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Privacy



HTC recognizes privacy and security as being a concern for most individuals accessing the Internet. Whether you're buying one of our quality products, or just browsing our site, we want to make you comfortable with our privacy practices and the security measures we take to protect your personal information. This statement discloses the privacy guidelines for the USA Inc. consumer Web site. Information submitted solely in a business capacity is not covered by these guidelines. Please read our guidelines to understand the following:

By using our Web site, you consent to the collection and use of your information by HTC as set forth in the policy currently in effect. If we decide to change our policy, such changes will be posted here on the Web site, so please check back periodically to ensure you have the most current policy.

What information is Collected?


We use JavaScripts to collect non-personally identifiable information, user names and to match such user names with other personal information. This information is used to measure number of visits, average time spent on a HTC Web site, pages viewed, etc. We use this information to measure the use of our sites and to improve the content of our sites.

What about Cookies?


When you come into our site, our server attaches a small text file to your hard drive -- a cookie. Your unique cookie tells us that it's you whenever you re-enterour site, so we can recall where you've previously been on our site, and what, if anything, you have in your shopping cart. Cookies help us deliver a better Web site experience to our users.

Generally, we use cookies to:

  1. Remind us of who you are in order to deliver to you a better and more personalized experience.
  2. HTC 's e-commerce partners and affiliate program use cookies to identify the sites from which a user enters our site. Users linking to the HTC site from one of our e-commerce partner or affiliate sites are given a unique cookie. This cookie identifies from which site the user linked to HTC. This information is used to determine the effectiveness of our relationships. This information may also be used to help target advertisements based on user interests and behavior.
  3. Track your progress and number of entries in some of our promotions, sweepstakes and contests.
  4. Measure traffic patterns, and which areas of the HTC site you have visited, and your visiting patterns. This information is collected by using JavaScript to generate a cookie, and sometimes called "clickstream." We use this information to understand how our users navigate our site, and to determine common traffic patterns, including what site the user came from. We use this information to make site navigation and product recommendations, and to help redesign our site in order to make your experience on our site more efficient and enjoyable. We may also use this information to better personalize the content, banner ads, and promotions that you and other users will see. This helps HTC deliver you the content you want, in order for you to make better purchasing decisions. Read more about enabling and disabling JavaScripts You also have choices with respect to cookies. By modifying your browser preferences, you have the choice to accept all cookies, to be notified when a cookie is set, or to reject all cookies. If you choose to reject all cookies you will be unable to use those services or engage in activities that require the placement of cookies.

Who is collecting the information?


When you are on a HTC site and are asked for personal information, you are sharing that information with HTC USA, Inc., its subsidiaries and related companies. Additionally, if you purchase a cellular phone, your personal information may be collected by a third party vendor working with HTC. HTC may also contract with third party companies to perform services for HTC on its Web site that require these companies to collect personal information (e.g. hosting a Web site sweepstakes, promotion or survey, or selling software downloads). The HTC Web site may also contain various links to third-party Web sites. These sites may provide additional information, goods, servicesand/or promotions. These sites are owned and operated independently of HTC and have their own separate privacy and data collection practices. Any information you provide to these Web sites will be governed under the terms of their privacy policy, if any. HTC has no responsibility or liability whatsoever for the independent actions or policies of these independent sites, and is not responsible for the content or privacy practices of such sites.

How is my information used?


The HTC site may contain optional surveys and questionnaires asking for information, as well as several opportunities for visitors to ask questions. We use the information you provide to help us design and build better products and to provide advice and purchase recommendations. Taking part in any of these segments is always optional.

We also use the information we collect to help target valuable marketing and advertising offers. This kind of advertising may be done with banner ads as well as promotional e-mails sent by HTC, or by third parties under contract with HTC. HTC may also match user information with third party data to help us better understand our customers. This means HTC may combine the personal information you provide us with information available from other sources, including offline sources, to market new products or services we think may be of interest to you.

Finally, HTC does research on our users' demographics, interests, and behavior based on the information provided to us when making a purchase, during a promotion, from surveys and from the data collected from JavaScripts. We do this to better understand and serve our users. This research is compiled and analyzed individually, and on an aggregated basis. HTC may share this aggregated data with our business partners.

With whom does HTC share my information?


Except as outlined in this policy or on our Web site, HTC never provides your personal information to third parties without your consent. HTC shares the information you provide with HTC subsidiaries and related companies. If you purchase a cellular phone, your personal information is shared with the service provider/carrier with which you subscribe. Additionally, if you express an interest in a product requiring a particular type of service, HTC may share your personal information with your local service provider in order to determine whether such service is available in your area.

HTC may also share your personal information with business partners so that they may provide services to HTC that are consistent with the terms of this Privacy Policy, and this Web site (e.g. database management, sending targeted e-mails, software sales, and conducting sweepstakes and other promotions on behalf of HTC ). HTC takes great pride in utilizing only reputable business partners. HTC may also, on occasion, provide personally identifiable information to third-party businesses as part of a specific product, service, or promotion.

HTC's Web site may also utilize third party vendors to provide products and services directly to HTC consumers. Such relationships are designated with a "Provided by Company" legend or logo, or other similarly worded designation. If you desire to purchase a product or service from such third party, your personal information will be collected by the third-party company, and shared with HTC. Additionally, when you download software applications from HTC or a third party, your personal information is shared with the software developer/licensor in order to register you as a licensed software user, and to permit them to provide you any required support. Although these software developers are encouraged to develop and follow appropriate privacy policies, HTC cannot be responsible for the privacy practices of such companies. If you are concerned about the privacy policy of a certain developer or software company, you may contact them directly or visit their individual Web sites.

HTC shares Web site usage information about visitors to our Web site, who have received a targeted promotional campaign, with a reputable third-party advertising company for the purpose of targeting future campaigns and upgrading visitor information used in reporting statistics. For this purpose, we and our third-party advertising company note some of the pages you visit on our Web site through the use of pixel tags (also called clear gifs). The information collected by our third-party advertising company through the use of these pixel tags is not personally identifiable.

HTC may also disclose personal information in special cases when we have reason to believe that disclosing this information is necessary to identify, contact or bring legal action against someone who may be violating this site's Terms of Use or may be violating HTC's or other's rights or causing injury to or interference with HTC's or other's property. HTC may also disclose or access personal information when we believe in good faith that the law requires it.

HTC may also disclose aggregated user statistics in order to describe our Web site to prospective business partners, advertisers, and other third parties, and for other lawful purposes.

What choices do I have regarding collection, use and distribution of my information?


HTC or its business partners may, from time to time, send you e-mail or direct mail regarding our products and services. If you do not want to receive such information, simply tell us when you give us your personal information, or follow the directions contained on it to remove your name from our mailing list.On certain types of HTC promotions, we will ask for your e-mail address in order to contact you in the event you have won a prize. When you participate in these types of promotions, you may receive promotion-related e-mail. Occasionally these promotion-related e-mail messages may include targeted advertisements. If you do not wish to receive such advertisements, you can choose not to participate in such promotions or contests.If you ever have questions regarding an e-mail you receive from HTC or one our business partners, or want to be removed from a mailing list, please contact us at privacy@HTC.com.

What Security measures does HTC use to protect my information from loss, misuse or alteration?


As a global company HTC has international sites and users all over the world. When you give HTC personal information, that information may be sent electronically to servers outside of the country where you originally entered the information. In addition, that information may be used, stored and processed outside of the country where you entered that information. Whenever HTC handles personal information, regardless of

What about my child's privacy?


This site is intended for use by persons over the age of 13. HTC does not seek to collect information about children under the age of 13.No information should be submitted to or posted on this Web site by users under 13 years of age. If a child under the age of 13 submits personal information to this Web site, we delete the information as soon as we discover it and do not use it for any other purpose. HTC encourages parentsto take an active role in their children's use of the Internet, and to inform them of the potential dangers of providing information about themselves over the Internet.

Additional Information. Questions regarding this policy should be directed to privacy@htc.com.
You may also contact us by U.S. mail at:

HTC USA, Inc.
14450 NE 29th Place
Bellevue, Washington 98007

425-861-9174

Effective Date: 17 January, 2006