Privacy Policy

Effective November 3rd, 2009

WiserTogether’s website, wisertogether.com (the “Site”) is designed to help users understand issues they face, explore their options and make decisions. WiserTogether’s technology uses techniques rooted in science and math to quickly present data and information that is relevant to the user. This policy outlines the type of information WiserTogether collects from our users and how it is used.

We reserve the right to modify this privacy statement at any so please review this policy periodically for any updates. If we decide to change our privacy policy, we will post those changes to this privacy statement, the homepage and other places we deem appropriate so that you are aware of not only the changes made, but also how we collect information, how we use it, and under what circumstances, if any, we disclose the information to others. If we make material changes to this privacy statement, we will notify you here, on our homepage as well by our newsletter, email and on our blog.

What Data Do We Collect

WiserTogether allows users to search for data and information on health-related issues they may be facing. The data presented is anonymous data collected from surveys, questionnaires and medical research and from Site users. Users may choose to contribute their own decision history on the site so that the collective knowledge and experiences of thousands of people can be shared and help improve decision making for all users on the site.

The type of data that users may share may include:

Users may choose to create profiles about themselves (Profile) and may voluntarily share information in their profiles that identifies them (“Personally Identifiable Information”) into their Profile or elsewhere on the Site. This information includes personal information such as name, address, email address, photographs for profile avatars and personal information in forums and stories. Users may enter as much or as little such information as you like – however, WiserTogether will never use that information for commercial purposes. In the course of registering to use the Site, WiserTogether may also ask users to provide certain information including first name and last name initial, and their email address for registration purposes. This information is used only registration purposes and is kept private and confidential. This information is never disclosed publically or shared with third parties for promotional purposes. The information is used for internal data management, security and tracking purposes.

We do not knowingly collect personal information for users under the age of 13. If the site has knowledge of someone under the age of 13 accessing the site, their personal information will be deleted from our database and their access terminated.

Cookies are required to use the WiserTogether service. A cookie is a small data file, which often includes an anonymous unique identifier that is sent to the user’s browser from a Web site’s computers and stored on the computer’s hard drive. WiserTogether uses two types of cookies: Session Cookies and General Cookies. Session Cookies are temporary cookies that remain in the cookie file of your browser until you leave the Web site. Session cookies do not store any personally identifying information, only a unique visitor ID number that we can use to customize WiserTogether functionality for the particular user. General Cookies remain in the cookie file of the user’s browser for much longer, even after the user leaves the Site. General cookies do not store any personally identifying information, but allows the Site to recognize the user upon return to tailor appropriate site functionality including stage of pregnancy to match the user’s preferences.

To improve our understanding of usage on our site, WiserTogether works with expert third parties to track click patterns. These third parties on occasion employ technology that may include clear gifs or web beacons designed to help us better manage content on our site. Clear gifs are tiny graphics each with a unique identifier, similar in function to cookies, and are used to track the online movements of Web users. In contrast to cookies, clear gifs are only embedded invisibly on our Web pages and are never linked to any identifiable user information. We do not tie the information gathered by clear gifs to our customers’ personally identifiable information at any time.

How Personally Identifiable Data Is Used

WiserTogether removes any and all of the user’s personally identifiable information before aggregating data for analysis. WiserTogether follows US Census Bureau data aggregation and analysis guidelines to ensure anonymity for users. In addition to removing personally identifiable information from our data files, we use various approaches to protect the user’s personal information; including computer technologies, statistical methodologies, and security procedures.

WiserTogether will never rent, sell or share information that personally identifies a user for marketing or promotional purposes. From time to time we work with vendors who provide us services such as technology and hosting services and we work with them to maintain and enforce our level of data privacy, security and confidentiality.

Access to Personally Identifiable Information

If your personally identifiable information changes, or if you no longer desire our service, you may correct, update, delete or deactivate it by making the change on our “edit profile’ page or by emailing our Customer Support at : info@wisertogether.com or by contacting us by telephone or postal mail at the contact information listed below.

Newsletters

If you wish to subscribe to our newsletter(s), we will use your name and email address to send the newsletter to you. Out of respect for your privacy, we provide you a way to unsubscribe by accessing the unsubscribe mechanism in each email or by emailing the site at info@wisertogether.com.

Widget

This site uses the “Share This” widget where personal information is collected in the form of the invite-a-friend feature. This feature is used to send a one time invite to the third party email address you entered through the widget. The personal information entered on this widget is subject to the privacy policy of the “Share This” widget. WiserTogether shares no responsibility in regards to the personal information entered through the widget.

You can also import email contacts using this widget. The widget will import email addresses from various email service providers into your account. Once the email addresses are imported you must manually click on each email you address you wish to send a communication to.

Forums

While WiserTogether takes precautions to protect the privacy of users and contributors to our site. However, users posting to forums and blogs on this Web site, you should be aware that any personally identifiable information they might submit can be read, collected, or used by other users of these forums, and could be used to send unsolicited messages. WiserTogether is not responsible for the personally identifiable information users choose to submit in these forums.

Links to Other Websites

WiserTogether may contain links to other websites that are not under the control of WiserTogether. The inclusion of any link does not imply endorsement by WiserTogether of such site and WiserTogether is not responsible for the content of such linked sites.

Other Security Issues

We follow generally accepted industry standards to protect the personal information submitted to us, both during transmission and once we receive it. No method of transmission over the Internet, or method of electronic storage, is 100% secure, however. Therefore, while we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee its absolute security.

WiserTogether cannot guarantee the identity of any other user with whom users may interact in the course of using the Site or who may have access to information users have posted in the Site. Additionally, we cannot guarantee the authenticity of any data that users may provide about themselves.

Finally, WiserTogether takes commercially reasonable technical precautions to help keep user data as secure as possible.

Risks and Benefits

There are no known risks to using this Web site, but there is a possibility that users may feel uncomfortable sharing information online. Users are free to stop using this service at any time. Users are also free to skip any questions or data fields that make them feel uncomfortable.

Legal Disclaimer

We reserve the right to disclose your personally identifiable information as required by law and when we believe that disclosure is necessary to protect our rights and/or comply with a judicial proceeding, court order, or legal process served on our Web site.

Questions About the Privacy Policy

WiserTogether’s is compliant with TRUSTe Privacy Program’s requirements. TRUSTe is an independent, organization whose mission is to build user’s trust and confidence in the Internet by promoting the use of fair information practices. This privacy statement covers the Web site www.wisertogether.com. As a licensee, WiserTogether has agreed to fully disclose its information practices and have its privacy practices reviewed for compliance by TRUSTe.

For any questions or comments about our privacy policy, please contact us at:

Privacy Team
WiserTogether, Inc.
3307 M Street NW, Suite 301
Washington DC 20007
Tel: (202) 507-9473
Email: info@wisertogether.com

If you have questions or concerns regarding this statement, you should first contact WiserTogether, Inc. If you do not receive acknowledgement of your inquiry or your inquiry has not been satisfactorily addressed, you should then contact TRUSTe at: http://watchdog.truste.com/pvr.php?page=complaint&url=pregnancy.wisertogether.com/privacy.php

TRUSTe will then serve as a liaison to resolve your concerns

History of Updates/Changes to this Privacy Policy

The material on this site is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment provided by a qualified health care provider.