Notice on Use of Cookies and Similar Technologies (“Cookie Notice”)
By continuing to use our website and online services, you consent to the use of
cookies and similar technologies as described in This Cookie Notice and our privacy notice
I. Use of Cookies and Similar Technologies
Our website and online services use cookies and similar technologies to collect and store certain non-personal data (such as log data, location data, and cookie data) when you visit or interact with our website and online services to help us secure our website and online services, as well as the information processed by our website and online services; monitor and enhance the performance of our website and online services; better understand user behavior; and facilitate and measure the effectiveness of advertisements and website features. These cookies and similar technologies include:
- Cookies. Cookies are small text files that are sent to and stored by your browser when you visit or interact with our website and online services. These cookies are then sent back unchanged to the party that served the cookie each time you visit or interact with our website and online services (which includes our ads on third-party sites) for the party that served the cookie to recognize your browser or device. Cookies are either first-party cookies or third-party cookies. “First-party cookies” are sent to your browser by the party that operates the site you are visiting (e.g., cookies served by Vögtlin when you visit our website). “Third-party cookies” are sent to your browser by any party other than the party that operates the site you are visiting (e.g., cookies sent by our online partners, such as Google Analytics, when you visit our website). Further, when we use cookies, we may use “session” cookies (that last until you close your browser) or “persistent” cookies (that last until you or your browser delete them). Some of the cookies we use on our website and online services may be associated with your personal data (such as your email address) and other cookies are not. However, if we associate non-personal data (such as cookie data) with personal data, the combined information will be treated as personal data for as long as it remains combined.
- Pixel Tags. Pixel tags (also known as web beacons) are small blocks of code installed on our website and online services which enable our online partners to serve cookies when you visit our website and online services and are generally used in combination with cookies to track activity user on our website and online services, receive relevant log data and cookie data, and perform other activities relating to the monitoring and analysis of the use and performance of our website and online services.
- Software Development Kits. Software development kits (also called SDKs) function like third-party cookies and pixel tags, but operate in the mobile app environment where cookies and pixel tags cannot function as effectively. Instead of using cookies and pixels tags, we may install pieces of code (the SDK) provided by our online partners (such as advertising companies, ad networks, and analytics providers) in our mobile apps for these online partners to monitor and analyze the use and performance of our mobile apps and services.
- Statistical Identifiers. Statistical identifiers refer to identifiers created using certain device information and log data. Collectively, this information makes your browser or device sufficiently distinct for a server or similar system to reasonably determine that it is encountering the same browser or device over time. Statistical identifiers enable us and our partners to uniquely identify your browser or device for the same purposes as cookies. Statistical identifiers may be associated with your personal data (such as your email address). However, if we associate non-personal data with personal data, the combined information will be treated as personal data for as long as it remains combined.
II. How Cookies and Similar Technologies are Used
Cookies and similar technologies used on our website and online services (including the information obtained through such use) fall into four categories:
Essential
Our website and online services utilize first- and third-party cookies and similar technologies that are necessary to operate our business and maintain our website and online services, including verifying and authenticating website users; preventing fraud and securing our website and online services and databases; payment processing; enabling users to move around our website and online services and use their features; and complying with applicable laws and industry standards. These cookies and similar technologies do not gather information about you that could be used for marketing or tracking your browsing activity. This category of cookies generally cannot be disabled.
Performance
Our website and online services may utilize first- and third-party cookies and similar technologies to provide enhanced features and remember user preferences, including identifying return users when visiting our website (e.g., to remember your login credentials); keeping track of user preferences, interests, and past items viewed or utilized (e.g., preferred language or past purchases); and providing social features that allow users to interact with social media services through our website and online services (e.g., Facebook or Twitter, as further described below).
Analytics
Our website and online services may utilize first- and third-party cookies and similar technologies for analytics, product development, and market research purposes, including analyzing how users arrive at and engage with our website and online services; tracking and measuring the performance and effectiveness of our website and online services; optimizing the location of ads, website features, and other content on our website and online services; statistical reporting in connection with website activity; analyzing user preferences and behaviors and market characteristics and trends in order to develop and improve our products and services, websites, and ads; segmenting audiences to test features of our website and online services; and conducting research about our consumers, products, and online services.
Advertising
Our website and online services may utilize first- and third-party cookies and similar technologies to deliver, track, and measure ads both on and off our website and online services, including ads relevant to your interests (e.g., ads based on your past interaction with our website or based on predictions about your interests derived from your browsing activities on different websites over time); and ads based on your location, demographics, or device characteristics. Cookies are also used for tracking and measuring the reach and frequency of ads and regulating the delivery of such ads (e.g., capping the number of times you see a particular ad).
III. Use of Cookies and Similar Technologies by Our Online Partners
We may use vendors and other online partners to perform some of the Essential, Performance, Analytics, and Advertising activities described above, including to provide audience measurement and analytics services, to serve ads on our behalf on our website and online services and on third-party sites, and to track and report on the performance of such ads. These online partners may use third-party cookies and similar technologies to collect and store certain log data, location data, cookie data and other information when you visit or interact with our website and online services and other unaffiliated sites in order to identify your browser or device and provide their respective services. Further, these online partners may combine data collected on our website and online services with information collected on unaffiliated sites or with any other data maintained by these online partners. Their use of data collected on our website and online services and third-party sites will be subject to their own terms of use and privacy policies.
For example, we may use third-party cookies to deliver our ads on third-party websites through a common form of online advertising known as “retargeting.” Retargeting works by serving ads on one website based on an individual’s activities on a different website (e.g., if you view a product or service on our website, you may later see ads for our products and services when you visit a third-party website). To do this, we allow our online partners (such as Google or other ad network vendors) to serve their own third-party cookies when users visit our website and online services, allowing these online partners to recognize users who have previously visited our website and online services. When these users visit a third-party website that includes features provided by our online partners (e.g., where our online partners have purchased ad space), our online partners can recognize the users’ interest in our products and services and deliver one of our ads on the third-party website.
IV. Your Cookie Choices
Most browsers are set to accept cookies by default. However, browsers typically allow individuals to remove or block browser cookies if they choose. For more information on blocking and removing browser cookies, please review your browser’s Settings or Preferences tab. More information can be found here:
Google Chrome
Internet Explorer
Mozilla Firefox
Safari (Desktop)
Opera
Opera Mobile
Android Browser
Safari (Mobile)
For other browsers, please consult the documentation that your browser manufacturer provides.
In addition to removing and blocking browser cookies generally, the following opt-out mechanisms may be available if our website and online services utilize the third-party cookies listed below:
- Google Analytics. Our website and online services may use Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google. Google Analytics utilizes cookies and similar technologies to collect and analyze information about the performance and use of our website and online services. More information on Google Analytics can be found here. If you would like to opt-out of having your information collected and used as described, please use the Google Analytics opt-out available here.
- Google Remarketing. Our website and online services may use Google’s Remarketing with Google Analytics to allow Google to use information about your visits to our website and online services and other unaffiliated websites to measure advertising effectiveness and serve ads about our products and services that may be of interest to you. As described above, Google places its own cookies when users visit our website and online services which enable Google to recognize users who have previously visited our website and online services when such users visit other unaffiliated sites that also use Google’s services and cookies. More information on Google’s Remarketing with Google Analytics can be found here. If you would like to opt-out of having your information collected and used as described, please use the Google Analytics opt-out available here.
- Adobe Analytics. Our website and online services may use Adobe Analytics provided by Adobe Systems. Adobe Analytics uses cookies and similar technologies to create reports about the use of our website and online services, such as which links are most used, how users find our website and online services, and whether our website and online services are running efficiently. If you would like to opt-out of having your information collected and used as described, please visit the Adobe Analytics opt-out site here.
- Facebook Custom Audiences. Our website and online services may use Facebook Custom Audiences to deliver ads on Facebook about our products and services that may be of interest to you. More information on Facebook Custom Audiences can be found here. If you would like to opt-out of having your information collected and used as described, please use the opt-out available here.
- Interest Based Advertising. Our website and online services may use first- and third-party cookies and similar technologies for targeted advertising based on user interests, demographics, and past browsing activity. If you would like to opt-out of having your information collected and used by us for these purposes, please visit here.
- Mobile Apps. For cookies and similar technologies used on mobile apps (such as software development kits) for certain targeted advertising activities, please follow the steps below to opt-out of having your information collected and used for such purposes (unless different instructions are provided by your mobile device manufacturer):
- iOS Users: Launch “Settings” > Tap on “Privacy” and scroll down and tap on “Advertising” > Toggle on “Limit Ad Tracking.” You can also reset your Advertising Identifier from here by tapping “Reset Advertising Identifier”.
- Android Users: Open your app drawer and launch the Google Setting app > Tap “Ads” under Services and enable the “Opt out of interest-based ads” option. You can also reset your advertising ID from here by tapping “Reset advertising ID”.
The list above identifies some of the third-party cookies we may use on our website and online services. However, we may use other third-party cookies and similar technologies on our website and online services that are not listed here. This list is subject to change at any time and without notice.
V. Social Plugins
Our website and online services may use social plugins (e.g., the Facebook “Like” button or “Share to Twitter” button) to enable you to easily share information with others. When you visit our website and online services, the operator of the social plugin may be able to place a cookie on your browser or device, enabling that operator to recognize users who have previously visited our Service. If you have previously logged into the associated social media website (e.g., Facebook or Twitter) before visiting our website and online services, the social plugin allows that social media website to receive information about your visit to particular pages on our website and online services. The social plugin may collect this information for any such users who have logged into social networks, whether or not they specifically interact with the plugin on our website and online services (e.g., by clicking “Like” or “Share”). The social plugin may also allow the social media website to share information about your activities on our website and online services with other users of their social media website. For further details about the information shared via a particular social media plugin, you should refer to that social media site’s privacy policies and terms of use.
VI. Do Not Track (DNT)
There are different ways you can prevent tracking of your online activity. One of them is setting a preference in your browser that alerts websites you visit that you do not want them to collect certain information about you. This is referred to as a Do-Not-Track (“DNT“) signal. Please note that currently our website and online services do not respond to these signals from web browsers. At this time, there is no universally accepted standard for what a company should do when a DNT signal is detected.
