document: title: privacy policy
text:   
Privacy Policy  
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The policies below are applicable to readersdigest.com (rd.com) and other Web sites on the World Wide Web originating in the United States and owned and operated by The Reader's Digest Association, Inc. (collectively "RD sites") unless otherwise indicated. Our Privacy Policy will tell you what information we collect when you visit RD sites, how we protect it and what choices you have about how that information is used. We urge you to read our entire Privacy Policy so that you will understand both our commitment to you and your privacy, and how you can participate in that commitment.

Collection of Personally Identifiable Information  
Some functions and services offered through RD sites require that you provide certain Personally Identifiable information (PII). PII that we collect includes email address, name, postal address, telephone number, date of birth and credit card number. We collect this PII for example, when you order a product, enter a contest or sweepstakes, request a catalog, or register for a mailing list. You can make changes to your PII by logging in and clicking "Update My Profile, or by contacting customer service at Reader's Digest, PO Box 50005, Prescott, AZ 86301-5005.

Receiving Email and Postal Correspondence  
Our online Membership Registration form and other online submission forms contain clearly identified checkboxes indicating that by submitting the form you will be entitled to receive email correspondence from Reader's Digest, our affiliates and partners unless you opt out of receiving email correspondence by unchecking each box. Each time you submit your email address your privacy preferences will be updated. Web site visitors over the age of 18 who have submitted their names, mailing addresses, or email addresses but have not opted out may occasionally receive email correspondence from Reader's Digest, our affiliates and partners, containing information such as newsletters or special offers. If you do not wish to receive these messages, you can check the box that allows you to opt out. If you have already submitted an online Membership Registration form and wish to change your preferences, see the section below on Opting Out.

Except as noted below, Reader's Digest will not share email addresses we collect through RD sites with any unaffiliated third parties unless we specify this at the point of the collection. Except as otherwise noted, unless you consent to the disclosure of your personally identifiable information, only we and our affiliates, our technical consultants, third-party auditors and other third parties who make RD sites available, enhance their functionality, or provide associated services and/or who deal with you in delivering content, samples, products, and gifts and prizes, have access to this information and we require them to agree that they are covered by this policy.

Occasionally, Reader's Digest may make names and postal addresses we collect through the RD sites available to repupolicy_texts companies whose products and/or services may interest you, unless you opt out of being included in our postal mailing list. (See the section below on opting out of postal mailings).

Please note that we do reserve the right to transfer your personally identifiable information and other information to our successors in business and purchasers of site assets. Any personal information provided to entities affiliated with any RD site will be treated in accordance with the terms of this Privacy Policy, unless you are otherwise notified. In the following limited circumstances we will consider, and may release, personal information to third parties: (1) to comply with valid legal requirements such as a law, regulation, search warrant, subpoena or court order; or (2) in special cases, such as a physical threat to you or others.

Reader's Digest may also provide aggregate statistics about our customers, traffic patterns and related site information to repupolicy_texts third parties for statistical analysis, but these statistics will include no personal information.

Opting Out of Receiving Email and Postal Correspondence  
Receiving email messages and postal mail from Reader's Digest, our affiliates and partners is optional. You may choose not to receive certain email, even after granting prior permission, or you may wish to correct information you previously provided. If you do not wish to receive email or wish to correct information you provided to Reader's Digest and you know you are a member of rd.com, please go to the Update My Profile section of rd.com; otherwise please click here to go to the Privacy Options form. Reader's Digest will use commercially reasonable efforts to delete records from our database when we receive requests to do so; however, because of possible retention of a residual copy in a system backup file, we cannot guarantee deletion in every instance.

If you prefer not to receive postal mailings from Reader's Digest or from repupolicy_texts companies we may share your name and postal address with, write to us at the address below.

We also may share personal information we obtain from you through offline sources (such as when you respond to a survey, subscribe to our magazine, or buy one of our products). You may opt out of receiving postal communications or telemarketing calls or emails, regardless of how we obtained the information, by writing to the address below.

Reader's Digest  
PO Box 50005  
Prescott, AZ 86301-5005

You may also use the address above for general customer service questions.

Newsletters  
You can unsubscribe from our newsletter(s) by: 

  * Clicking on the unsubscribe link at the bottom of your newsletter. 
  * Unchecking the appropriate box on the Privacy Options form. 

Online Policy for Individuals 17 Years Old and Younger  
No personal information should be submitted or posted on RD sites by individuals 17 years of age or younger without their parent's or guardian's permission. We may request name, address, phone number, email address and date of birth from your child for contest participation so that we may notify him or her if selected a winner. In the event we do so, we will request your consent prior to collection.

No information collected from online guests 17 years of age or younger is used for any marketing or promotional purposes whatsoever by Reader's Digest. Unless otherwise disclosed at collection, Reader's Digest does not provide any personal information collected through any RD site from individuals 17 years old and younger, regardless of its source, to any third party for any purpose whatsoever.

Note to parents: If your child has submitted his or her name through any RD site, and you wish to review that information, to have it corrected or deleted from our records, or to refuse to permit further collection or use of the child's information, please communicate your wishes to us at Reader's Digest, PO Box 50005, Prescott, AZ 86301-5005, or via email to Parents.rdw@rd.com or call us at 1-800-934-0977. Reader's Digest pledges to exert reasonable efforts to assure that the information is deleted as soon as possible.

Some Reader's Digest contests are open to individuals 17 years old and younger if the official rules so provide. In such contests, if a winner is 17 years old or younger, notification and prizes are sent to the parent or guardian who is also required to complete all necessary documents.

We encourage parents to be aware of their children's online activities, and to learn about software that can filter objectionable materials. We cannot and will not request more information from your child than is reasonably necessary to participate in any online activity.

Advertisers  
If you submit your name through a form on any RD site to request information from an advertiser or other third party, Reader's Digest is not responsible for any marketing or other use of your name by the third party. To learn more about any other company or organization's privacy policies, we suggest visiting its Web site or contacting it by postal mail or telephone.

Discussion Boards  
Please be aware that discussion board postings are not private. Others may capture your email address and send you email messages if you post your email address. Reader's Digest cannot control such actions by others; however, we urge you and any other discussion board user not to use our forums as a source of email addresses for sending unsolicited messages. For more information on our discussion boards, please see Instructions and Terms of Use in the Community Talk section of rd.com as well as our Terms of Use for the site.

Only individuals 18 years of age or older may participate in our discussion boards.

Opinion Polls  
Opinion polls on rd.com and other RD sites, such as the "Your Two Cents" feature, are anonymous. We do not correlate votes submitted via such polls with names or individual email addresses, unless otherwise disclosed at the point of collection.

Searches  
Keyword search functions are provided on the RD sites as a convenience to our users. We do not collect your name or email address as a result of using a search feature. We may keep logs of all words searched to help us learn what kinds of information rd.com visitors are seeking, and to improve our service to visitors.

Other Interactive Features  
When you use an interactive feature on our site, if there is no clearly identified information indicating that you may receive correspondence and a link to this Privacy Policy, we will not save your name or email address.

Email Messages  
If you send Reader's Digest an email message, we may retain that message and your email address, as well as any response we send you.

Hyperlinks to Other Web Sites  
RD sites may include links to Web sites of other companies unaffiliated with Reader's Digest. Please note that we are unable to review all such sites and take no responsibility for the content or privacy practices of any unaffiliated Web site.

Cookies and Server Logs  
Reader's Digest, related Web hosting providers, and advertisers and ad serving and tracking companies sometimes utilize "cookie" technology. Cookies are bits of data stored on your hard drive that contain no personally identifying information but which help enhance your Web-browsing experience. Not all Web browsers accept cookies, and those that do usually provide a preference or setting that allows you to refuse cookies. If your browser does not accept cookies, you may still enjoy RD sites.

Server logs capture certain non-personally identifying data, such as the time and date of a Web visit, the browser and operating system being used, and the Web URL a user linked from. This information is used in aggregate form to help us plan system enhancements when necessary and to provide content that is compatible with our visitors' Web-browsing systems.

Credit Cards  
Reader's Digest uses credit card numbers submitted to us through rd.com for payment purposes only, and not for marketing purposes. Your credit card information will be saved for future purchases, as long as you log in. We utilize industry standard secure encryption technology to reasonably assure the privacy and security of the credit card numbers of anyone who places online orders with us.

Privacy Precaution Warning  
Please note that no data transmission over the Internet is 100% secure. As a result, we cannot guarantee the security of the information that you transmit via our online services.

Improper Conduct  
The restrictions above will not apply in the event that you engage in certain improper conduct. Specifically, we shall have the right to use or release to third parties personally identifiable information regarding users who are suspected of having used any RD sites for any fraudulent purposes or having otherwise violated any law, rule or regulation or the rights of third parties or having engaged in any conduct that we deem improper.

How Reader's Digest Handles Health Privacy Internally  
Reader's Digest wants your personal information to remain as secure as reasonably possible. Therefore, we have a two-tier system that combines leading technical safeguards and a code of conduct for those employees permitted to access our customers' personal information. On the technical side, we use SSL to help ensure the integrity and privacy of the personal information you provide to us via the Internet. As an additional security measure, your personal information is kept physically separate on a separate server where your password is encrypted and stored on a database. Only authorized employees are permitted to access your personal information. All employees must abide by our Privacy Policy and those who violate our Privacy Policy are subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination.

Acceptance of Privacy Policy  
By using this site, you signify your agreement to the RD sites privacy policy. You further authorize the export of personal information to the USA and its storage and use as specified in this policy when you provide such information to us. If you do not agree to this policy, please do not use this site. We reserve the right, at our discretion, to change, modify, add, or remove portions of this policy at any time. Please bookmark this page and check it periodically. We will post any changes to this privacy policy on our site. Your continued use of any RD site following the posting of any changes to these terms shall mean that you have accepted those changes. This policy and all of our legal obligations are subject to the laws of New York and the USA, regardless of the location of any user. Any claims or complaints must be filed in the USA in the State of New York.

Policy last updated December 2004

Legal Notice and Terms and Conditions  
Please also read the RD sites Terms of Use to understand the additional terms and conditions which apply to use of the sites.