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Better Chinese is committed to protecting the online safety and privacy of
children. This policy statement provides our visitors with an overview of
the measures we have taken to provide a safe environment for everyone.
This Privacy Policy applies to use and sharing of personally identifiable
information collected on and after the date that this Privacy Policy is posted.
Once the guest has accepted these terms and conditions, this Privacy Policy
will also apply to personally identifiable information collected from that
guest prior to the date that this Privacy Policy is posted.
As used in this Privacy Policy, Better Chinese Ltd ("Better Chinese) includes
BetterChinese.com, FunChinese.com, StoryCola.com FunAmerican.com, Better
Chinese LLC and others affiliated with Better Chinese Ltd. (each a "BETTER
CHINESE Site"). BETTER CHINESE is operated by Better Chinese Ltd. and its
affiliates (collectively referred to herein as "we," "us," or "our").
When this Privacy Policy uses the term "personally identifiable information," we
mean information that identifies a particular individual, such as the
individuals name, postal address, e-mail address, and telephone number. When
other information, such as, for example, consumer product preferences, or
number of children, is directly associated with personally identifiable
information, this other information also becomes personally identifiable
information for purposes of this Privacy Policy. Personally identifiable
information is sometimes referred to in this Privacy Policy as "personal
information." Finally, the terms of this Privacy Policy are subject to all
applicable laws.
User Information Collected
Much of the personally identifiable information we receive comes directly from
members and guests who are interested in obtaining various products and
services from us. Typically, this information includes the guests name, postal
address, e-mail address, and telephone number. We may also collect other types
of information such as gender, age, which we may associate with personally
identifiable information. If you purchase products or services from us, well
note, for example, credit card information, the type of services or products
ordered or purchased, and the date of the order or purchase. We collect
personal information when you register on, log on, or visit our Web sites.
We collect information through technology to make our sites more interesting and
useful to you. For instance, when you come to one of our sites, we collect your
IP address. An IP address is often associated with the portal through which you
enter the Internet, like your ISP (Internet service provider), your company, or
your university. Standing alone, your IP address is not personally
identifiable. At times, we also use IP addresses to collect information
regarding the frequency with which our guests visit various parts of our sites.
We may combine this information with personally identifiable information.
Our Web sites also use cookies. Cookies are pieces of information that a Web
site sends to your computer while you are viewing the Web site. You can choose
to have your computer warn you each time a cookie is being sent, or you can
choose to turn off all cookies. Our Web sites use a variety of technical
methods for tracking purposes, including Web beacons. Web beacons are small
pieces of data that are embedded in images on the pages of Web sites. We also
use these technical methods to analyze the traffic patterns on our Web sites,
such as the frequency with which our users visit various parts of our Web
sites. These technical methods may involve the transmission of information
either directly to us or to another party authorized by us to collect
information on our behalf. We also use these technical methods in HTML e-mails
that we send our guests to determine whether our guests have opened those
e-mails and/or clicked on links in those e-mails. The information from use of
these technical methods may be collected in a form that is personally
identifiable.
We may supplement personally identifiable information that we have collected
directly from our guests with other information that we obtain from third
parties and other divisions of Better Chinese. In addition, we may obtain
information about individuals who are not yet users of our Web sites or guests
of Better Chinese. In addition, When we associate information that we obtain
from third parties or other members of Better Chinese Ltd. with personally
identifiable information that we have collected under this Privacy Policy, we
will treat the acquired information like the information that we collected
ourselves and, except as permitted by this Privacy Policy, the information will
not be shared with third parties.
As described in detail below, Better Chinese may use your personally
identifiable information in many ways, including sending you promotional
materials. (By "promotional materials," we mean communications that directly
promote the use of our Web sites, or the purchase of products or services.) As
outlined below, you may "opt-out" of certain uses of your personal information.
Personally identifiable information collected under this Privacy Policy is
shared among and used by Better Chinese companies for many purposes. For
example, we may use your personal information to send you promotional materials
about goods and services (including special offers and promotions) offered by
the Better Chinese family of companies. These promotional materials may be sent
to you by postal mail, e-mail or other means. You may opt out of receiving
these communications as provided below. When you purchase or request products
or services from Better Chinese, promotional materials may accompany delivery
of that product or service. We refer to sending you promotional materials in
these circumstances as "Fulfillment Uses" of your personal information. Because
these promotional materials accompany products or services that you have
requested, your opt-outs for Individual Better Chinese companies detailed below
will not apply to any of these Fulfillment Uses.
Better Chinese may also use your personal information for many purposes other
than sending you promotional materials. (We refer to all of these types of uses
of your personal information that do not involve the sending of promotional
materials as "Operational Uses.") For example, we may use your information to
complete transactions requested by you (such as your purchase of a product or
service offered on our Web sites), or to send you administrative communications
either about your account with us or about features of our Web sites, including
any future changes to this Privacy Policy.
Finally, Better Chinese may take your personally identifiable information and
make it non-personally identifiable, either by combining it with information
about other individuals (aggregating your information with information about
other individuals), or by removing characteristics (such as your name) that
make the information personally identifiable to you (de-personalizing your
information). Given the nature of this information, there are no restrictions
under this Privacy Policy upon the right of Better Chinese to aggregate or
de-personalize your personal information, and Better Chinese may use and/or
share with third parties the resulting non-personally identifiable information
in any way.
Better Chinese hires companies to help deliver products or services, such as the
e-store order fulfillment house and shipping companies that deliver
packages. Your opt-out choices below will not apply to sharing by Better
Chinese of your personal information with any of these companies. Nonetheless,
except as separately permitted by other provisions of this Privacy Policy,
these companies are allowed to gather, receive, and use your information only
for the purposes described in this paragraph or as required by law.
From time to time, we may purchase a business or sell one or more of our
businesses and your personally identifiable information may be transferred as a
part of the purchase or sale. In the event that we purchase a business, the
personally identifiable information received with that business would be
treated in accordance with this Privacy Policy, if it is practicable and
permissible to do so. In the event that we sell a business, we will include
provisions in the selling contract requiring the purchaser to treat your
personally identifiable information in the same manner required by this Privacy
Policy (including any amendments to this Privacy Policy). In light of this
protection, your opt-out choices will not affect our right to transfer your
information to a purchaser in these circumstances.
Regardless of any opt-out choices that you make Better Chinese will disclose
personal information when it believes in good faith that such disclosures (a)
are required by law, including, for example, to comply with a court order or
subpoena, or (b) will help to: enforce our Terms of Use; enforce contest,
sweepstakes, promotions, and/or game rules; protect your safety or security,
including the safety and security of property that belongs to you; and/or,
protect the safety and security of our Web sites, Better Chinese, and/or third
parties, including the safety and security of property that belongs to Better
Chinese or third parties.
Better Chinese: You may choose to opt-out of receiving promotional
materials from members of Better Chinese companies. This opt-out choice
is found on each of our Web sites. Please keep in mind that any opt-out
choices you make will not apply in situations where (a) you either have made,
simultaneously make, or later make a specific request for information from a
member of the Better Chinese family of Companies, (b) Better Chinese uses your
personal information for either "Operational Uses" or "Fulfillment Uses", (c)
Better Chinese shares your personal information under the provisions above with
respect to "Companies That Facilitate Communications and Transactions With
You," "Purchase or Sale of Businesses," or "Disclosures Required By Law and
Disclosures to Help Protect the Security and Safety of Our Web Sites, Better
Chinese and Others."
Finally, if you do not exercise your opt-out choices upon registration or
initial log-in at our Web sites, it may take up to ninety (90) days for your
opt-out choices to be fully effective. Our systems require time to update, and
promotional mailings using personal information shared before your opt-out may
already be in process. Thus, you might continue to receive promotional
materials from Better Chinese based upon the personal information you have
provided under this Privacy Policy for up to ninety (90) days.
The security and confidentiality of your information is extremely important to
us. We have implemented technical, administrative, and physical security
measures to protect guest information from unauthorized access and improper
use. From time to time, we review our security procedures in order to consider
appropriate new technology and methods. Please be aware though that, despite
our best efforts, no security measures are perfect or impenetrable.
You can access and update the contact information you gave us during
registration (that is, your postal address, e-mail address, or any other
information that would directly enable us to contact you), or modify your
opt-out choices, by going to our member services centers. Simply click on the
link marked Log In on our Web sites, and then enter your member name and
password. There are instructions on the start page of the link above to help
you recover your password if you've forgotten it. If you need to recover your
password, you can also contact us via e-mail at
usa@betterchinese.com for lost passwords. Please include information in
the e-mail that will help us identify your account so we can assist you with
your request. We may also provide you an opportunity to update your contact
information and/or modify your opt-out choices by sending you an e-mail or
other communication that invites your response. Finally, you may unsubscribe
from certain e-mail communications by clicking on unsubscribe links in those
e-mails.
We may amend this Privacy Policy at any time. If we make any material changes in
the way we collect, use, and/or share your personal information, we will notify
you by sending you an e-mail at the last e-mail address that you provided us,
and/or by prominently posting notice of the changes on the Web sites covered by
this Privacy Policy. Any material changes to this Privacy Policy will be
effective upon the earlier of thirty (30) calendar days following our dispatch
of an e-mail notice to you or thirty (30) calendar days following our posting
of notice of the changes on the Web sites covered by this Privacy Policy.
Please note that, at all times, you are responsible for updating your personal
information to provide us your current e-mail address. In the event that the
last e-mail address that you have provided us is not valid, or for any other
reason is not capable of delivering to you the notice described above, our
dispatch of the e-mail containing such notice will nonetheless constitute
effective notice of the changes described in the notice. In any event, changes
to this Privacy Policy may affect our use of personal information that you
provided us prior to our notification to you of the changes. If you do not wish
to permit changes in our use of your information, you must notify us prior to
the effective date of the changes that you wish to deactivate your account with
us.
Childs can explore the DEMO sections of our websites without any personal
information being collected. We do not collect personal information from
children unless their parent or guardian registers on Better Chinese sites. The
only information we collect from children during our registration process is a
childs first name, parent's e-mail address, childs birth date, member name,
and password. We collect birth dates to validate the ages of our guests,
including children. We do not collect any other personally identifiable
information from children during our registration process. Note that all sites
that are directed to children under 13 are prohibited by law from conditioning
a childs participation in an online activity on the childs providing more
personal information than is reasonably necessary.
We may collect personal information from parents in order to allow children to
participate in our Web sites. These features may include instant message
chatting, sending e-mail, posting on message boards, interacting with pen-pals,
and other similar activities. In the course of a childs participation in these
features, a child may also provide us additional information about himself or
herself, such as the contents of his or her chat or message board postings. If
a parent allows us to collect personal information about their child, we may
link certain information collected through to that personal information.
We may collect a childs e-mail address from the parent in order to send the
child a newsletter. In addition, personal information regarding a child may be
disclosed in the course of a childs participation in certain interactive
features such as message boards and pen pal services.
We do not share any information about a child with any third parties unless the
disclosure is reasonably necessary: to comply with law, including, for example,
to comply with a court order or subpoena; to enforce our Terms of Service, or
to protect the safety and security of our Guests and our Web sites.
At any time parents can refuse to permit us to collect further personal
information from their child and can request that any personal information we
have collected be deleted from our records. We use two methods to allow parents
to access, change, or delete the personally identifiable information that we
have collected from their children.
We may amend our Childrens Privacy Policy at any time. We will provide parents
notice by e-mail of any material changes in the way we intend to collect, use,
and/or share childs personal information. Please note that, at all times,
parents should update their personal information to provide us current e-mail
addresses. We will apply material changes in our Childs Privacy Policy only in
conformance with applicable law, including any applicable provisions of COPPA
that require parental consent.
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