NetPlaces Network Privacy Policy

No NetPlaces website, TheDogPlace, TheDogPress, TheJudgesPlace, etc. ever sells or shares user information. Period. Effective February 1998 through today's date.

COMMITMENT TO YOUR PRIVACY

Your privacy is of the utmost importance to us. We want to make your online experience both satisfying and safe. As the world's first public website, our founders still believe that your information belongs to you, and that you should have knowledge of and control of  how and when it is used.

In order to provide optimum services, we gather minimum information about our users. This easy to understand privacy statement discloses what information we gather and how we use it. It is a useful reference document with which to compare other complex "privacy statements" which are often just a smoke screen to make you think your information is private.

INFORMATION WE GATHER AND TRACK

The ii NetPlaces Network (quick peek) websites gather two types of minimal but standard user information:

1. Information that you provide through optional, voluntary submissions in order to receive our electronic newsletter, become a Charter Member, paid subscriber, or make a credit card purchase.

2. Information gathered through automated, aggregated tracking of page views. This allows us to better tailor content to readers' interests and preferences. It also helps sponsors understand the needs and demographics of our audience. Under no circumstances do we divulge any information about any individual.

We gather Voluntary User Information to facilitate the following services and Processes:

1. Free HEADlines, Charter Memberships, Insider subscriptions, product purchases.

2. Free Forums for which Users must register and provide contact information.

3. The Dog-e-Book, a free phone book / yellow pages service. You decide whether your phone number is visible and we automatically hide/embed your email address so companies that harvest such information are blocked. Most sites don't bother. (One major show entry site made non-listed phone numbers and other very private information visible until we notified their webmaster.)

4. ThePollingPlace - interactive polls or surveys designed to allow users to share their opinions, vote on important issues and participate in various Awards systems.  Responses are aggregated, no voter is individually identifiable. The software "tags" users after they have voted so that they can vote only once on a particular question.

Children - Consistent with the Federal Children's Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 (COPPA) we never knowingly request personally identifiable information from anyone under the age of 13.

Usage tracking - The search terms that users enter in our Search function is never associated with individual users. We use such information to determine which areas of NetPlaces Network sites users like and don't like based on traffic to those sections. This helps us build a better service.

Cookies - Like all websites, we may place a text file called a "cookie" in your browser files. The cookie itself does not contain any personal information but is used to track user traffic patterns, to keep your login open in discussion forums and allow you to actively participate in polling and surveys. You can refuse cookies by turning them off in your browser.

√ SECURITY

We use the most up-to-date secure (SSL) credit card processing.

We do NOT share mailing lists with any third parties, including advertisers or affiliates.

We will not disclose any information about any individual except to comply with applicable law.

We operate secure data networks protected by the best industry standard firewall and password protection systems.

√ OPT-OUT POLICY

We give users options wherever necessary and practical. Such choices include:

* Opting not to receive electronic newsletters or notices.

* Opting not to participate in certain interactive areas, which completely alleviates the need to gather any personally identifiable information from our users.

√ YOUR CONSENT

By using NetPlaces Network sites, TheDogPlace.org, TheJudgesPlace.com and TheDogPress.com, you consent to the collection and use of this information. If for any reason we change our privacy policy, we will post those changes so that you are always aware of what information we collect, how we use it, and under what circumstances we disclose it.

Thank you for visiting. We work hard to provide a safe place for the education and enjoyment of all age groups.

If you have any questions regarding this policy, email

contact@thedogplace.org or Media@TheDogPress.com or contact@thejudgesplace.com

NetPlaces Network Privacy Policy EST 1998 © 2002-S2111 https://www.netplacesnetwork.com/Privacy.asp