WEBSITE VISITORS

Like most website operators, SOG collects non-personally-identifying information of the sort that web browsers and servers typically make available, such as the browser type, language preference, referring site, and the date and time of each visitor request. SOG’s purpose in collecting non-personally identifying information is to better understand how SOG’s visitors use its website. From time to time, SOG may release non-personally-identifying information in the aggregate, e.g., by publishing a report on trends in the usage of its website.

SOG also collects potentially personally-identifying information like Internet Protocol (IP) addresses. SOG does not use such information to identify its visitors, however, and does not disclose such information, other than under the same circumstances that it uses and discloses personally-identifying information, as described below.

GATHERING OF PERSONALLY-IDENTIFYING INFORMATION

Certain visitors to SOG’s websites choose to interact with SOG in ways that require SOG to gather personally-identifying information. The amount and type of information that SOG gathers depends on the nature of the interaction. For example, we ask visitors who wish to comments in the blog to provide a username and email address. Those who engage in transactions with SOG are asked to provide additional information, including as necessary the personal and financial information required to process those transactions. In each case, SOG collects such information only insofar as is necessary or appropriate to fulfill the purpose of the visitor’s interaction with SOG. SOG does not disclose personally-identifying information other than as described below. And visitors can always refuse to supply personally-identifying information, with the caveat that it may prevent them from engaging in certain website-related activities.

We may use third-party advertising companies to collect data and/or serve ads when you visit our web site. These companies may use information (not including your name, address, email address or telephone number) about your visits to this and other Web sites in order to provide advertisements about goods and services of interest to you. If you would like more information about this practice and to know your choices about not having this information used by these companies, visit http://networkadvertising.org/.

AGGREGATED STATISTICS

SOG may collect statistics about the behavior of visitors to its websites. SOG may display this information publicly or provide it to others. However, SOG does not disclose personally-identifying information other than as described below.

PROTECTION OF CERTAIN PERSONALLY-IDENTIFYING INFORMATION

SOG discloses potentially personally-identifying and personally-identifying information only to those of its employees, contractors and affiliated organizations that (i) need to know that information in order to process it on SOG’s behalf or to provide services available at SOG’s websites, and (ii) that have agreed not to disclose it to others. Some of those employees, contractors and affiliated organizations may be located outside of your home country; by using SOG’s websites, you consent to the transfer of such information to them. SOG will not rent or sell potentially personally-identifying and personally-identifying information to anyone. Other than to its employees, contractors and affiliated organizations, as described above, SOG discloses potentially personally-identifying and personally-identifying information only when required to do so by law, or when SOG believes in good faith that disclosure is reasonably necessary to protect the property or rights of SOG, third parties or the public at large. If you are a registered user of a SOG website and have supplied your email address, SOG may occasionally send you an email to tell you about new features, solicit your feedback, or just keep you up to date with what’s going on with SOG and our products. If you send us a request (for example via a support email or via one of our feedback mechanisms), we reserve the right to publish it in order to help us clarify or respond to your request or to help us support other users. SOG takes all measures reasonably necessary to protect against the unauthorized access, use, alteration or destruction of potentially personally-identifying and personally-identifying information.

COOKIES

A cookie is a string of information that a website stores on a visitor’s computer, and that the visitor’s browser provides to the website each time the visitor returns. SOG uses cookies to help SOG identify and track visitors, their usage of SOG’s websites, and their website access preferences. SOG visitors who do not wish to have cookies placed on their computers should set their browsers to refuse cookies before using SOG’s websites, with the drawback that certain features of SOG’s websites may not function properly without the aid of cookies.

PRIVACY POLICY CHANGES

Although most changes are likely to be minor, SOG may change its Privacy Policy from time to time, and at SOG’s sole discretion. SOG encourages visitors to frequently check this page for any changes to its Privacy Policy. Your continued use of this site after any change in this Privacy Policy will constitute your acceptance of such change.