06/26/05
About Tworl.com
Tworl.com is an online service that allows members to search for an instant messenger chatting partner through a web-based search engine. The Tworl.com search engine is designed to promote instant, pseudo-random connections by automatically selecting exactly one currently-available chatting partner rather than returning a lengthy list. Members may also maintain a personal profile that is displayed to chatting partners once a connection is made using the Tworl.com search engine.
Tworl.com members can meet new friends using the service, view each others’ profiles, and keep in touch with friends they have made through the website. To enrich our members’ experience, we request and display some personal information to other members and visitors. Tworl.com members can change their profile information at any time and control how other members and the service communicates with them.
Tworl cares deeply about online privacy. If you have any questions concerning the Tworl privacy policy, please send an email to admin@tworl.com, or use the "Contact" link at the bottom of any Tworl.com page.
Information Collection and Use by Tworl.com
Tworl.com collects user submitted information such as name, email address, instant messenger screen names, and age to authenticate users and to send notifications to those users relating to the Tworl.com service. Tworl.com also collects other profile data including but not limited to: personal interests, gender, age, education and occupation in order to assist users in finding and communicating with each other.
Tworl.com also logs non-personally-identifiable information including IP addresses, profile information, aggregate user data, and browser type from users and visitors to the site. This data is used to manage the website, track usage and improve the website services. This non-personally-identifiable information may be shared with third-parties to provide more relevant services and advertisements to members. User IP addresses are recorded for security and monitoring purposes.
User Profile information including members' pictures and first names are displayed to people in order to facilitate user interaction in the Tworl.com social networking community. Email addresses are used for the purposes of logging in to the site (i.e. your “username” at Tworl is your email address), uniquely identifying each Tworl.com member, inviting new friends to join Tworl.com, and to send notifications related to the service. Because users of Tworl.com are uniquely identified by their email address, the email address used to log in to Tworl.com will be disclosed to other members. Users' full names are never directly revealed to other members.
To facilitate instant messenger chat connections using a third party client such as AOL Instant Messenger, Tworl.com collects and uses members’ instant messenger screen names. Each Tworl.com member maintains a list of “registered” instant messenger screen names. In order to add a screen name to this list, a member must supply the instant messenger screen name password that is used with the given instant messenger screen name to log on to the chat network. Once the instant messenger screen name and password is authenticated, Tworl.com discards the instant messenger screen name password and only stores the instant messenger screen name. This authentication is performed for security purposes.
Tworl.com members’ list of registered instant messenger screen names will be displayed on the members’ profile page and is therefore visible to all other members of Tworl.com. By default, members’ registered instant messenger screen names are considered eligible recipients of an incoming instant messenger conversation initiated by the Tworl.com search engine.
Tworl.com members can add or remove instant messenger screen names from their list of registered screen names by using the “Manage Your Screennames” link on the “My Account” page. Members can also enable or disable the option to be an eligible recipient of an incoming instant messenger conversation initiated by the Tworl.com search engine by using the “Edit Your Account Settings” link on the “My Account” Page.
Changes made on the “Manage Your Screennames” and “Edit Your Account Settings” pages will take effect immediately. When an instant messenger screen name is removed from a members’ account, it will no longer be stored by Tworl, and will no longer be an eligible recipient of an incoming instant messenger conversation initiated by the Tworl.com search engine.
To facilitate searching and finding a chatting partner, Tworl.com allows users to search for other members using the following criteria: age, gender, ethnicity, body type, reasons for which the member uses the service, location, relationship status, sexual orientation, religion, whether or not a member smokes and/or drinks alcohol, how a member feels about having children, and education.
We may also use a user's email address to send updates, a newsletter or news regarding the service. Users may choose not to receive email of this type by changing the "Allow Email Notifications" and “Receive the Tworl.com Newsletter” settings on the “Edit Account Settings” page, which is accessible from a link on the “My Account Page”.
From time to time, Tworl.com or a partner may sponsor a promotion, sweepstake or contest on Tworl.com. Users may be asked to provide personal information including name, email address or home address or to answer questions in order to participate. We may transfer personal information to certain ad partners that you have explicitly requested to receive information from. It will be clear at the point of collection who is collecting the personal information and whose privacy statement will apply.
Invitations and Other Communications to Non-members
Tworl.com users can invite friends to join the service by sending invitation emails via our automated invitation system. Tworl.com does not record the email addresses that are provided to the automated invitation system.
Use of Cookies
Tworl.com uses cookies to store visitors' preferences and to record session information for purposes including ensuring that visitors are not repeatedly offered the same advertisements and to customize newsletter, advertising, and Web page content based on browser type and user profile information. We do not link the information we store in cookies to any personally identifiable information you submit while on our site. You may be able to configure your browser to accept or reject all or some cookies, or notify you when a cookie is set—each browser is different, so check the "Help" menu of your browser to learn how to change your cookie preferences—however, you must enable cookies from Tworl.com in order to use most functions on the site. Please note that Tworl.com allows 3rd party advertisers that are presenting advertisements on some of our pages to set and access their cookies on your computer. Advertisers' use of cookies is subject to their own privacy policies, not the Tworl.com Privacy Policy.
Other Sites
Tworl.com contains links to sites. Tworl.com is not responsible for the privacy policies and/or practices on other sites. When linking to another site a user should read the privacy policy stated on that site. The Tworl.com privacy policy only governs information collected on Tworl.com.
Correcting/Updating or Removing Information
Tworl.com users may modify or remove any of their personal information at any time by logging in to their account and accessing the “My Account” page.
Email Choice/Opt-out
Members who no longer wish to receive updates or notifications may choose not to by changing the "Allow Email Notifications" setting on the “Edit Account Settings” page, which is accessible from a link on the “My Account Page”. Users who do not wish to receive Tworl.com newsletters may choose not to by changing their "Receive the Tworl.com Newsletter" setting on the “Edit Account Settings” page, which is accessible from a link on the “My Account Page”.
Third Party Advertising
Ads appearing on this Web site may be delivered to users by Tworl.com or one of our Web advertising partners. Our Web advertising partners may set cookies. These cookies allow the ad server to recognize your computer each time they send you an online advertisement. In this way, ad servers may compile information about where you, or others who are using your computer, saw their advertisements and determine which ads are clicked on. This information allows an ad network to deliver targeted advertisements that they believe will be of most interest to you. This privacy statement covers the use of cookies by Tworl.com and does not cover the use of cookies by any advertisers.
Security
Tworl.com member accounts are secured by member-created passwords. Tworl.com takes precautions to insure that member account information is kept private. We use reasonable measures to protect member information that is stored within our database, and we restrict access to member information to those employees who need access to perform their job functions, such as our customer service personnel and technical staff. Please note that we cannot guarantee the security of member account information. Unauthorized entry or use, hardware or software failure, and other factors may compromise the security of member information at any time. For any additional information about the security measures we use on Tworl.com, please send an email to admin@tworl.com, or use the "Contact" link at the bottom of any Tworl.com page
Sharing and Disclosure of Information Tworl.com Collects
Except as otherwise described in this privacy statement, Tworl.com will not disclose personal information to any third party unless we believe that disclosure is necessary: (1) to conform to legal requirements or to respond to a subpoena, search warrant or other legal process received by Tworl.com, whether or not a response is required by applicable law; (2) to enforce the Tworl.com Terms of Use Agreement or to protect our rights; or (3) to protect the safety of members of the public and users of the service. Tworl.com reserves the right to transfer personal information to a successor in interest that acquires rights to that information as a result of the sale of Tworl.com or substantially all of its assets to that successor in interest. For more information see the "Changes to this Privacy Policy" section below.
Changes to this Privacy Policy
From time to time we may make changes to our privacy policy. If we make changes, we will post them on our site to make users aware of what the changes are so users will always be aware of what information we collect, how we use it, and when we may disclose it. A User is bound by any minor changes to the policy when she or he uses the site after those changes have been posted. If, however, we are going to use users' personally identifiable information in a manner materially different from that stated at the time of collection we will notify by posting a notice on our Website for 30 days.
Contacting Us
If you have any questions about this privacy statement, the practices of this site, or your dealings with this Web site, please send an email to admin@tworl.com, or use the "Contact" link at the bottom of any Tworl.com page.