1. WHAT INFORMATION DOES SKYPE COLLECT AND USE?
Skype may gather and use information about you, including (but not limited to) information in the following categories:
(a) Identification data (e.g. name, address, telephone number, mobile number, email address);
(b)Profile information (e.g. age, gender, country of residence and any information that you choose to make available to others as part of your Skype user profile as further described in Section 6);
(c) Electronic identification data (e.g. IP addresses, cookies);
(d) Banking and payment information (credit card information, account number);
(e) Survey results;
(f) Information about YOUR usage of and interaction with the Skype software, OURproducts and websites including computer, platform, device and connection information, device capability, bandwidth, statistics on page views, and traffic to and from our websites, browser type and Skype WiFi enabled hotspot detection and usage statistics;
(g) Products or services ordered and delivered;
(h) The URL of videos that you have selected to appear in your mood message;
(i) Skype test calls made to ECHO123 (which are recorded and played back to the user and deleted thereafter);
(j) List of your contacts;
(k) Your username and password for other email accounts where you have provided this to us and requested us to search for your friends on Skype (please note that Skype does not retain this information after completing the search or use it for any other purpose);
(l) Correspondence between you and Skype;
(m) Traffic data (data processed for the purpose of the conveyance of communications or the billing thereof, including, but not limited to, the duration of the call, the number calling and the number called); and
(n) content of instant messaging communications (please see section 12);
(o) location information, derived from your mobile carrier or from the mobile device that you use. In connection with the Qik products, you control when your location is shared with others. Your location is displayed and shared with other Qik users only in accordance with your privacy settings. You also may create location information by "geo-tagging" your submitted content with location information. Please manage your privacy settings for location information carefully;
(p) mobile device information, such as manufacturer’s name, device model number, operating system, carrier network;
(q) location information and device identifiers, derived from your device, when you enter into a Skype WiFi compatible hotspot. This information may be used to detect eligibility to connect using Skype WiFi and for the purposes of offering, providing and marketing Skype WiFi to you.
2. HOW DOES SKYPE USE THIS INFORMATION AND FOR WHAT PURPOSE?
Our primary purpose in collecting information is to provide you with a safe, smooth, efficient, and customized experience. Skype collects and uses, or has third party service providers acting on Skype’s behalf collecting and using, personal data relating to you, as permitted or necessary to:
- provide internet communication, video sharing and other products in particular to convey the communications and videos you and others make by means of the Skype software and/or the Skype products;
- take, process or deliver orders made via our websites, invoice you or notify you of the status of your order;
- display updates about your recent activity using the Qik products or connections to other Qik users;
- provide other services for you (as described when we collect the information);
- provide you with customer support and troubleshoot problems;
- compare information for accuracy;
- inform you about service updates and faults;
- request feedback or participation in on-line surveys;
- resolve disputes;
- verify your identity;
- customize, measure, and improve the Skype software, our products and websites
- to improve our search functionality and help you find contacts more easily;
- organise and carry out Skype’s marketing or promotional operations/offers, contests, games and similar events; and
- protect your and Skype’s interests, including in particular to enforce our Terms of Service and prevent and fight against fraud, (together, the Purposes).
Except as provided below, Skype will not sell, rent, trade or otherwise transfer any personal and/or traffic data or communications content outside of Microsoft and its controlled subsidiaries and affiliates without your explicit permission, unless it is obliged to do so under applicable laws or by order of the competent authorities. Please note that information that you voluntarily make public in your user profile, or which you disclose on forums, discussions boards or by posting comments will be publicly available and viewable by others.
Skype may disclose personal information to respond to legal requirements, exercise our legal rights or defend against legal claims, to protect Skype’s interests, fight against fraud and to enforce our policies or to protect anyone's rights, property, or safety.
In order to provide you with Skype products you have requested, Skype may sometimes, if necessary, share your personal and traffic data with Skype’s group companies, carriers, partner service providers and/or agents. For example the PSTN-VoIP gateway provider, WiFi access services providers, distributors of Skype software and/or Skype products, and/or the third party banking organizations or other providers of payment, email delivery, analytical services, customer support, or hosting services. Skype will always require these third parties to take appropriate organizational and technical measures to protect your personal data and traffic data and to observe the relevant legislation.
Some Skype products may be co-branded and offered together with or via a partner company. If you register for or use such products, you consent to both Skype and the partner company’s use of personal data collected in connection with the co-branded product. Skype may offer its products in connection with other websites or services or may team with other online services to give you the combined results of both products/services or additional services and benefits. To determine whether you would benefit from the combined offer, if you have provided your consent, Skype may match your email address, and email addresses of your contacts against email addresses you have provided to the third party website/service provider.
If you are a member of the Skype Manager, detailed information about the activity on your Skype account including traffic data and details of your purchases and downloads may be accessed by your Skype Manager Administrator if you have agreed to such access. You can withdraw your agreement at any time by changing the settings on your account page on www.skype.com. If you provide personal data including your name and job title to be included in the Skype Manager directory, you acknowledge that such data may be viewed by other members of the Skype Manager.
If you leave a voicemail for another Skype user, your voicemail message may be transferred to a third party service provider (where the Skype contact you are trying to reach has signed up to receive voicemails by text message), and will be converted to text. The conversion process may in exceptional cases, require access by analysts. By using the voicemail product, you consent to the processing of your voicemail message by Skype and its service provider.
Skype, Skype's local partner, or the operator or company facilitating your communication may provide personal data, communications content and/or traffic data to an appropriate judicial, law enforcement or government authority lawfully requesting such information. Skype will provide all reasonable assistance and information to fulfil this request and you hereby consent to such disclosure.
Your information may be stored and processed in any country in which Microsoft or its affiliates, subsidiaries or service providers maintain facilities, including outside of the EU. In this regard, or for purposes of sharing or disclosing data in accordance with this article 4, Skype reserves the right to transfer information outside of your country. By using Skype software, Skype's websites or Skype products you consent to any such transfer of information outside of your country. With regard to transfers of personal data to the United States from the European Economic Area and Switzerland, Microsoft abides by the safe harbor framework as set forth by the U.S. Department of Commerce regarding the collection, use, and retention of such data.
As Microsoft continues to develop its business, Microsoft might sell or buy subsidiaries or business units. In any such transactions in which Skype or substantially all of its assets are acquired by a third party, personal information ofSkype users will generally be one of the transferred business assets. We reserve the right to include your personal information in any such transfer to a third party.
4. WHAT ARE COOKIES AND GIFS HOW DOES SKYPE USE THEM?
Key Points
By using Skype’s websites and/or software you are giving your consent to the use of cookies. You can choose to reject cookies at any time, either by changing your browser settings (if your browser permits) or by ceasing to use Skype’s websites and/or software or by using the applicable opt-out functions. You should be aware that certain features are only available through the use of cookies and if you choose not to accept cookies, such features may not be available to you.
4.1 What are Cookies and GIFs?
4.1.1. Cookies
Cookies are small files containing a string of characters (text) that are sent to your browser from a website’s server. The cookie may contain a unique identifier but it does not contain personally identifiable information such as your name or email address. Skype may use cookies when you visit its websites, use Skype’s software or visit other websites where Skype serves advertisements. The browser of the Skype software client or your Internet browser stores the cookie on your computer's hard drive and this may be accessed by the website during your next visit. Other websites may also send cookies to your browser but your browser will not allow those websites to see Skype’s cookie data.
A typical Skype cookie might look something like this:
SC=LC=en:CCY=EUR:CC=UK:TZ=+1:VER=0/1.3.0.13/:TS=1105405660:TM=103841368
SC stands for Skype Cookie (cookie name)
LC is the language preference for our website
CCY is the currency preference for our website
CC is a country code
TZ is timezone
VER is the Skype software client version that the user is known to be running
TS is when the cookie was set
TM is when the cookie was modified
4.1.2. Gifs
Skype web pages may include clear gifs, also known as web-beacons and tracking pixels. Gifs are tiny graphics with a unique identifier, which are used to count your visits to the page (but which do not retain any personally identifiable information). In addition, Skype uses clear gifs in our HTML-based emails to let us know which emails have been opened and acted upon. This allows us to gauge the effectiveness of certain communications and the effectiveness of our marketing campaigns.
4.2 What type of Cookies does Skype use?
Skype uses session cookies, persistent cookies and local shared objects (flash cookies).
Session cookies are temporary cookies, or unique identifiers associated with your browser for the duration of your visit to Skype’s websites or area of the Skype software client. Once you close your browser, the session cookie ID will disappear and information about your visit is not retained.
Persistent Cookies remain on your browser even after you close it and may be used by your browser on subsequent visits to the website.
Local Shared Objects or ‘Flash Cookies’ are cookies written with Adobe flash technology. These cookies are saved on your computer in the same way as other cookies but they cannot be managed at browser level in the same way.
4.3 How Skype uses Cookies
Skype uses its own cookies for a variety of purposes, including to:
1. recognize you when you sign in and understand how you arrived at our website, so we can make sure that we provide you with relevant customer content and information. For example:
- if you arrived at our website by clicking on a link to hear about US subscription packages, we can make sure you see content relevant to those offers;
- we can recognize your time zone so that your call lists are accurately displayed;
- if your last purchase included VAT, we can make sure you are always provided with a VAT inclusive price;
- if your cookie was set a long time ago, we know you are not a new user and we will not show you content intended for new users, such as ‘how to use Skype’ pages;
- the language you choose to see our website in;
- the currency you wish to see our prices in;
4. inform Skype about the version of the Skype software client you are using so that we can provide you with new software updates and direct you to the relevant help sections;
5. enable you to access your account and account services through the Skype Software client;
6. provide internal and customer analytics and gain statistics and metrics about our websites, such as total number of visitors and page views;
7. monitor the effectiveness and performance of our advertising and marketing campaigns and carry out research in order to help us to improve our products and websites;
8. initiate security measures such as ‘time-out’ when you have not logged into your account service area for a period of time;
9. populate your Skype client with one of your Skype contacts’ information, where this contact invited you to join Skype;
10. deliver video content to you;
11. provide Skype ads most relevant to you when you visit other sites that display Skype ads.
4.4 Third Party Cookies
In addition to Skype’s cookies, Skype’s analytics, ad-serving and affiliate partners may set cookies and access cookies on your computer, when you are using the Skype software client or visiting a Skype website.
4.4.1 Analytics
Skype uses the following analytics partners to track volume of usage on the sites and to help improve the features and layout of its websites:
Omniture gathers anonymous statistical information on behalf of Skype to track and help us understand how users use Skype’s website. For example, Omniture will gather data on page views, which elements of the site are clicked on and in which order, and whether users are repeat or new visitors.
Google Analytics is an analytics tool that gathers anonymous statistical information such as the number of times you have been to Skype’s website, the time and date of your last visit, the search engine and keyword that you used to find our site, the link that you accessed our site from and the location from which you accessed our site. It does not track your journeys across other websites.
4.4.2 Advertising
The advertisements of Skype appearing on third party websites and the advertisements of third parties appearing in the Skype software, products and on third party websites are delivered to you by our carefully selected ad-serving partners (“Ad-Serving Partners”). Skype uses Microsoft Advertising and DoubleClick to serve third party advertisements to you.
Skype and its Ad-Serving Partners may use non-personally identifiable information that you have provided in your Skype profile or otherwise provided to Skype such as your age, gender, language and geographical location and/or information about your relationship with Skype’s websites, software and products in order to provide advertisements likely to be of greater interest to you and to help us measure and improve the performance of our advertising campaigns. Skype and our Ad-Serving Partners use cookies and/or web-beacons (Gifs) to collect this information.
4.4.3. Affiliates
Skype’s affiliate network program partner allows third parties to introduce people to Skype. Our affiliates may send cookies to your computer to allow them to receive information (a) when you click on a Skype related link on one of our affiliate partner sites, and/or (b) when you make a purchase on Skype’s website, for the purpose of paying commission to the affiliate partner. If you re-visit Skype’s site directly, our affiliate network program partner can recognize you and reward the third-party affiliate partner site that referred you to our site. These cookies are not within Skype’s control and for more information please visit our affiliate network partner Commission Junction’s site at: http://www.cj.com/privacy.html
4.4.4. Other Third Party Content
Sometimes, Skype’s websites may include widgets or embedded video content from third parties such as YouTube. When you view this content or use this widget, you may be accepting cookies from these websites. These cookies are not within our control and you should check with the relevant third party site for more information.
4.5 Your Choices about Cookies
We don’t recommend that you restrict or block cookies as this may impact on the functionality of our websites and products. However, if you choose to do so, please see the options available to you below. You can also find comprehensive information about cookies at www.aboutcookies.org.
4.5.1 Browser Cookies
The Help option on the toolbar of most browsers will tell you how to prevent your browser from accepting new cookies, how to have the browser notify you when you receive a new cookie, how to delete cookies or how to disable cookies altogether.
Skype software browser cookies can be disabled by: accessing the File menu from your Skype software client toolbar, choosing the Privacy option and un-checking the ‘Allow Skype Browser Cookies’ box.
4.5.2 Local Shared Objects (Flash Cookies)
You can manage the usage of flash cookies via http://www.macromedia.com/support/documentation/en/flashplayer/help/settings_manager.html.
You may also manage flash cookies through your browser depending on how recent the version of Internet Explorer (or other browser) and media player you are using. Please also visit the Adobe website at http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/526/52697ee8.html
4.5.3 Analytics
To opt out of Omniture analytic cookies, please visit: https://smetrics.skype.com/optout.html
To opt out of Google Analytics cookies, please visit: http://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout
5. Your Advertising Choices
5.1 Third Party Advertisements
You can opt-out of the use of certain non-personally identifiable information by Skype for the purposes of serving advertisements of greater interest to you within the Skype Software. Please visit the privacy menu from your Skype software client toolbar. If you opt-out, you will still receive advertisements relevant to your location but other demographic information will not be used by Skype for this purpose.
To opt-out of the use of non-personally identifiable information by our Ad Serving Partners for the purpose of serving advertisements of greater interest to you please visit: DoubleClick at http://www.doubleclick.com/privacy/opting_out.aspx; Microsoft Advertising at http://choice.live.com/advertisementchoice; and/or the websites of the Network Advertising Initiative or the Digital Advertising Alliance, which each provide a simple way to opt-out of ad targeting from participating companies.
5.2 Skype Advertisements
You may also choose to opt-out of the use of your information in connection with Skype's advertising efforts on third party websites by clicking on the following link: http://media.skype.com/optout_confirmation.html.
If you choose to opt-out, Skype's advertisements will still be delivered to you but information about your relationship with Skype's websites or the Skype software will not be available for this purpose.
6. YOUR USER PROFILE
Your user profile is the information provided by you at registration which is displayed in your Skype profile in the Skype software client, in the Skype search directory and on your personal details page in your account on www.skype.com. It may include your Skype username, full name, address, telephone and mobile numbers, gender, date of birth, country, language, “about me” page URL, and any other information that you decide to make available. You can access your user profile from the “Skype” menu in the Skype software client or from your account on www.skype.com in order to view, correct or complete information, remove non-mandatory information; and to see the privacy settings associated with your profile information.
If you use the Qik products, you will have a Qik user profile. A username and optional first name and last name is displayed when you stream videos, upload videos, or send messages. Based on your privacy settings, any content that you submit to Qik may be redistributed through the Internet and other media channels and may be viewed by the general public. You can access your profile from your account on www.qik.com in order to view, correct or complete information, remove non-mandatory information; and you can change your sharing settings from the settings menu in the Qik software application.
7. LINKED WEBSITES AND THIRD PARTY APPLICATIONS
Skype websites may contain links that will let you leave Skype's website and access another website. Linked websites are not under the control of Skype and these websites have different privacy policies.The Skype Privacy Policy applies solely to personal information that is acquired on the websites or through your use of the Skype software, Skype products and/or your relationship with Skype, so Skype urges you to be careful when you enter any personal information online. Skype accepts no responsibility or liability for these other websites.
If you use any extras, plug-ins or third party applications together with the Skype software (“Applications”), the provider of such Applications may obtain access to certain personal information about you. Skype does not and cannot control how the provider of Applications may use any personal information connected in connection with such Applications. Please ensure that you review any privacy policies or other terms applicable to the use of such Application before installation.
8. HOW DOES SKYPE PROTECT YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION?
Skype will take appropriate organizational and technical measures to protect the personal data and traffic data provided to it or collected by it with due observance of the applicable obligations and exceptions under the relevant legislation. Your personal and traffic data can only be accessed by authorized employees of Microsoft or its affiliates, subsidiaries or service providers who need to have access to this data in order to be able to fulfill their given duties.
9. PERSONAL DATA OF FRIENDS
You may be interested in inviting your friends to join Skype. In the event you wish to use Skype's referral service, you will be directed to a webpage and will have the possibility of adding one or more email addresses in an online form. The information entered in this form, will only be used for the purposes of automatically generating an email message to these potential Skype users. By entering your friend’s email address you are confirming that your friend has consented to the supply of their details. Skype may identify you as the person who has made the referral in the invitation sent to your friend and will include your name, email address and/or phone number in such invitation.
10. CONTACTING YOU
Skype may from time to time ask you to provide information on your experiences which will be used to measure and improve quality. You are at no time under any obligation to provide any of such data. Any and all information which is voluntarily submitted in feedback forms on the website or any survey that you take part in is used for the purposes of reviewing this feedback and improving the Skype software, Skype products and websites.
Skype may contact you to send you messages about faults and service issues. Further, Skype reserves the right to use email, the Skype software or SMS to notify you of any eventual claims related to your use of Skype software, the Skype websites and/or Skype products, including without limitation claims of violation of third party rights.
Skype may send you alerts by email or SMS to notify you when someone has tried to contact you. Skype may also use email, SMS or the Skype software to keep you up to date with news about the Skype software and Skype products that you have purchased and/or to inform you about other Skype products or other Skype related information. You can opt-out of the receipt of alerts and/or promotional (a) emails by clicking the ‘unsubscribe’ link on the email that you receive or by changing your notification settings on your account page on www.skype.com; and (b) SMS by following the instructions on the SMS that you receive.
If you have registered for or use co-branded Skype products, the emails or SMS that you receive may be from our partner company, acting on Skype’s behalf.
11. HOW CAN YOU ACCESS OR AMEND YOUR PERSONAL DATA?
You have the right to access and, where relevant, to amend your personal information. Some of your information may be viewed or edited online by signing into your account page on www.skype.com or www.qik.com. We will respond to requests to view, correct, complete or remove your personal informationwithin a reasonable period of time and upon verification of your identity.
Skype will use all reasonable endeavours to accommodate requests to delete personal information unless it is required to be retained by law or for lawful business purposes. However, please note that due to the technical nature of the peer to peer network, it can sometimes take up to two weeks before your Skype ID disappears completely from the peer to peer network. Your details may still appear in the search directory during this time.
12. HOW LONG IS YOUR PERSONAL DATA KEPT BY SKYPE?
Skype will retain your information for as long as is necessaryto: (1) fulfill any of the Purposes (as defined in article 3 of this Privacy Policy) or (2) comply with applicable legislation, regulatory requests and relevant orders from competent courts.
Retention of Instant Messages (Skype internet communications software application only)
Your instant messaging (IM) communications content may be stored by Skype (a) to convey and synchronise your messages and (b) to enable you to retrieve your IM history where possible. IM history messages will be stored for a maximum of 30 days unless otherwise permitted or required by law. Skype will at all times take appropriate technical and security measures to protect your information. By using this product, you consent to the storage of your IM communications as described above.
13. CAN THIS PRIVACY POLICY BE MODIFIED?
Skype will occasionally update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in our software and/or products and customer feedback. When we post changes to this Privacy Policy at skype.com/go/privacy, we will update the "last revised" date at the bottom of the Privacy Policy. If there are material changes to this Privacy Policy or in how we will use your personal information, we will notify you either by prominently posting a notice of such changes prior to implementing the change or by directly sending you a notification. You agree that your continued use of the Skype software or Skype products after notice shall constitute your acceptance of the Privacy Policy. We encourage you to periodically review this Privacy Policy to be informed of how Skype is collecting, using, and protecting your information.
14. HOW CAN YOU CONTACT SKYPE?
To contact Skype in relation to the “Skype” branded software or products, please submit a support request to customer support team. To contact Skype in relation to the “Qik” branded software or products, please submit a support request to http://support.qik.com.
Skype Software S.à r.l / Skype Communications S.à r.l.
23-29 Rives de Clausen
L-2165 Luxembourg
Luxembourg
For members of Skype Manager in the United States only:
Skype Inc.
3210 Porter Drive
Palo Alto, California 94304, USA
© Skype – Last revised: October 2011