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Privacy Policy and Cookie Information

Privacy Policy

Sparrow Research Limited have created this privacy statement in order to demonstrate our firm and continuing commitment to the privacy of personal information provided by those visiting and interacting with this web site or through contacting us by email, telephone, letter or other methods. We hold the privacy of your personal information in the highest regard. The following discloses our information gathering and dissemination practices for this website.

We recognize the importance of protecting your privacy and our policy is designed to assist you in understanding how we collect, use and safeguard the personal information you provide to us and to assist you in making informed decisions when using our site. This policy will be continuously assessed against new legislation, technologies, business practices and our customers' needs.

What Information Do We Collect?

When you visit our web site you may provide us with two types of information: personal information you knowingly choose to disclose that is collected on an individual basis and web site use information collected on an aggregate basis as you and others browse the site.

1. Personal Information You Choose to Provide May Include:

Registration Information
When you register for products, services or newsletters you will provide information about yourself.

Personal and Lifestyle Information
If you choose to register with us and submit a Respondent Profile you will provide us with personal information including date of birth, address and business and home phone numbers for example.

Email Information
If you choose to correspond with us by email, the content of your email may be retained together with your email address and any responses.

2. Web Site Use Information

Many commercial web sites utilize a standard technology called "cookies" (see explanation below, "What Are Cookies?") and web server log files to collect information about how their Web site is used. Information gathered through cookies and web server logs may include the date and time of visits, the pages viewed, time spent on the web site, and the web sites visited just before and just after the visit.

What Are Cookies?

A cookie is a very small text document, which often includes an anonymous unique identifier. When you visit a web site, that site's computer asks your computer for permission to store this file in a part of your hard drive specifically designated for cookies. Each web site can send its own cookie to your browser if your browser's preferences allow it, but (to protect your privacy) your browser only permits a web site to access the cookies it has already sent to you, not the cookies sent to you by other sites.

Browsers are usually set to accept cookies. However, if you would prefer not to receive cookies, you may alter the configuration of your browser to refuse cookies. If you choose to have your browser refuse cookies, it is possible that some areas of the site will not function as effectively when viewed by you. A cookie cannot retrieve any other data from your hard drive or pass on computer viruses.

The table below explains the cookies we use and why.

Cookie Name Purpose More Information
Google Analytics _utma _utmb _utmc __utmv _utmz These cookies are used to collect information about how visitors use our site. We use the information to compile reports and to help us improve the site. The cookies collect information in an anonymous form, including the number of visitors to the site, where vistors have come to the site from and the pages they visited.

Visit Google for information on their privacy policy.

Session Cookie SESS06bd310214b9f1376ca9ec579a98fea5 or similar Session cookies are a websites 'memory' of you as you move from page to page. Without these you will be treated as a completely new visitor to each page. Session cookies mean you don't get repeatedly asked for information already provided. 'Sess' holds an encrypted session key that only our website will understand. It is deleted each time you restart your browser.  
Secure Session Cookie SSL_SESS06bd310214b9f1376ca9ec579a98fea5 or similar This cookie is similar to the session cookie described above but is used for SSL (Secure Socket Layer) connections e.g 'https://'' instead of 'http://'.  
Menu Management Cookie dhtml_menu Used to enable an administrators menu for users having site Administrator permissions.  
Javascript Enabled Flag has_js This cookie is used to tell the website if your browser has javascript enabled. Javascript is used in nearly all web browsers and many websites and allows the website to do small tasks like automatically changing dates. Visit BBC Webwise to learn more about Javascript.

 

       

Most web browsers allow some control of most cookies through the browser settings. To find out more about cookies, including how to see what cookies have been set and how to manage and delete them, visit www.allaboutcookies.org.

To opt out of being tracked by Google Analytics across all websites visit http://tools.google.com/ dlpage/gaoptout.

Access to personal information

Sparrow Research Limited tries to be as open as it can be in terms of giving people access to their personal information. In addition to checking your own account and Respondent Profile (if you have registered with us and completed a profile questionnaire), you can find out if we hold any personal information by making a ‘subject access request’ under the Data Protection Act 1998. If we do hold information about you we will:

  • give you a description of it;
  • tell you why we are holding it;
  • tell you who it could be disclosed to; and
  • let you have a copy of the information in an intelligible form.

To make a request to Sparrow Research Limited for any personal information we may hold you need to put the request to us in writing to the address provided in our Contact page.

If you agree, we will try to deal with your request informally, for example by providing you with the specific information you need over the telephone.

If we do hold information about you, you can ask us to correct any mistakes by contacting us.

IP Addresses

IP addresses are used by your computer every time you are connected to the Internet. Your IP address is a number that is used by computers on the network to identify your computer. IP addresses are automatically collected by our web server as part of demographic and profile data known as traffic data so that data (such as the Web pages you request) can be sent to you.

How Do We Use the Information That You Provide to Us?

Broadly speaking, we use personal information for purposes of administering our business activities, providing with opportunities to take part in market research groups, marketing and promotional effort, to improve our content and service offerings and to customize our site's content, layout, services and for other lawful purposes. These uses improve our site and better tailor it to meet your needs.

Personally identifiable information or business information will not be shared with parties except where required to organise events or groups you have agreed to take part in or as required by law.

Sharing and Selling Information

We do not share, sell, lend or lease any of the information that uniquely identify a subscriber (such as email addresses or personal details) with anyone except to the extent it is necessary to provide services that you have expressly requested.

What About Legally Compelled Disclosure of Information?

We may disclose information when legally compelled to do so, in other words, when we, in good faith, believe that the law requires it or for the protection of our legal rights. We may also disclose account information when we have reason to believe that disclosing this information is necessary to identify, contact or bring legal action against someone to protect the safety of our clients, employees, Site visitors and the Public.

What About Other Web Sites Linked to Our WebSite?

We are not responsible for the practices employed by Web sites linked to or from our Web site or the information or content contained therein. Often links to other Web sites are provided solely as pointers to information on topics that may be useful to the users of our Web site.

Please remember that when you use a link to go from our Website to another web site, our Privacy Policy is no longer in effect. Your browsing and interaction on any other web site, including web sites, which have a link on our Website, is subject to that web site's own rules and policies. Please read over those rules and policies before proceeding.

Your Consent

By using our Web site you consent to our collection and use of your personal information as described in this Privacy Policy. We reserve the right to amend this privacy policy at any time with or without notice.

Our Commitment To Data Security:

Please note that your information will be stored and processed on computers in the United Kingdom. The laws on holding personal data in the United Kingdom may be less stringent than the laws of your Country of residence or citizenship. To prevent unauthorized access, maintain data accuracy, and ensure the correct use of information, we have put in place appropriate physical, electronic, and managerial procedures to safeguard and secure the information we collect online.

The UK Information Comissioner's Office is responsible for monitoring and enforcing data protection laws in the United Kingdom. Further information can be obtained by visiting their web site at www.ico.org.uk

Acquisition or Changes in Ownership

In the event that the web site (or a substantial portion of its assets) is acquired, your information would be considered part of those assets, and may be part of those assets that are transferred.

Policy Modifications

We may change this Privacy Policy from time to time. If/when changes are made to this privacy policy, we will email users who have given us permission to do so. We will post any changes here, so be sure to check back periodically. However, please be assured that if the Privacy Policy changes in the future, we will not use the personal information you have submitted to us under this Privacy Policy in a manner that is materially inconsistent with this Privacy Policy, without your prior consent.