Ads and Cookies

We use cookies and tracking tools to provide the Services and to collect helpful information. The cookies you may encounter on our Services may track your online activities over time and across third-party websites or other online services. In some cases, we may work with third parties (for example, third party operators of the Services) to synchronize our unique, anonymous identifiers (such as those associated with cookies) with the third party’s own identifiers. This enables us to better achieve each of the purposes described below.

These tracking tools may consist of:

• Cookies. Cookies are small text files that are unique to your device or browser. They can either be session-based (e.g., lasting only while your browser is open and are automatically deleted when you close your browser) or persistent (e.g., lasting until you delete them or they expire).
• Locally stored objects. Locally stored objects (“LSOs”), also commonly called “Flash cookies,” are stored on your device or browser to provide Services that use Adobe Flash technology.
• Web beacons. “Web beacons” or clear GIFs are small pieces of code placed on a Service to collect data about users of that Service.
• Software Development Kits. Mobile Software Development Kits (“SDKs”) are bits of computer code used by mobile application developers to enable or enhance various features of a mobile app. For example, an app developer may include an SDK within a mobile app that enables advertisements to be shown, data to be collected, and related services or analytics to be performed in connection with the mobile app.

We may use cookies & tracking tools for the following purposes:

• Sign-in authentication. When you sign into your account to use the Services, we use cookies to store your sign-in information. This allows the Services to remember your user preferences and give you a more tailored experience based on those preferences. These cookies also allow you to use the Services without having to sign-in on each page or each time you return.
• Security. We use cookies and tracking tools to help detect fraud and abuse of the Services, including attempts to access the Services without authorization.
• Analytics. We use cookies and tracking tools to gather usage and performance data about the Services, including counting the number of unique visitors to a particular Service.
• Tailoring the services. We use cookies and tracking tools to collect information about how you use the Services so that we can tailor your experience based on what is most relevant to your interests.
• Advertising. We use cookies to track how many users have seen or clicked on an advertisement. This allows us to learn which advertising campaigns are most effective and also to help limit the number of times a user is shown the same advertisement.
• Interest-based advertising. We use cookies and tracking tools to collect information about your interests so that we can deliver advertising that is most relevant to your interests.

Managing Cookies & Tracking Tools. Most web browsers give you the ability to manage some cookies (e.g., browser-based cookies) used on a website, including blocking or deleting them. Please note that if you choose to block cookies, you may not be able to use certain features that depend on those cookies (such as keeping you signed in or remembering your preferences). If you choose to delete cookies, any settings and preferences that were associated with those cookies will also be deleted and may need to be reset.

You also have the following options to manage cookies and opt-out of interest-based advertising:

• Flash cookies, which we may use on our website from time to time, cannot be controlled through your browser. You may access Flash management tools by visiting Adobe’s website. In addition, some but not all browsers provide the ability to remove LSOs within cookie and privacy settings.
• You may opt-out of interest-based advertising from companies that participate in the Digital Advertising Alliance ("DAA") by visiting their website at http://www.aboutads.info/choices.
• You may opt-out of interest-based advertising from companies that participate in the Network Advertising Initiative ("NAI") by visiting their website at http://www.networkadvertising.org/choices/.
• To learn more about how to opt-out of Google’s use of cookies, visit the Google Ads opt-out page, at https://adssettings.google.com.
• Finally, you may opt-out of interest-based advertising by adjusting your device or browser settings. For more information on how you can customize your browser’s cookie setting please visit the link to your web browser below:
• Chrome
• Safari
• Internet Explorer
• Mozilla

Please note that opting-out of interest-based advertising does not mean you will stop seeing or see fewer advertisements. It does, however, mean that participants in the applicable interest-based advertising opt-out program should not send you interest-based advertising.

Note that most opt-out programs require that you opt-out separately on each browser or other device you use and that if you clear your cookies you will eliminate the opt-out signal for some programs. We are not responsible for the completeness, effectiveness, or accuracy of any third party opt-out options or programs or for their participants’ compliance. However, we support the ad industry’s 2009 Self-Regulatory Principles for Online Behavioral Advertising and we expect the interest-based advertising vendors we use to do so as well.

Do Not Track. Some browsers have incorporated “Do Not Track” features that send an automated signal to the websites that you visit using that browser. At this time, the Services do not recognize or respond to these signals. However, you can adjust your preferences regarding the data we collect using the tools and methods described above.