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Home : Bird Watcher's Digest: Privacy Statement

Bird Watcher's Digest Privacy Policy


BWD Privacy Policy Statement

Thank you for visiting birdwatchersdigest.com! We value each of our online visitors and strive to protect your privacy. To that end, we have provided this policy to explain the ways in which we collect and use information to support our relationship with you. In addition, we list the options you have to control the way information is collected from your computer.

You can always find the most recent version of our privacy policy on this page, along with a notification of changes and the date in which modifications will apply to our online visitors. Our current policy has been in effect since September 1, 2002, and was last updated on December 15, 2006. Please refer to the Notification of Changes section for further details.

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Notification of Changes

Our privacy policy is periodically reviewed to ensure that we are adequately serving the interests and needs of our online visitors, customers, and subscribers. If we decide to change our privacy policy in whole or in part, we will inform you by posting a notice on our website. Changes to the policy will become effective on the date we specify and will apply to current and past users of our website.

On December 15, 2006, we revised the content and formatting of our previous policy, separating privacy-specific statements from Terms of Use. Our privacy policy continues to be available at the same URL; website Terms of Use is accessible via the right-hand navigation menu on this page. In addition, the language has been modified to clearly describe the ways in which birdwatchersdigest.com collects and uses information obtained from online visitors. The revised privacy policy will become effective on January 1, 2007.

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A Special Note Concerning Children

We respect the privacy of children, and do not collect any more personal information than reasonably necessary to enable them to participate in the activities we offer on our website. We do not have any agreements with outside organizations to collect personal information on our site. The information we collect from children is used to respond to children's specific requests to participate in activities such as contests or sweepstakes, voting in polls or otherwise expressing an opinion, or submitting questions and/or comments.

We do not hold information or share children's personal information with anyone other than those who provide support for the internal operations of the website and our agents (e.g., contractors who provide fulfillment services or technical support to the website). Parents can request the information that we have collected from their children online, prevent the further use or maintenance of such information, or direct the deletion of their children's personal information by emailing us at youngbirders@birdwatchersdigest.com.

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Customized Web Experience

At birdwatchersdigest.com, we use tiny pieces of information called "cookies" that help the site remember preferences that you set during a previous visit. We use them to control features you have accessed previously or to customize your web experience as you travel through our site.

"Session" cookies are used to improve navigation, facilitate during the online subscription process, and collect statistical information on the site. They are erased once you exit your web browser or turn off your computer.

"Persistent" cookies are more permanent bits of information that are placed on your computer hard drive, and stay there unless you delete the cookie. Persistent cookies store information on your computer for a number of purposes, such as retrieving information you previously provided (such as user's identity, name, and e-mail address), helping to determine what areas of the site visitors enjoy most, and customizing the website to suit your preferences on an ongoing basis. Persistent cookies used at birdwatchersdigest.com do not store personally identifiable information; they merely tell us what features you have accessed during previous visits to our site.

You can set your browser to accept all cookies, to reject all cookies, or to notify you whenever a cookie is offered so that you can decide to accept or reject it. To learn more about cookies and how to specify your preferences, please search for "cookie" in the "Help" portion of your browser. Please note: if you choose to decline cookies, you may not be able to fully experience the interactive features we offer at birdwatchersdigest.com.

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Information Collection

As you navigate birdwatchersdigest.com, your web browser automatically transmits anonymous information such as the URL of the website you visited previously, the Internet Protocol (IP) address associated with your computer, and the browser type and version you're currently using. Our web servers collect this information, which we use to evaluate the popularity and effectiveness of services and features offered on our website. These statistics allow us to improve the site's design and content to better serve your needs. We make full use of anonymous information acquired through this site.

Cookies may be used on birdwatchersdigest.com to suppress pop up windows after their initial activation or to maintain your shopping and online subscription experience. They are not designed to reveal information that personally identifies you or track your movements on our site. Learn more about cookies and their use on birdwatchersdigest.com.

In addition, we provide online forms allowing you to subscribe to a publication, newsletter, or online service performed by birdwatchersdigest or our affiliates. On these forms we request personally identifiable information, such as name, e-mail address, mailing address, and additional information that will enable us to enhance your visit, fulfill an order, or allow us to keep you apprised of your subscription status. Your participation is optional. Learn more about the ways in which BWD uses your personally identifiable information.

If you provide personally identifiable information to birdwatchersdigest.com, we may combine such information with other actively collected information unless we specify otherwise at the point of collection. We will take reasonable measures to prevent personally identifiable information from being combined with passively collected information, unless you provide consent.

In addition, BWD, or third parties acting on our behalf, may use web beacons on our site or in online communications. A web beacon is a tiny, transparent image that helps us measure the effectiveness of our e-mail campaigns, for example, by counting how many recipients open or act upon an e-mail message, determining when an e-mail message is opened, and determining how many times an e-mail is forwarded. We do not permit third parties to place their own web beacons on our site or in our advertisements. We will not share any personal information collected through web beacons with any third party, except for service providers who act on our behalf and who are prohibited from any other use or disclosure of the information.

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Access, Correction, and Deletion of Your Information

If you have subscribed to one of our publications and wish to notify us of a forthcoming change in your mailing address, we invite you to fill out our online form, located in the Customer Service section of our website.

To keep other personally identifiable information that you provide via this site accurate, current, and complete, please contact us as specified below and we will take appropriate steps to update or correct such information in our possession, or to delete your information from our contact list.

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Opt-out/Opt-in Policies and Our Online Forms

Online forms at birdwatchersdigest.com may ask you to submit personally identifiable information in order for you to benefit from the services we offer (such as newsletter subscriptions and order processing) or to participate in a particular activity (such as sweepstakes, the Big Sit! or other promotions). The information you provide is used for the purposes we specify below, and you may either opt-in or opt-out as specified. You may also find further information in the section below, Disclosure of Information to Third Parties.

Subscriptions (both offline and online) - When you submit personally identifiable information to Bird Watcher's Digest, we will share it with trusted third-party affiliates who provide products and services that may interest you. You may opt-out of such programs at any time by contacting us. In addition, we will use the contact information you provide to keep you informed of your subscription status and send renewal notices, either via standard mail or e-mail.

birdPod Purchase - Bird Watcher's Digest has partnered with birdJam to provide bird songs for your iPod. Your personal information submitted through this form will not be shared or sold for unwanted solicitation purposes. It is collected solely within the context of providing the service you are requesting. During the order process, you will be offered an opportunity to opt-in to BirdWire, BWD's monthly newsletter, as well as promotions from BWD and birdPods. If you opt-in and choose to stop receiving such promotions, you may opt-out at any time. Learn more about birdJam's privacy practices.

BirdWire - BirdWire is BWD's monthly newsletter, notifying subscribers of promotions and features recently posted on our website. You may opt-in to receive BirdWire through ads distributed on our site, or by clicking a checkbox that appears at the bottom of other online forms we support. Rarely (only 1 to 4 times a year), we will also send other BWD-specific promotions to our BirdWire subscribers. We do not share our BirdWire distribution list with third parties outside the GOT Corporation, which provides the technology we use to send our monthly newsletters. You may find their privacy policy here.

Online Finder Tools - birdwatchersdigest.com provides tools enabling visitors to search a database of bird clubs, bird festivals, and birding optics such as binoculars and spotting scopes. The Bird Club and Festival Finders offer online forms allowing the general public to submit new entries into our database. Personally identifiable information submitted to us via these forms is not shared with third parties. People who register can expect to receive periodic emails with BWD-specific offers (such as our subshare program) or invitations to participate in surveys for birdwatchersdigest.com, the Big Sit!, or other programs of interest to the bird-watching community. You may opt-out of such usage upon receiving the first communication.

In addition, our Bird Club and Festival Finder forms provide an opportunity to opt-in to BirdWire, our monthly newsletter, and receive additional promotions from Bird Watcher's Digest only. If you opt-in and choose to stop receiving such promotions, you may opt-out at any time.

Register to Win, Big Sit!, and other forms - Bird Watcher's Digest does not share personally identifiable information obtained from these forms with third parties. People who register can expect to receive periodic (usually not more than four times a year) e-mails with BWD-specific offers or invitations to participate in birdwatchersdigest.com surveys or various programs of interest to the bird-watching community. You may opt-out of such usage upon receiving the first communication.

In addition, these forms provide an opportunity to opt-in to BirdWire, our monthly newsletter, and receive additional promotions from Bird Watcher's Digest only. If you opt-in and choose to stop receiving such promotions, you may opt-out at any time.

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Internet Commerce and Data Security

Bird Watcher's Digest is committed to ensuring data security with respect to online purchases made on our website. On all forms involving credit card payment, we protect transmissions with industry standard Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encryption. If you would like to subscribe to one of our publications or make a purchase in our store, but do not wish to provide your credit card information online, you may call us toll-free at 1-800-879-2473 (Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST). Our customer service representatives will take your order over the phone.

Note that a "bill me" option is often available to Canadian and U.S. customers on our online subscription form, allowing you to subscribe without providing credit card information. You will receive a bill within 30 days of placing your order.

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Third-party Advertisements and Websites

As you travel through popular areas of birdwatchersdigest.com, you will encounter advertisements for products and services from our partners and affiliates. These ads are carefully selected by BWD, posted only if we believe they are relevant to the interests of our visitors, and do not employ cookies, web beacons, or other tracking methods on our website. Should you choose to click on these ads, you will be taken outside of birdwatchersdigest.com to sites that are not controlled by BWD. For your own safety, you are advised to check the privacy policy of destination sites before proceeding further.

Additionally, BWD uses Google AdSense for the serving of ads throughout our website. Google collects anonymous data from birdwatchersdigest.com through the use of cookies. This anonymous data is also used to develop aggregate reports on our visitor's reactions to ads and to learn more about our general audience so we may enhance our relationship with you, providing relevant offers and promotions. Learn more about Google's privacy practices and opt-out policies.

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Disclosure of Information to Third Parties

In addition to purposes stated elsewhere in this privacy policy, BWD may disclose your personally identifiable information to carefully chosen third parties in the following cases:

  • We share visitor and customer information with trusted companies, service providers, and contractors who fulfill orders, offer products and services in connection with our website, or process online credit card transactions. These third parties are not permitted to use this information for purposes outside of the services they provide to Bird Watcher's Digest or our subscribers and customers.

  • We may also share information with law enforcement officials if required by applicable laws, court orders, or government regulations. BWD will have no legal responsibilities for such disclosures.

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Scope of This Policy

birdwatchersdigest.com contains links to other websites operated by advertisers, sponsors, business affiliates, and companies providing quality content or services that we feel will benefit our online visitors. Please note that this policy applies only to pages found within the birdwatchersdigest.com domain. BWD is not responsible for the privacy practices of sites that it does not operate. If you click on a hyperlink leading you away from birdwatchersdigest.com, we encourage you to review the privacy policy on the destination website and evaluate the ways in which they will collect and use your information.

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For Further Information

birdwatchersdigest.com is owned, operated, and maintained by Pardson, Inc. If you would like to contact us regarding our privacy practices, please write to us at the following address:

Bird Watcher's Digest
P.O. Box 110
Marietta, OH, 45750

You may also contact us at bwd@birdwatchersdigest.com and send us an e-mail with the subject line: "Web Site Privacy Request"

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