|
TechTarget, Inc. Privacy Policy
Introduction
TechTarget and its family of products including affiliated
companies (collectively, “TechTarget”) are committed to protecting
our users' privacy. This privacy policy is designed to inform users of TechTarget-branded
and co-branded websites (the “Sites”) about how TechTarget, Inc.
(“TechTarget” or “we”) gathers and uses anonymous and
profile information, and in what circumstances TechTarget will disclose such
information. TechTarget will take reasonable steps to protect user privacy consistent
with the guidelines set forth in this policy and with applicable U.S. laws.
Privacy Policy Details
Enforcement
If you believe that TechTarget has not complied with this
Privacy Policy, or if you have any other complaint with regard to collection,
use or disclosure of personal information by TechTarget, you may send a written
notice of complaint to:
TechTarget
117 Kendrick Street, Suite 800
Needham, MA 02494
Attention: Member Services
Fax: (781) 657-1100
E-mail: webmaster@techtarget.com
TechTarget will investigate your complaint and respond to
you promptly.
Key Definitions
In this Privacy Policy, we use the following key definitions.
Other terms are defined in the body of the policy.
“Clickstream Data” means the information that TechTarget collects
through cookies, log files, beacons and clear GIFs, as described in Section 4
below.
“Content Provider” means a third party that owns
a white paper, analyst report or other document and allows TechTarget to link
to or display that document on the Sites.
“User” or “you” means any person
viewing any page of the Sites.
“Third Party Content” means the white papers,
analyst reports and other documents available through the Sites and owned by
Content Providers.
This Privacy
Policy Does Not Apply To Third Party and Co-Branded Websites
Bitpipe.com
and KnowledgeStorm.com are two
of the properties within the TechTarget
network of sites. Bitpipe.com and KnowledgeStorm.com hosts thousands of white papers as well as white
paper Research Libraries on third party sites and other TechTarget properties.
Some Third Party Content made available through the Research Library sites is
maintained on the website of the Content Provider, and not on the TechTarget
network of sites. This means that when you click through to that Third Party
Content, you will be leaving the Research Library and the TechTarget network.
It will be clear to you when this happens, as the look and feel of your web page
will change, and the URL will no longer refer to a website in TechTarget network
of sites. This Privacy Policy does not govern the use and disclosure of any information
you choose to disclose to the Content Provider on the Content Provider site.
In addition, the Sites you are viewing may be co-branded,
meaning that the Sites are branded with the logos of both Bitpipe/KnowledgeStorm
and a third
party (“Co-Branded Sites”). If you register or log in on a Co-Branded
Site, you are choosing to disclose information to both TechTarget and the third
party with whose brand the site is co-branded. This Privacy Policy only governs
TechTarget’s use of your information. The third party’s use of that
personal information is governed by the partner's privacy policy, and not by
this Privacy Policy.
What Information
Do We Collect?
Profile Information:
Our primary goal in collecting profile information (which may include your name
and the following business – and not home or personal – information:
title, address, phone number, fax number and e-mail address) is to provide you
with the best and most useful content and services, and to offer you opportunities
to obtain other products and services from us and our partners. Because we derive
revenue mainly from advertising, collecting information is essential to keeping
our services affordable to users.
We collect profile information when you provide it to us
through the following: when you register on one of our sites, subscribe to a
print magazine or an e-mail newsletter, register for one of our events or register
to use certain services (like webcasts and white papers) or through surveys as
well as when you register to receive a demonstration or test-drive for accounting
and business software through our site 2020software.com. Several of the services
that we offer on our sites may require registration as a condition of use. Once
you register with one of the TechTarget network of sites, including Bitpipe,
KnowledgeStorm,
2020software.com and The ServerSide.com Community sites, you are no longer anonymous
to us. We may also receive information about you from other sources, such as
Dunn and Bradstreet, and add it to the information you provided to us.
Cookies: When you
view the Sites, a small file called a cookie is placed on your hard drive. You
can set your browser to notify you when you receive a cookie, giving you the
chance to decide whether or not to accept it. (However, by not accepting cookies,
some of our web pages may not display properly or you may not be permitted to
access certain information.) If you register as a member of TechTarget by providing
your name, email address and other contact details (a “Member”),
TechTarget will use cookies to authenticate your identity when you visit the
Sites and to personalize your user experience, such as by displaying your username
when you log on. In all cases, TechTarget uses cookies to obtain anonymous information
such as the number of visits to the Sites that a certain user has made, the movement
of the user through the Sites, and the searches that the user conducts on the
Sites.
Clear GIFs & Servers:
We use electronic images known as "clear GIFs" -- sometimes called "transparent
GIFs", "Web bugs", “pixel tags” or "beacons" --
that allow us to track general user traffic patterns (and not personally identifiable
information). TechTarget also automatically receives and records information
from our servers and from your browser, including your IP address, the time,
and information about the page you requested (though these automatic updates
do not include your name or other profile information).
Subscriber Information:
If you subscribe to an email newsletter and become a “Subscriber”,
TechTarget collects your email address, password and areas of interest.
Member Information:
If you register as a Member (such as by registering on a search site, subscribing
to a newsletter,
registering on KnowledgeStorm,
signing up for My Bitpipe or Library Membership or to access
a LeadIQ document and/ or requesting demos, brochures or other product information
from 2020software.com), TechTarget collects additional information, including
your name and corporate title, the name of your company and the department in
which you work, your industry group, country, zip code and telephone number (“Member
Details”). At the time you register to become a Member, or later when you
access a particular page or document, TechTarget may collect additional information,
including but not limited to: information about software or hardware your company
is using, plans your company may have to purchase additional information technology,
etc.. All of this information together is included in the definition of “Member
Details”.
Event Registration Information:
When registering to attend a TechTarget event, the registration form requires
users to provide information such as name and corporate title, company name,
address, telephone and email address. TechTarget may also collect additional
information, including but not limited to: information about software or hardware
your company is using, plans your company may have to purchase additional information
technology, etc.
LeadIQ Document Information:
Some of the content found at the Sites or delivered to users by email consists
of interactive documents known as “LeadIQ Documents”. All LeadIQ
Documents are clearly labeled as such. Before you access a LeadIQ Document, you
are asked to register as a Member and provide Member Details as indicated above.
In addition, TechTarget tracks certain aspects of your use of the LeadIQ Document,
such as when you open the document, print the document, which pages of the document
are viewed, the time spent viewing them, information about your computer such
as host name and IP address. This “LeadIQ Activity Data” is stored
in a temporary file on your hard drive and also communicated to TechTarget.
Third Party Personal Information:
The Sites include an “email a friend” feature, which allows a user
to email an article to a third party. The email addresses of third parties to
whom such articles or documents are emailed are the only third party personal
information collected at the Sites.
2020software.com Registration
Information: 2020software.com offers free demos and brochures for multiple
accounting and business software systems. Once a user registers to receive this
information, their registration information is shared with developers and/or
resellers of those accounting and business software systems. This information
is forwarded to the developer so that the user can receive the requested information.
TechnologyGuide.com Registration Information: TechnologyGuide.com consists of a family of websites including: Brighthand.com, NotebookReview.com, DigitalCameraReview.com, SpotStop.com and TabletPCReview.com. Each site publishes original content including product reviews, how to guides, news and editorials. TechnologyGuide.com also features user generated content in the form of a user review section and vibrant forum communities. In order to interact in the forums, a user must first complete the registration form. This information is used to contact the user about the services on our site for which they have expressed interest. And, the information provided by the user is also displayed in the user's public profile in our forums and can be viewed by all visitors of this website. However, to ensure total privacy of our users, we do not display a user e-mail addresses.
Supplementary Information:
TechTarget may supplement Member Details with publicly available information
about a Member’s company. For example, if a Member indicates she works
for X Company, we may obtain information showing that X Company has a certain
number of employees and a certain estimated annual turnover. This information
is called “Supplementary Information”.
System Information:
TechTarget’s webcast application provides a system test that determines
whether you can view a webcast from your computer. This information is used to
optimize the viewing experience and to troubleshoot webcast viewing problems.
We do not collect or retain personally identifiable information in conducting
these tests.
Transaction Information:
When you order paid Third Party Content from the Sites, we ask you to complete
an order form that requests certain information from you, including a credit
card number and expiration date and general contact details.
Sharing Information:
We aggregate profile information and disclose such information in a non-personally
identifiable manner to advertisers and other third parties for marketing, promotional,
and other purposes. Except for the specific instances of information-sharing
described above, we do not disclose to third parties any information that could
be used to identify you personally.
Aggregated user statistics (for example, 25% of our users
are interested in Networking) are collected in order to describe our services
to prospective partners and other third parties, and for other lawful purposes.
How Do We
Use The Information We Collect?
Profile Information: TechTarget
collects profile information supplied by visitors who register, as described
above. That information lets us better tailor our content to visitor interests
and helps our advertisers better understand the audience they are reaching. Most
of TechTarget is free and is supported by paid content and sponsorships from
our advertisers.
Cookies: TechTarget uses
persistent cookies to link Members to their registration information, which allows
our system to confirm a user's identity and access level on the Sites. TechTarget
also uses that information to track service selections, and save passwords so
that Members do not have to log in each time they visit the Sites.
Clear GIFs & Servers:
We use these tracking technologies for a variety of purposes, including:
- Keeping count of return visits to our site or our partners' sites
- Accumulating and reporting anonymous, aggregate, statistical
information on Web site and content usage to our partners and customers
- Determining which features visitors like best to help
us improve our content and site, personalize your user experience, and measure
overall site effectiveness
Subscriber Information:
We use Subscriber Information to deliver email newsletters on topics of interest
to Subscribers who have signed up for those services. We may also send general
promotional and marketing materials to Subscribers. We use Subscriber Information
and Supplementary Information in aggregated form to understand our customer base
and to market our services to our customers.
Member Information: We
may send general promotional and marketing materials to our Members, including
marketing research surveys. TechTarget utilizes the services of MyView.com for
survey deployment and incentive distribution. We also use Member Details and
Supplementary Information in aggregated form to understand our customer base
and to market our services to our customers.
LeadIQ Document Information: We use the LeadIQ Activity Data
to respond to any queries you may have about the document, and to understand
your use of the document.
Member information is also used to TechTarget utilizes the
services of MyView.com for survey deployment and incentive distribution
Event Registration Information:
Contact information is used to confirm registrations and send product information
and promotional material from TechTarget and the premium event sponsors (information
may also be used to compile broad demographic information.)
Third Party Personal Information:
We use third party email addresses provided for the “email a friend” feature
only for the purpose of sending the article or document to the third party, and
for no other purpose.
Supplementary Information:
We use Supplementary Information to understand our customer base and to market
our services more effectively.
System Information: We
do not collect or retain personally identifiable information in conducting these
tests.
Transaction Information:
We use this information to complete the transaction that you have requested,
i.e. to deliver information, products or other services that you order and to
invoice you. (We do not store your credit card information.)
Sharing Information: TechTarget
may share profile information collected:
- When we have your consent to share the information.
- When you register for one of our search sites you agree to receive marketing
research surveys. TechTarget utilizes the services of GMI for survey deployment
and incentive distribution. If you do not wish to participate in market research
surveys, simply opt-out from any survey email you receive.
- When you register or log in to access vendor content or when you register
to attend a vendor-sponsored TechTarget event (including Conferences, Custom
Media events and Editorial events), or when you request a demo or brochure on
2020software.com. The vendor's use of that information is governed by the vendor's
privacy policy and may be used for follow up by telephone, email, direct mail or other common
methods. You should contact these vendors directly if you have any questions
about their use of this information.
- Profile information collected when you register or log in on a co-branded
partner site is generally available both to TechTarget and that partner. However,
the partner's use of that profile information is governed by the partner's privacy
policy and may be used for follow up by telephone, email or other common methods.
You should contact these partners directly if you have any questions about their
use of this information.
- TechTarget does not share any of your profile information with any person
or entity, unless you register to access vendor content, register to attend a
vendor-sponsored TechTarget event (including Conferences, Custom Media events
and Editorial events), register to request a demo or brochure from 2020software.com,
or register for our Newsletters, or as otherwise expressly stated in this Policy
[E.G., BUSINESS TRANSFERS].
What Information
Do We Disclose to Third Parties?
Disclosure
of Anonymous, Aggregated Information
We provide summary reports to our Content Providers, based
on our analysis of Clickstream Data. The type of information included in a summary
report is "3,000 people looked at your information this week, and of those
people 60% clicked through to read the full report." This aggregated information
is anonymous and does not disclose to the Content Providers any Member Details
about the individual users who saw or clicked on their reports.
TechTarget also discloses aggregated user statistics (for example, 25% of our
users are interested in Networking) in order to describe our services to prospective
customers and partners, and other third parties, and for other lawful purposes.
Disclosure
of Personal Information
Philosophy: The Content
Providers make the Third Party Content available through TechTarget in return
for receiving the contact information of Users who view their Third Party Content.
Accordingly, if you view Third Party Content, TechTarget may disclose your Member
Details, Clickstream Data and Supplementary Information to the Content Provider,
as set forth in more detail below. If you do not want
this information disclosed to a Content Provider, do not view the Third Party
Content. Except as set forth in this Privacy Policy, TechTarget will not
disclose personal information to any third parties. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
TechTarget may at any time disclose profile information to third parties if we
are required to do so by law, regulation or court order.
Member Information:
When you view Third Party Content, TechTarget may disclose your Member Details
and Clickstream Data, together with Supplementary Information, to the Content
Provider. TechTarget’s customer agreement with the Content Provider: (a)
provides that the Content Provider may use this information only to send you
product information, to contact you via common methods of communication to assess
your interest in its products and services, and to assess your interest in the
Content Provider’s products and services; and (b) prohibits disclosure
of this information to any third party other than agents of the Content Provider
for the permitted marketing purposes set forth above. You should contact the
Content Provider directly if you have any questions about their use of this information.
TechTarget Event Registration
Information: When you register to attend a vendor-sponsored TechTarget
event (including Conferences, Custom Media events and Editorial events), your
contact information is used to confirm registrations and send product information
and promotional material from TechTarget and the premium event sponsors (information
may also be used to compile broad demographic information.) TechTarget may disclose
your event registration information to those vendors sponsoring the event. TechTarget’s
customer agreement with the Event Sponsor provides that the Event Sponsor may
use this information in a manner that is common within their industry, for example,
to send you product information, to contact you via common methods of communication
to assess your interest in its products and services, and to assess your interest
in the Event Sponsor’s products and services. You should contact the Third
Party Event Sponsor directly if you have any questions about their use of event
registration information.
Transaction Information:
If you order paid Third Party Content, we may disclose your Member Details to
the Content Provider that has produced the Third Party Content you are purchasing.
In addition, we may disclose your name, address and transaction information to
agents such as couriers and fulfillment companies in order to effect the transaction
and send you the Third Party Content you have ordered, and we will disclose your
credit card details to the relevant bank or credit card company in order to complete
the transaction.
LeadIQ Document Information:
The LeadIQ Activity Data collected when you access a LeadIQ document is disclosed
by TechTarget to the relevant Content Provider. TechTarget’s contract with
the Content Provider states that the Content Provider may use that data only:
- To send more information to you or to respond to
any requests for information, questions, complaints or technical support questions
that you may have;
- For marketing and communication purposes including contacting
you via telephone, email or other common methods of communication, assessing
your interests in particular products and services and forwarding information
to you based on this assessment;
- To understand your use of the document and enhance your
experience with this information.
TechTarget's customer agreement with the Content Provider
prohibits disclosure of your LeadIQ Activity Data to any third party other than
agents of the Content Provider for the permitted marketing purposes set forth
above.
Third Party Personal Information:
TechTarget does not disclose third party personal information collected through
the “email a friend” feature to any third party.
How Can You
Opt Out of Use and Disclosure of Your Information?
TechTarget will only use your profile information for the
purposes described in this Privacy Policy or subsequently authorized by you.
You can opt out of having your Member Details and Clickstream Data disclosed
to Content Providers by not viewing their content and by not registering to attend
a TechTarget event (including Conferences, Custom Media events and Editorial
events). TechTarget operates on the basis that users can view Third Party Content
and apply to third party events in return for having the above information provided
to the Content Provider. If you do not want your information
disclosed in this way, you must not view Third Party Content or register to attend
third party media events.
TechTarget Event Registration
Information: You can opt out of having your event registration information
disclosed to Event Sponsors by not applying to attend a vendor-sponsored TechTarget
event (including Conferences, Custom Media events and Editorial events). TechTarget
operates on the basis that users can register to attend Media events in return
for having the above information provided to the Event Sponsor(s). If
you do not want your information disclosed in this way, please do not register
to attend a TechTarget event (including Conferences, Custom Media events and
Editorial events).
To contact us regarding a privacy issue, please send an e-mail
to webmaster@techtarget.com. Please
be sure to include the site, conference, magazine or product so that we may better
serve you.
If you do not want your subscriber information
transferred to a content provider or partner, do not access the content.
If you want your subscriber information deleted from the
TechTarget database, please contact us at webmaster@techtarget.com and
we will remove your profile.
Profile information provided to us by you is, however,
subject to disclosure pursuant to any applicable laws.
Security
TechTarget has implemented reasonable security measures to
protect information from loss, misuse and unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration
or destruction. Our security systems include authenticated access to internal
databases, audits of procedures, and regular reviews of overall Web security.
Access and
Updating of Information
The instructions to review, amend, or delete your information
may be found in the edit profile area on any of our sites. Users may change information
at any time and as often as necessary. Users who are experiencing problems with
our services or who have questions about how our services work can contact us
by sending an email to: webmaster@techtarget.com.
General
Registration Password:
Your Profile Information is password-protected to control access to this profile
information by third parties.
We recommend that you do not divulge your password to anyone.
TechTarget never asks for passwords in unsolicited phone calls or unsolicited
emails. Remember to sign out and close your browser window when you have finished.
This will prevent others from accessing your profile information, for example,
if you share a computer with someone else or are using a computer in a public
place such as a library or Internet cafe.
Links: The network of TechTarget
sites contains links to other Web sites. TechTarget is not responsible for the
privacy practices or the content of those sites. Users should be aware of this
when they leave our site and review the privacy statements of each Web site they
visit that collects information. This Privacy Policy applies solely to information
collected by this TechTarget site.
Business Transfers: We
are always seeking to improve our network of Web sites and our business. If all
or part of TechTarget is sold, merged or otherwise transferred to another entity,
the Profile Information and Activity Data that you have provided to us may be
transferred as part of that transaction. In these circumstances, TechTarget will
require that the profile information be used by its successor in a manner that
is consistent with the TechTarget Privacy Policy in effect at the time TechTarget
received the information.
Amendments: TechTarget
may modify or amend this policy from time to time. If we make any material changes
in the way in which your profile information is collected, used or transferred,
we will notify you of these changes on our site(s) or by e-mail and provide a
link to the new privacy statement. If you object to any of the changes, you can
have us delete your information from our database by contacting webmaster@techtarget.com.
Options: Users who would
rather not provide any of the user data requested by our registration process
do not need to register with us. You can still view much of the content and use
many of the services offered by our sites without registering.
During the registration process, we also allow users the
option to opt-out of receiving our electronic newsletters or those of third parties.
Users who opt-in may also remove themselves from emailing
lists at any time through the edit profile pages or by following the instructions
at the end of any email they received from the TechTarget family of products.
Note: If you choose not to provide certain profile information
when registering for a site, certain products or services may not be available
to you.
|
