Last updated: March 2012
Microsoft is committed to protecting your privacy. This privacy statement applies to the data collected by Microsoft through the Microsoft So.cl site ("So.cl" or "the Service"); it does not apply to other online or offline Microsoft sites, products, or services.
So.cl is a service that shares users' searches as a social activity. So.cl users can see and share searches made by all users while logged into the service. For example, one user searches for "London Olympics" and then clicks three links of interest. A second user makes a few comments about the first user’s search. A week later, a third user searches for "2012 Olympics" and sees the Search, Clicks, and Comments from the first two users, and can therefore benefit from seeing those crowd-validated results, and also connect with the first two users by joining the conversation. So.cl also allows you to create Video Parties, an experience where you can enjoy videos and real-time chat together with your friends. In addition to creation, So.cl users will be able to discover, explore and join Video Parties created by others.
So.cl is an experiment in open search. By default, information about your use of the Service, including your searches, search results you click on, comments, tags, likes, and Video Party participation, may be viewed by all users of So.cl. You may, however, perform private searches by clicking the world icon at the right side of the search box. The search results returned when the search setting is set to private will appear in the search feed but will be visible only to you.
We will share your So.cl public information, such as your public searches, comments, tags, likes, and Video Party participation with other Microsoft products and services, and with third parties. They may use this information for any purpose. Your So.cl public information will be associated with your Facebook ID as described below; the data we share with other Microsoft products and services and third parties may include your Facebook ID.
In order to access the Service, you will be asked to sign in with either your Facebook ID or Windows Live ID.
If you sign in with your Facebook ID, the Service uses a unique identifier created from your Facebook ID, and this identifier is associated with data that So.cl collects about your participation with the Service, such as comments you might leave or your likes. When you sign in, you will be asked if you want to let So.cl access your Facebook profile information, including your name, Facebook ID, email, profile picture and Facebook friends. If you do not agree, you will not be able to use So.cl. So.cl will save your name, Facebook ID and e-mail address, but not your Facebook friends.
If you sign in with your Windows Live ID, you can use the same credentials to sign in to many different Microsoft sites and services, as well as those of select Microsoft partners that display the Windows Live ID logo. By signing in on one Microsoft site or service, you may be automatically signed in when you visit other Microsoft sites and services. To learn more about how your credential information is used when you sign in to participating sites, please read the Microsoft Online Privacy Statement at http://privacy.microsoft.com/.
So.cl will save any search queries you perform while using the Service, which search results you select, and what interests you tag, in order to associate your activities with your profile. So.cl will also save information about your participation in Video Parties, including Video Parties you have created or joined, when you created or joined them, when you last left each party, along with which videos you have added, skipped or re-ordered in those parties.
So.cl may collect information about your use of the Service. For example, we may use Web site analytics tools to retrieve information from your browser, including the Web site you came from, the search engine(s) and the keywords you used to find our Service, the pages you view within the Service, your browser add-ons, and your browser's width and height. Additionally, we may collect certain standard information that your browser sends to every Web site you visit, such as your IP address, operating version, browser version, locale and language, access times and referring Web site addresses. In some cases, standard computer information may also include hardware ID, which indicates the device manufacturer, device name, and version of your device.
In order to offer you a more consistent and personalized experience in your interactions with Microsoft, information collected through one Microsoft service may be combined with information obtained through other Microsoft services. We may also supplement the information we collect with information obtained from other companies. For example, we may use services from other companies that enable us to derive a general geographic area based on your IP address in order to customize certain services to your geographic area.
The information collected by So.cl will be used to operate So.cl and to provide the service(s) or carry out the transaction(s) you have requested or authorized. So.cl is designed to give you the benefits of the "wisdom of the masses" by collecting information on your activity while using So.cl to add to that collective wisdom. For example, if you frequently search for a particular movie director to learn about that director’s latest projects, So.cl will record this activity. Then, when others search for the same director, So.cl will display those links you clicked, commented on, or liked. Furthermore, this information allows So.cl to help you find knowledgeable people who have used the Service to search or to express interest in topics of interest to you. As another example, if you frequently create Video Parties related to a certain topic (such as ‘Pink Floyd’) this information will be searchable within your stream so that other users can learn from you.
In support of these uses, we may also use your information to improve Microsoft products and services, perform statistical analysis, and make the Service easier to use by eliminating the need for you to repeatedly enter the same information or by customizing the Service to your particular preferences or interests.
You will have the ability to publish your So.cl searches to your Facebook stream. So.cl does not automatically post your So.cl searches to your Facebook stream unless you choose this option.
We may also use your email address to provide you with important information about the Service, including critical updates and notifications. So.cl will also use your email address to notify you when users comment on or tag you or your searches, posts, or links; invite you to a Video Party; or accept your invitation to join the system, unless you disable these features.
In addition, we may use your public information, including your public searches, comments, tags, likes, and Video Party participation, for any purpose, including commercial purposes.
Most of the information you provide to So.cl is information that will be shared publically, including your public searches, comments, tags, likes, and Video Party participation.
We may share your So.cl public information with other Microsoft products and services and with third parties for any purpose, including for commercial uses. When we share information with other Microsoft products and services and with third parties, we may also share your Facebook ID, so your So.cl information may be linked with your Facebook profile.
Except as described in this statement, we will not share your private information (including searches that you mark private) with third parties without your consent. We occasionally hire other companies to provide limited services on our behalf, such as performing statistical analysis of our services or research that enables us to deliver new functionality, understand how the Service is used, and/or to improve the Service. We may provide those companies with information, including information that you have marked private, to enable these companies to deliver the Service, but they are prohibited from using that private information for any other purpose.
We may also access or disclose information about you, including information that you have marked private, in order to: (a) comply with the law or respond to lawful requests or legal process; (b) protect the rights or property of Microsoft or our customers, including the enforcement of our agreements or policies governing your use of the services; or (c) act on a good faith belief that such access or disclosure is necessary to protect the personal safety of Microsoft employees, customers or the public. We may also disclose personal information as part of a corporate transaction such as a merger or sale of assets.
Information that is collected on the Service may be stored and processed in the United States or any other country in which Microsoft or its affiliates, subsidiaries, or service providers maintain facilities.
By default, So.cl will notify you when users comment on or tag you or your searches, posts, or links; invite you to a Video Party; or accept your invitation to join the system. You can change each of these notification preferences by clicking the User Name Control and choosing Settings from the menu. You will not, however, be able to unsubscribe from receiving mandatory service notifications, such as critical updates about the Service.
You can delete your So.cl account by choosing an option on the Settings page. If you delete your account, it will end your participation in the Service. The Service will delete all information stored by So.cl and associated with your account, including your email address and So.cl’s records of your comments, likes, posts, tagged interests, and Video Party participation. The data you have deleted, however, may persist in cached or backup copies of the Service. In addition, the data you have deleted may have been included in data sets shared with third parties. Deleting your data from So.cl will not delete entries in previously shared data sets.
Your search queries will also continue to be stored by Bing in accordance with the Bing privacy statement discussed below, however, the searches stored on Bing will not be associated with your So.cl user profile.
Please be aware that this privacy statement and any choices you make on the Service will not necessarily apply to personal information you may have provided to Microsoft in the context of research or other, separately operated, Microsoft products or services.
So.cl uses Bing to provide search results. So.cl sends your search queries to Bing, but Bing does not associate those searches with your profile or other personal information. To learn more about how Bing handles information, see the Microsoft Online Privacy Statement at http://privacy.microsoft.com/.
You may choose to set So.cl as your default search engine if your browser supports this feature. If you choose this feature, all searches from your browser will be redirected to So.cl, where clicking on any of your search results will publicly post this activity.
If you choose to invite friends to join So.cl, So.cl will collect and use the e-mail address(es) of the recipient(s) only as needed to complete the invitations. Your name will appear in the "from" line of the e-mail invitations. Neither you nor your friend(s) will receive further contact from Microsoft as a result of forwarding this mail.
At Microsoft, we take the security of your personal information very seriously. We use a variety of security technologies and procedures to help protect your personal information from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure. For example, we store the personal information you provide on computer servers with limited access that are located in controlled facilities.
We may use cookies on the Service to enable you to sign in to our services or to help personalize the Service. A cookie is a small text file that is placed on your hard disk by a Web server. Cookies contain information that can later be read by a Web server in the domain that issued the cookie to you. Cookies cannot be used to run programs or deliver viruses to your computer. One of the primary purposes of cookies is to provide a convenience feature to save you time. For example, if you personalize a Web page, or navigate within a site, a cookie helps the Service to recall your specific information on subsequent visits. This simplifies the process of delivering relevant content, eases site navigation, and so on. When you return to the Web site, the information you previously provided can be retrieved, so you can easily use the Service's features that you customized.
You have the ability to accept or decline cookies. Most Web browsers automatically accept cookies, but you can usually modify your browser setting to decline cookies if you prefer. If you are using Internet Explorer, search for "Cookies" in the Help menu to find detailed instructions. If you choose to decline cookies, you may not be able to use interactive features of this or other Web sites that depend on cookies.
We may occasionally update this privacy statement. When we do, we will also revise the "last updated" date at the top of the privacy statement. For material changes to this privacy statement, we will notify you either by placing a prominent notice on the home page of our Web site or by directly sending you a notification. We encourage you to periodically review this privacy statement to stay informed about how we are helping to protect the personal information we collect.
Microsoft welcomes your comments regarding this privacy statement. If you have questions about this statement or believe that we have not adhered to it, please contact us at fusehelp@microsoft.com.
Microsoft Privacy - FUSE Labs
Microsoft Corporation
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Redmond, WA 98052-6399 USA
For more information, see Microsoft Privacy Statement at http://privacy.microsoft.com.