CHANNEL4 ONLINE SERVICES - PRIVACY STATEMENT
Please note that the law on cookies is changing from 26th May 2011. We are currently considering what these changes mean for Channel 4 and how we can comply with the new law. For example, we are reviewing all of the cookies used in the Channel 4 Online Services (as defined below) and hope to publish much more detailed information for our users about these cookies shortly. In the meantime, you can find a general statement about the types of cookies that are used and how to disable them in section 1.3 below.
If you have any questions about Channel 4’s use of cookies or this privacy statement, please email us at privacy@channel4.co.uk.
1.1 General Information
Channel Four Television Corporation, 4 Ventures Limited and their subsidiaries (together "Channel 4") own and are responsible for the Channel 4 Online Services (this term covers any Channel 4 authorised internet services, websites, products and/or software applications that enable you to view, access and use any content Channel 4 (or Channel 4’s authorised third parties) make available via authorised devices and platforms). However, some areas of the Channel 4 Online Services may have specific terms and conditions, including privacy statements, that relate to their specific content, practices and use of personal information. When visiting the Channel 4 Online Services, it is recommended that users consult any other additional privacy statements available.
1.2 Channel4.com Privacy Statement
Channel 4 will use any personal information collected
from the Channel 4 Online Services in accordance with
all laws and regulations relating to the protection of
personal data including the Data Protection Act 1998
(the "Data Protection
Act"). Further details on the Data Protection
Act can be found on the Information Commissioner's
website (www.ico.gov.uk).
1.3 What information do we collect and
why?
The information collected on the Channel 4 Online
Services includes:
Users'
Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, which are
automatically logged by our web server and are used by
us and our partners to analyse activity on our websites
at an aggregate level (number of visits and geographic
optimisation etc). They are not cross-referenced with
any other information such that an individual person
could be identified.
Cookies are very small text files saved to your
computer or device and are used to track user
navigation around a website. Session cookies are also
used to store information on which content, including
advertisements, have been seen by a user. Some areas of
the Channel 4 Online Services also use persistent
cookies which are permanently stored on the users'
computer or device. Channel 4 will use such cookies to
identify unique users to the Channel 4 Online Services.
They are not cross-referenced with any other
information such that an individual person could be
identified save in circumstances where a user is
purchasing content from a Channel 4 Online Service,
where cookies identify the purchaser when a digital
rights management licence ("DRM") is required by
their Media Player.
We currently contract with several online partners
to help manage and optimize our internet business and
communications. We use the services of a marketing
company to help us measure the effectiveness of our
advertising and how visitors use the Channel 4 Online
Services. To do this, we may use web beacons and
cookies provided by our marketing company on a Channel
4 Online Service. The type of information we collect
includes content viewed, pages, site sections and
videos. By supplementing our records, this information
helps us learn things like what pages are most
attractive to our visitors, which of our products most
interest our customers, and what kinds of offers our
customers like to see and the number of users
responding to campaigns. Although our marketing company
logs the information coming from a Channel 4 Online
Service on our behalf, we control how that data may and
may not be used. If you do not want to help us learn
how to improve the Channel 4 Online Services, offers
and marketing strategy, you can "opt-out" of this
website analysis tool by clicking on the following
links: http://webstat.channel4.com/optout.html
Channel 4 may use a third party to deal with
advertisements on a Channel 4 Online Service. Our
advertising partners will serve ads that it believes
are most likely to be of interest to you, based on
information about your visit to the Channel 4 Online
Service and other websites (this information is
anonymous in that it does not include your name, street
address, email address or telephone number). In order
to do this, our advertising partner may need to place a
cookie on your computer or device. For more information
about this type of online behavioural advertising,
about cookies, and about how to turn this feature off,
please visit www.youronlinechoices.com.
Disabling/Enabling Cookies - users have the ability
to accept or disable cookies by modifying the settings
in their browser. Disabling cookies however may mean
that some functionality may be affected. For further
directions on how to disable cookies please click here:
www.allaboutcookies.org/manage-cookies/stop-cookies-installed.html
or http://www.networkadvertising.org/managing/opt_out.asp.
1.4 E-mail
addresses, contact details and/or other details which
users voluntarily provide in order to:
(a) provide goods and services to you;
(b) basic profiling purposes (whether undertaken by
Channel 4 or by third parties on Channel 4's
behalf);
(c) let you know about other goods and services in
which you may be interested;
(d) inform you about changes and improvements to the
Channel 4 Online Services;
(e) register for competitions and other content;
(f) participate in discussion forums (see below);
and
(g) provide content to Channel 4 or register to
become a member of the Channel 4 Online Services (see
below).
There are opportunities on the Channel 4 Online
Services to receive e-mail communications alerting you
to our programmes, 4oD shows, events, competitions and
surveys. You may choose not to receive these by
following the unsubscribe link within such
communications or by emailing us at
privacy@channel4.co.uk.
Channel 4 will not disclose voluntarily provided
details to third parties or use the information in any
other way without your prior consent. On all pages
where personal data is collected, specific details on
the use of this information will be provided.
1.5 Your rights
You have the right to access your information held by
Channel 4 and, where necessary, to have it amended. You
can also request not to receive marketing information
from Channel 4. For more details, please contact: Data
Protection, Commercial Affairs Department, Channel 4,
124 Horseferry Road, SW1P 2TX or email privacy@channel4.co.uk
1.6 Chatroom, Forums, Profiles and User
Generated Content
Users are reminded that chat rooms, forums and areas of
a Channel 4 Online Service that allow you to submit
content or set up a profile on a Channel 4 Online
Service are for public viewing and discussion. Any
personal information supplied by users here is widely
accessible. Channel 4 is not responsible for the
content posted by users of these services.
1.7 Links to other websites
The Channel 4 Online Services may contain links to
other sites that are completely unrelated to Channel 4.
This privacy statement does not apply to these sites
nor are we responsible for the content and practices of
these websites.
1.8 Changes to our privacy
statement
This privacy statement may change at any time, so you
may wish to check it each time you visit a Channel 4
Online Service.
27 May
2011
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