Just because I think it's so important to know where a company stands on these types of matters, especially given how rumors and false information can spread just as easily as the facts (sometimes more easily), I thought I'd just say where we stand:
- Our widget does not track clicks originating elsewhere on the page (in which the widget resides).
- We do profile users as best we can because the better we do that the more value we add to users. That said, users have full control over their own profile (or at least they will, once we start really profiling users), and our profiling only happens when users are signed in.
- Users can be anyone they want to be. They can use their real name or a pseudonym.
- We do not share users' personal information with anyone, but they're free to do that themselves if they like.
- We never report to anyone what pages you specifically are on, or the specific pages you've visited.
- We do not show pop-up or pop-under advertising.
- The toolbar will never be installed without users' explicit consent.
- Users may uninstall the toolbar any time they like, and it will uninstall completely.
- Yes, we aim to make money through the display of advertising, and yes we're going to do our level best to make the advertising as relevant to you as possible. We do this using the same profile information which users have full control over.
Basically, our intentions are entirely user-centric -- we're directly coupling user value to the act of profiling, and simply allowing users to choose for themselves how they use the service. We know that today's Web users are smart, and we won't succeed as a company unless we earn their respect and offer them sufficient value.
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