Our official privacy policy begins after the major “Privacy Policy” heading below, and contains language our lawyers say we must have. However, some of those words in the policy are rather “un-Packet Pushers.” Therefore, before reading the official policy below, here are some plain spoken words from us. We want you to have context, because we don’t like how some of the official language might be interpreted, and privacy–both yours and ours–is a really big deal to us.
- About us sharing your info with others. We don’t share or sell your name or e-mail address to any person or company. Period. We’re very strongly opposed to such marketing tactics and are very practiced at saying “no” when people ask us to share our mailing lists and so on.
- About third parties. One “third party” that currently exists in relation to the Packet Pushers web site is Google. We use Google Analytics to gather statistics about our web site. We use Google Double-Click For Publishers to deliver banner ads. There are cookies involved. The other “third party” that currently exists on the Packet Pushers web site is Rainmaker by CopyBlogger. Rainmaker is the platform we use to deliver the site to you. Rainmaker is essentially heavily modified WordPress. We need Rainmaker mostly for the membership system. Okay. All that in mind, it’s possible that Google via cookies and/or Rainmaker if you’ve signed up to be a member knows something about you. We recommend you look into browser plug-ins like Ghostery that can help anonymize your browsing trail if that’s important to you. Yet other third parties we use include MailChimp to deliver newsletters. There might be others, but those are the big ones that leap to mind.
- About newsletter signups. If you sign up for one of our newsletters, then that’s all you did. You signed up for a newsletter. You didn’t sign up to get spammed to death with ten other newsletters, too. We don’t subscribe you to a bunch of other stuff. If you subscribe to a newsletter and decide it’s not for you, then unsubscribe. It’s all under your control.
- About membership. If you sign up to become a Packet Pushers member, then guess what? We will track what membership level you’re at, etc., because we have to know what stuff to give you access to. That’s how a membership system works. But that’s all we’re using your membership info for–to grant you access to the stuff your particular level of membership entitles you to get.
- About browsing around the site. We do not perform algorithmic analysis of your browsing habits to customize what articles or banner ads to show you. The banner ads are delivered in a standard rotation, and pretty easy to block using an adblocker if you don’t want to see them. We do NOT have “customized search results” which is a marketing technique some sites use to sneak sponsored content into search result sets. The Packet Pushers website experience should be the same for everyone.
- About sponsored content. All Packet Pushers sponsored content is clearly marked as such. We do NOT promote sponsored content in any unusual way, i.e. vendors can’t pay us to make their sponsored shows or blog posts rank higher in our search results. If you are searching our site and find a bit of sponsored content, that simply means you came across that bit of sponsored content naturally, and it’s probably worth checking out. Sponsored content is never artificially injected into our search result stream.
All that in mind, our official, boring, privacy policy written in legalese because that’s what the lawyers want follows below.
Privacy Policy
This privacy policy sets out how Packet Pushers Interactive, LLC uses and protects any information that you give Packet Pushers Interactive, LLC when you use this website.
Packet Pushers Interactive, LLC is committed to ensuring that your privacy is protected. Should we ask you to provide certain information by which you can be identified when using this website, then you can be assured that it will only be used in accordance with this privacy policy.
Packet Pushers Interactive, LLC may change this policy from time to time by updating this page. You should check this page from time to time to ensure that you are happy with any changes. This policy is effective from 9th September 2017.
What we collect
We may collect the following information:
- Name and job title.
- Contact information including email address.
- Demographic information such as postcode, preferences and interests.
- Other information relevant to customer surveys and/or offers.
What we do with the information we gather
We require this information to understand your needs and provide you with a better service, and in particular for the following reasons:
- Internal record keeping.
- We may use the information to improve our products and services.
- We may periodically send promotional email about new products, special offers or other information which we think you might find interesting using the email address which you have provided.
- From time to time, we may also use your information to contact you for market research purposes. We may contact you by email.
- We may use the information to customize the website according to your interests.
- We may provide your information to our third party partners for marketing or promotional purposes.
- We will never sell your information.
Security
We are committed to ensuring that your information is secure. In order to prevent unauthorized access or disclosure we have put in place suitable physical, electronic and managerial procedures to safeguard and secure the information we collect online.
How we use cookies
A cookie is a small file which asks permission to be placed on your computer’s hard drive. Once you agree, the file is added and the cookie helps analyze web traffic or lets you know when you visit a particular site. Cookies allow web applications to respond to you as an individual. The web application can tailor its operations to your needs, likes and dislikes by gathering and remembering information about your preferences.
We use traffic log cookies to identify which pages are being used. This helps us analyze data about web page traffic and improve our website in order to tailor it to customer needs. We only use this information for statistical analysis purposes and then the data is removed from the system.
Overall, cookies help us provide you with a better website, by enabling us to monitor which pages you find useful and which you do not. A cookie in no way gives us access to your computer or any information about you, other than the data you choose to share with us.
You can choose to accept or decline cookies. Most web browsers automatically accept cookies, but you can usually modify your browser setting to decline cookies if you prefer. This may prevent you from taking full advantage of the website.
Links to other websites
Our website may contain links to enable you to visit other websites of interest easily. However, once you have used these links to leave our site, you should note that we do not have any control over that other website. Therefore, we cannot be responsible for the protection and privacy of any information which you provide whilst visiting such sites and such sites are not governed by this privacy statement. You should exercise caution and look at the privacy statement applicable to the website in question.
Controlling your personal information
You may choose to restrict the collection or use of your personal information in the following ways:
- Whenever you are asked to fill in a form on the website, look for the box that you can click to indicate that you do not want the information to be used by anybody for direct marketing purposes.
- If you have previously agreed to us using your personal information for direct marketing purposes, you may change your mind at any time by writing to or emailing us at [email protected].
- We will not sell, distribute or lease your personal information to third parties unless we have your permission or are required by law. We may use your personal information to send you promotional information about third parties which we think you may find interesting if you tell us that you wish this to happen.
You may request details of personal information which we hold about you under the Data Protection Act 1998. A small fee will be payable. If you would like a copy of the information held on you please write to the following address in the United States.
Packet Pushers Interactive, LLC
500 Westover Dr #16993
Sanford, NC 27330
If you believe that any information we are holding on you is incorrect or incomplete, please write to or email us as soon as possible, at the above address. We will promptly correct any information found to be incorrect.