience on the Internet as enjoyable and rewarding
as possible, and we want you to use the Internet's vast array of information,
tools, and opportunities with complete confidence.
We have created this Privacy Policy
to demonstrate our firm commitment to privacy and security. This Privacy
Policy describes how Omega Communications collects information from all
end users of Omega Communications Internet services (the "Services") -
those who access some of our Services but do not have accounts ("Visitors")
as well as those who pay a monthly service fee to subscribe to the Service
("Members") - what we do with the information we collect, and the choices
Visitors and Members have concerning the collection and use of such information.
Omega Communications requests that you read this Privacy Policy carefully.
Personal Information Omega Communications Collects
and How it is Used
Introduction Omega Communications
collects information in different ways from Visitors and Members who access
to the various parts of our Services and the network of web sites accessible
through our Service. We use this information primarily to provide you
a customized experience as you use our Services and, generally, does not
share this information with third parties. However, we may disclose personal
information collected if we have received your permission beforehand or
in very special circumstances, such as when we believe that such disclosure
is required by law or other special cases described below.
Registration Members are asked to
provide certain personal information when they sign-up for our Services
including name, address, telephone number, billing information (such as
a credit card number), and the type of personal computer being used to
access the Services. The personal information collected from Members during
the registration process is used to manage each Member's account (such
as for billing purposes). This information is not shared with third parties,
unless specifically stated otherwise or in special circumstances. However,
in instances where Omega Communications and a partner jointly promote
the Services, Omega Communications may provide the partner certain personal
information, such as the name, address, and username of persons who subscribed
to the Services as a result of the joint promotion for the sole purpose
of allowing us and the partner to assess the results of the promotion.
In this instance, personal information may not be used by the partner
for any other purpose. Omega Communications may also generate non-identifying
and aggregate profiles from personal information Members provide during
registration (such as the total number, but not the names, of Members).
As explained in more detail below, we may use this aggregated and non-identifying
information to sell advertisements that appear on the Services.
Omega Communications Partners and
Sponsors Some Omega Communications products and services are offered to
Visitors and Members in conjunction with a non-affiliated partner. For
example, we outsource the provision of stock quotes and operation of your
stock portfolio (accessible through your Personal Start Page) to a third-party
vendor. To provide Visitors and Members some of these products and services,
the partner may need to collect and maintain personal information. In
these instances, you will be notified before any such data is collected
or transferred and may decide not to use that particular service or feature.
Additionally, many Omega Communications Members have co-branded Personal
Start Pages that are co-sponsored by non-affiliated partners. Omega Communications
will share non-identifying and aggregate information (except as described
above), but not personal information, with such partners in order to administer
the co-branded products or services offered.
Online Shopping At some web sites,
you can purchase products and services or register to receive materials,
such as a catalog or new product and service updates. In many cases, you
may be asked to provide contact information, such as your name, address,
email address, phone number, and credit/debit card information. If you
complete an order for someone else, such as an online gift order sent
directly to a recipient, you may be asked to provide information about
the recipient, such as the recipient's name, address, and phone number.
Omega Communications has no control over the third parties' use of any
personal information you provide when placing such an order. Please exercise
care when doing so.
Online Advertisements Omega Communications
displays our online advertisements. We share aggregated and non-identifying
information about our Visitors and Members collected through the registration
process as well as through online surveys and promotions with these advertisers.
Additionally, in some instances, we use this aggregated and non-identifying
information to deliver tailored advertisements. For instance, an advertiser
tells us the audience they want to reach (for example, males between 25
and 55 years of age) and provides us an advertisement tailored to the
audience. Based upon the aggregated and non-identifying information we
have collected, we may then display the advertisement to the intended
audience. Omega Communications does not share personal information about
its Visitors or Members with these advertisers.
Responses to Email Inquiries When
Visitors or Members send email inquiries to Omega Communications, the
return email address is used to answer the email inquiry we receive. Omega
Communications does not use the return email address for any other purpose
and does not share the return email address with any third party.
Voluntary Customer Surveys We may
periodically conduct both business and individual customer surveys. We
encourage our customers to participate in these surveys because they provide
us with important information that helps us to improve the types of services
we offer and how we provide them to you. Your personal information and
responses will remain strictly confidential, even if the survey is conducted
by a third party. Participation in our customer surveys is voluntary.
We take the information we receive
from individuals responding to our Customer Surveys and combine (or aggregate)
it with the responses of other Omega Communications customers to create
broader, generic responses to the survey questions (such as gender, age,
residence, hobbies, education, employment, industry sector or other demographic
information). We then use the aggregated information to improve the quality
of our services to you, and to develop new services and products. This
aggregated, non-personally identifying information may be shared with
third parties.
Special Cases It is Omega Communications's
policy not to use or share the personal information about Visitors of
Members in ways unrelated to the ones described above without also providing
you an opportunity to opt-out or otherwise prohibit such unrelated uses.
However, Omega Communications may disclose personal information about
Visitors or Members, or information regarding your use of the Services
or web sites accessible through our Services, for any reason if, in our
sole discretion, we believe that it is reasonable to do so, including:
to satisfy laws, such as the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, regulations,
or governmental or legal requests for such information; to disclose information
that is necessary to identify, contact or bring legal action against someone
who may be violating our Acceptable Use Policy or other user policies;
to operate the Services properly; or to protect Omega Communications and
our Members.
"Cookies" and How Omega Communications
Uses Them A "cookie" is a small data file that can be placed on your hard
drive when you visit certain web sites. Omega Communications may use cookies
to collect, store, and sometimes track information for statistical purposes
to improve the products and services we provide and to manage our telecommunications
networks. If you are a Member and have created your own Personal Start
Page, we will use a cookie to save your settings and to provide customizable
and personalized services. These cookies do not enable third parties to
access any of your customer information.
Additionally, be aware that if you
visit non-Omega Communications web sites where you are prompted to log-in
or that are customizable, you may be required to accept cookies.
Advertisers and partners may also
use their own cookies. We do not control use of these cookies and expressly
disclaim responsibility for information collected through them.
Omega Communications's Commitment to Childrenšs
Privacy
Protecting children's privacy is
especially important to us. It is our policy to comply with the Children's
Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998, Childrens Online Privacy Protection
Rule (16 CFR Part
312) Federal Register Notice and all other applicable laws.
We have webpages designed especially
for our younger users. While we make every effort to ensure that these
websites are fun and age-appropriate for our younger audience, we believe
that there is no substitute for proper parental supervision. For further
information about tips, tools, age appropriate or kid-friendly websites
and how to report online trouble, please visit www.getnetwise.org.
Finally, Omega Communications recommends
that children ask a parent for permission before sending personal information
to Omega Communications, or to anyone else online.
Public Forums
Please remember that any information
you may disclose in our Member Directory, or other public areas of our
websites or the Internet, becomes public information. You should exercise
caution when deciding to disclose personal information in these public
areas.
Omega Communications's Commitment to Data Security
Services and websites we sponsor
have security measures in place to protect the loss, misuse, and alteration
of the information under our control. While we make every effort to ensure
the integrity and security of our network and systems, we cannot guarantee
that our security measures will prevent third-party "hackers" from illegally
obtaining this information.
How to Access or Modify Your Information
Omega Communications offers Members the opportunity
to access or modify information provided during registration. To access
or modify such information, visit The
Signup Page or contact our Customer Service Department at 1-877-863-3629.
Where to Direct Questions About Omega Communications
Privacy Policy
If you have any questions about this
Privacy Policy or the practices described herein, you may contact:
Customer
Service Omega Communications.
Revisions to This Policy
Omega Communications reserves the right to revise,
amend, or modify this policy at any time and in any manner. Any revision,
amendment, or modification will be effective thirty (30) days after Omega
Communications posts notice to Members in accordance with Section 9c of
our Terms and Conditions Agreement.
Rev. 05/01/2000
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