At Vehicle Information Services, Inc., (VIS) we view your information and privacy exactly as we view our own. We have reservations about providing personal information and are always concerned about what is happening to that data, who may be viewing it, and where it might end up. Because we feel this way, we give you the courtesy of operating with the understanding that you wish to have your privacy preserved too.
Sites covered by this Privacy Statement
This Privacy Statement applies to all Vehicle Information Services, Inc.-owned websites and domains, and any wholly owned subsidiaries ("VIS websites.")
Links to non-VIS websites
The VIS websites may provide links to third-party websites for your convenience and information. If you access those links, you will leave the VIS website. VIS does not control those sites or their privacy practices, which may differ from VIS'. We do not endorse or make any representations about third-party websites. The personal data you choose to give to unrelated third parties is not covered by the VIS Privacy Statement. We encourage you to review the privacy policy of any company before submitting any personal information.
Types of information we collect
This Privacy Statement covers personal information, non-personal data collection and aggregate reporting.
Personally Identifiable Information
Personally identifiable information is information associated with your name or your identity. VIS does not collect personally identifiable information. We do not use "cookies" and do not place any information on a visitor's computer. This is why you cannot be automatically logged in to our site.
If we ask you to become a Member, it is to allow you to give yourself an opportunity to customize the information you wish to view, bookmark pages, review particular types of articles, follow pending legislation, etc., without having to wade through pages which may not interest you. In other words, having your own particular member identity allows you to customize your access. Your user name can be any word, number, or combination that means something to you.
On this site, you can order products and services, request information, register for seminars, or subscribe to newsletters and update materials. You may be asked to provide personally identifiable information for these activities, and the types of personal information you provide to us on these pages may include name, address, phone number, e-mail address, user IDs and passwords, billing and transaction information, credit card information, and contact preferences. Once you choose to provide us with personal information, you can be assured it will be used only to support your relationship with VIS. We take seriously the trust you place in us and will not sell, rent, or lease your personal information to others.
Non-personal information
Non-personal information is data about usage and service operation that is not associated with a specific personal identity.
We do like to know what pages are of most interest to visitors. VIS collects and analyzes non-personal information to evaluate how visitors use our site and how we can improve it. Non-personal data we collect may include the pages visited on the website, unique URLs1 visited within vehicleinfo.com, browser type, and IP2 address.
How we use your information
VIS uses the personal information to provide you with services and to help us better understand your needs and interests. Specifically, we use your information to help you complete a transaction or order, to communicate with you, to provide service and support, to update you on services and benefits, to personalize promotional offers if you have signed up for them, and to personalize some aspects of VIS websites. Occasionally we may also use your information to contact you to participate in market research regarding VIS products or services. To prevent intrusions into your privacy, we will post the survey, marketing, or feedback information on our websites and you will have the ability to participate online as your choice. We will also give you the opportunity to choose your privacy preferences regarding such communications (see section 5, "Privacy preferences and opting out"). Credit card information is used only for payment processing and fraud prevention. Sensitive personal information is collected only to facilitate our financial service providers' credit decisions and will be shared with them only with your permission. Credit card information and sensitive personal data are not used for any other purpose by our financial services providers or VIS and will not be kept longer than necessary for providing the services, unless you ask us to retain your credit card information for future purchases if that is a technology we support.
Personal data provided by you online may also be combined with information you provide VIS through other sources such as email communications, faxes, call centers or public events such as seminars or presentations. Personal data given to VIS may be transferred across state and country borders for the purposes of data consolidation, storage and simplified customer information management.
Non-personal data is aggregated for reporting about VIS website usability, performance and effectiveness. It is used to improve the customer experience, usability and site content. Non-personal data may also be used for statistical, informational, or research purposes.
Who we share your information with
VIS will not sell, rent or lease your personal information to others. VIS will not share your personal information with third parties except in responding to your requests for products or services. Your permission will be requested when you submit your information. VIS shares customer information across VIS-owned business entities and companies working on our behalf, but only as described above in section 3, "How we use your information."
VIS may contract with third-party service providers and suppliers to deliver complete products, services and customer solutions described in "How we use your information." Suppliers and service providers are required to keep confidential the information received on behalf of VIS and may not use it for any purpose other than to carry out the services they are performing for VIS. These service providers may change or we may contract with additional service providers to better accommodate our customers. VIS will not share personal information with any other third parties without your permission, unless required by law enforcement action, subpoena, or local law.
Privacy preferences and opting out
To opt-out of receiving communications you have expressly requested (such as e-mail newsletters, legislative updates, etc.), use any of the following methods:
Select the e-mail "opt-out" or "unsubscribe" link, or follow the opt-out instructions included in each subscription communication
Return to the Web page(s) where you originally registered your preferences and follow the opt-out instructions
Write to the VIS Privacy Office- be sure to provide your name, e-mail and postal address, and relevant information about your VIS subscriptions and registrations
We will make every effort to honor your preferences. This option does not apply to communications for the purpose of administering order completion or contracts for service.
Young visitor's privacy
VIS is committed to protecting the privacy needs of young visitors and children, and we encourage parents and guardians to take an active role in their children's online activities and interests. VIS does not knowingly collect information from anyone under the age of 13 and VIS does not target its websites to anyone under 13.
Spyware
We do not authorize the use of "spyware" and do not knowingly allow advertising or products that makes use of such technology.
Keeping your information secure
VIS is committed to protecting the information you provide us. To prevent unauthorized access or disclosure, to maintain data accuracy, and to ensure the appropriate use of the information, VIS has in place appropriate physical and managerial procedures to safeguard the information we collect.
We use Secure Socket Layering (SSL) encryption when collecting or transferring sensitive data such as credit card information. SSL encryption is designed to make the information unreadable by anyone but us. This security measure is working when you see either the symbol of an unbroken key or closed lock (depending on your browser) on the bottom of your browser window.
Credit card numbers are used only for processing payment and are not used for other purposes.
Changes to this Statement
If there are updates to the terms of VIS's Online Privacy Statement, we will post those changes and update the revision date in this document, so you will always know what information we collect online, how we use it, and what choices you have.
Contacting us
We value your opinions. If you have comments or questions about our privacy policy, please send them to privacy@vehicleinfo.com or write to us at the following address:
Vehicle Information Services, Inc.
Privacy Office
846 N. Cleveland-Massillon Rd.
Bath, OH 44333-2166
1 A URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the global address of documents and other resources on the World Wide Web. For example, http://vehicleinfo.com is the URL for VIS' U.S. home page.
2An IP address is an identifier for a computer or device on a Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) network, such as the World Wide Web. Networks use the TCP/IP protocol to route information based on the IP address of the destination. In other words, an IP address is a number that is automatically assigned to your computer whenever you are surfing the Web, allowing Web servers to locate and identify your computer. Computers require IP addresses in order for users to communicate on the Internet, browse and shop.