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Nielsen Web Analytics Privacy and Cookie Policy

Nielsen provides various analytics and online measurement services to understand, and to help others understand, how people use and interact with the Internet in the United States and throughout the world. We do this by gathering research data on the traffic and users on our clients' Web sites and relating to their advertising campaigns.

Nielsen is able to gather this research data in different ways.

What information do we collect?
We gather statistical information on behalf of our clients. This information may include:

  • the number of visitors to their Web sites
  • the total audience exposed to an ad campaign and the demographic composition of that audience
  • which pages or portions of pages (such as Web videos) are visited
  • the duration of page/video views
  • advertising click-through metrics and advertising effectiveness metrics
  • the sites the users were visiting before they accessed our clients’ Web sites, and
  • details about the browsers the visitors were using

We also administer surveys to some users of our clients' Web sites while they are visiting those Web sites. These surveys request additional demographic, non-personally identifiable information. Participation in surveys is always voluntary, and users choose whether or not to provide the requested survey information.

What technologies do we use to collect information?
We use cookies (both Flash and non-Flash) to gather statistical information to help understand what users find interesting and useful on our clients' Web sites, what advertising campaigns are effective, and the aggregated demographic composition of a website’s visitors or of the users that viewed an ad campaign. You can control non-Flash cookies through your browser’s settings. Alterations to these settings may, however, affect the functionality of certain Web sites. For information about how to delete the Flash cookie, please click here.
We also embed a piece of code (sometimes referred to as "1x1 clear pixel," "Web beacon" or “clear GIF”) in the pages of certain client Web sites in order to gather additional statistical site usage information. These pieces of code may also be embedded in client ad campaigns appearing on ad placements across many websites.

How do we use this information?

We use statistical information to provide our clients with detailed reports and analyses of traffic to their websites, the audiences of their websites and advertising campaigns, and the effectiveness of their advertising campaigns. We use the information collected in surveys in conjunction with information gathered through our cookies and code, in order to provide our clients with an even more detailed understanding of their Internet audience.
Nielsen may also combine the information collected on our clients' Web sites with other online and offline data sources and research tools, including non-identifying Nielsen panelist viewing. The other data sources may also include social media or ecommerce sites. These additional sources allow us to perform more robust research and analyses concerning Internet audience demographics, behavior and use.
Only non-identifiable or aggregated data are included in our reports.

With whom do we share information?

We employ or contract with other companies or individuals to perform certain functions on our behalf. Such companies or individuals may be provided with access to your information needed to perform their functions, but are prohibited from using such information for any other purpose. In addition, we may release information to third parties when disclosure is required by law or when necessary or desirable to exercise or preserve our legal rights, or to take action regarding potentially illegal activities. If all or part of our company is sold, merged or otherwise transferred to another entity, your information, whether personally identifiable or otherwise, may be transferred as part of that transaction.

How do we protect this information?
We store the information described in this policy for as long as needed for market research purposes, and that may be indefinitely. We may store these data in the United States or we may transfer them to another country. Wherever we hold the data, we will apply the terms of this policy and any applicable law. Nielsen has implemented certain security measures to help protect the security and confidentiality of information while controlled by us.

We limit access to your information to employees and agents who we believe reasonably need to come into contact with that information, all of whom are bound by this privacy policy. Access or use of information for any purpose other than those explained in this privacy policy will not be authorized. The storage and communication of data cannot always be completely secure. We also cannot and do not guarantee that data transferred to third parties in accordance with this policy will be protected against intentional or accidental misuse or loss.

Opting Out

If you do not wish Nielsen to collect statistical data regarding your behavior on a client Web site, please click here .

Please note: if you regularly delete your cookies, you will need to opt-out each time you delete your cookies.

Policy Changes
Nielsen reserves the right to update and make changes to this privacy notice. If we materially change our practices in handling personally identifiable information, as described in this notice, we will post the changes on our Web site at least 30 days prior to their implementation. We encourage you to review this privacy notice frequently to ensure that you stay apprised of any changes.

Contact Us
If you have any comments or questions regarding this privacy policy, you may contact us webprivacy@nielsen.com.
For more information about how our clients use the information collected on their Web sites, please see their privacy policies. To learn more about how Nielsen is shaping the future of the Internet, please visit our Web site at www.nielsen.com.
This Privacy Statement was last updated on March 8, 2011.