We at Gay Cupid.net are strongly committed to protecting the privacy of our users. We have prepared this privacy policy to inform you how we handle the information that we automatically collect about you or that you choose to submit to us. This privacy statement discloses the types of information we gather, how we use it, and how to correct or change it. These privacy practices apply to the Web site that you were viewing when you clicked through to this policy, which is operated by us directly, our partner, or our affiliate. By using the website, you explicitly consent to such use of your information. This Privacy Policy is effective as of February 17, 2005.

Information We Automatically Collect
We automatically collect certain information to help us understand how our users use the website. For example, each time you visit the website we automatically collect your IP address, browser and computer type, access times, the web page from which you came, and the web page(s) you access. In addition, we use a technology called cookies that allows us to enhance your experience on the website (for example, to keep track of your purchases, to allow you to see information you've previously entered (like responses to member polls), to deliver content specific to your interests, and, if you tell us to do so, to save your member name and password so that you do not have to re-enter it each time you visit the website or access an area of the website that requires you to log in). We use cookies to deliver advertisements that are most likely to interest you, based on the areas of the website you visit, and the products, features and services you select on the website.

We also use cookies to track information related to your searching and browsing of member profiles, such as which profiles you browse or respond to, search parameters of searches you conduct, the number of results returned by your searches, how you review, rank and respond to search results, and how often your profile is searched or browsed. We may use such information to improve the functionality of the website and to offer additional services, such as enhanced searching or automated user matching. In addition, third parties who place advertisements on the website may also collect information through cookies to ensure that their advertising systems and technologies work properly and to allow them to track responses to their advertisements. Cookies set by these third parties are governed by the privacy policies set by those third parties. From time to time we may share Usage Data with third parties. We do so, however, only in the aggregate and not in a manner that will enable the recipient to personally identify you (unless you have given us permission to do so). In addition, we may combine Usage Data with Personal Information (as defined below) in a manner that enables us to trace Usage Data to an individual user. We do so, however, only for our own internal purposes and will not share such combined data with third parties unless you have given us permission to do so.

Information You Choose To Submit
When you register to become a Gay Cupid member or when you participate in certain activities (e.g., contests or surveys), we may ask that you provide us with demographic information (e.g., gender, age, zip code) and with information through which you could be contacted (e.g., your full name, postal or e mail address, or phone number) (which we will refer to in this privacy policy collectively as Personal Information). Except for aggregate demographic information that we may share with third parties in a manner that does not link such information to any individual, we will not share your Personal Information with third parties unless you have given us permission to do so. In addition, when you order our products or services, we may ask that you provide us with information (e.g., credit card number, billing, and shipping information) we will need to enable us to provide you with the requested product or service. We will share such information (e.g., to our billing vendors) with third parties to the extent necessary to fulfill your order.

Public Areas
Your use of areas that are intended for interaction with other users (e.g., personal ads, chat rooms, online polls, and message boards) may reveal your member name and may allow you to publish certain personal information about you. By choosing to use these areas, you understand and agree that anyone may access and forward any information about you that is contained in or that you post to those areas. While chat, e-mail, and instant message-like conversations pass through our servers, our practice is not to store contents of such communications.

Modifications and Deactivations
You can review, correct or change the information collected during registration for website. Users may change information at any time and as often as necessary. Users who are experiencing problems with our services or who have questions about how our services work can contact us using e-mail addresses at the bottom of this page. Please note, however, that we reserve the right to send you administrative messages relating to the Network (e.g., about changes to this privacy policy). If at any time you would like us to deactivate your member profile and remove it from public and member viewing on the Network, please contact us and we will do so. Please note that

(1) we will retain your Personal Information in back-up storage after deactivation,
(2) we are not responsible for removing information about you from the database of any third parties to whom you previously authorized us to share your Personal Information.

Changes to Policy
We may update this policy from time to time. If we make any significant changes to the way in which we treat Personal Information about you, we will inform you of such changes via e-mail or by posting a notice on relevant areas of the website. If you have any questions about this privacy policy, please feel free to contact us