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TMCNet: From the newsroom: How to manage your privacy options

[March 21, 2010]

From the newsroom: How to manage your privacy options

Mar 21, 2010 (Richmond Times-Dispatch - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- Privacy. It's something most of us work hard to protect. In most cases, the less people know about us the better.

If you use the Internet, your privacy could be in peril with every click of your mouse. That's because most Web sites and social networks -- from Google to Twitter to Facebook -- collect data on users' browsing habits, online purchases, and other activities.


Do you send e-mails using Gmail? Did you know that Google's software mines your account and the contents of your e-mails to find out more about you and then uses this information to target advertising aimed at your interests? Yahoo also does this.

The explosion of social networking also has raised concerns about online information.

The Richmond Times-Dispatch -- and its followers -- are big users of social media. Almost 3,000 people follow our main Facebook fan page, and it had more than 800 visits last week. Our other pages -- RTDSports and In My Shoes -- also are growing.

Because we are increasingly becoming part of your online experience, we wanted to let you know just how much we value your privacy.

Most commercial Web sites, including TimesDispatch.com and Richmond.com, have terms of service that spell out exactly what can and will be done with your information. It's worth the time to read them. At TimesDispatch.com, you can find our privacy policy by clicking on "terms and conditions" at the bottom of any page.

The bottom line is that we work hard to protect your privacy when you use our Web sites. We do not sell any lists containing users' personal information, nor do we "access, read, upload, or store" data from your personal computer.

While most sites do an excellent job of protecting users' privacy, there are some things you can do to protect yourself online: -- Choose aliases and e-mail addresses carefully. Avoid using your real name or an alias that might reveal bias.

-- Set your Web browser so that you are alerted any time a site wants to install a cookie.

-- If a site requires you to use a photo, choose a random image instead of a photograph of yourself.

-- Know that anything you say or do online could wind up anywhere. If you don't want to share it with everyone, don't share it with anyone.

-- Be familiar with a Web site's opt-out procedures. Most sites, including TimesDispatch.com, allow you to decide what kinds of mailings and other information you receive from them.

Ultimately it's up to you to be aware about how your information is collected and used.

Like most Web sites, the TimesDispatch.com servers collect data about which stories and pages receive the most clicks and whether our visitors are referred from search engines, bookmarks, or links on other sites. If you register to post comments on TimesDispatch.com, you're asked your age, gender, and ZIP code. You also must agree to our terms and conditions. Sometimes we share broad demographic information with advertisers, but nothing personally identifiable such as names or e-mail addresses.

We also may place a "cookie" on the browser of your computer. Cookies are small bits of code that help us measure traffic patterns and keep registered users from having to re-enter their login information each time they visit the site.

If you comment on a story or upload a photo to our Snap! Gallery, you must register with TimesDispatch.com and agree to our terms and conditions. By doing so, you give us the right to publish your comments or photos in the newspaper.

All of this is done without compromising your privacy.

Bryan DeVasher is a multimedia producer specializing in social media. Reach him at (804) 649-6741 or at bdevasher@timesdispatch.com.

To see more of the Richmond Times-Dispatch, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.timesdispatch.com. Copyright (c) 2010, Richmond Times-Dispatch, Va. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

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