@Ford Online Privacy Statement
1. General Statement:
We respect your privacy and are committed to protecting it. This privacy statement explains our policies and practices regarding online customer information. It is through this disclosure that we intend to provide you with a level of comfort and confidence in how we collect, use, and safeguard personal and other information we collect or that you provide through this website, and how you can contact us if you have any questions or concerns. It is our sincere hope that by explaining our data handling practices we will develop a trusting and long-lasting relationship with you. By using the site, you agree to the terms of this privacy statement.
2. Information About Our Organization and Website:This Privacy Statement applies to
www.at.ford.com (referenced herein as
“@Ford Online”). @Ford Online is owned by Ford Motor Company, Ford Communications, One American Road, Dearborn, MI 48126.
The business purpose of this website is to provide news and information to Ford personnel, contract and agency personnel, and retirees, and to provide you the opportunity to share your story.
3. Personally Identifiable Information We Collect From You:
When you visit @Ford Online we will not collect any personal information about you unless you provide it to us voluntarily. Personal data includes information that is particular to you such as name, street address, telephone number, and email address. If you opt not to provide us with personal information you can still access our website, however you may be unable to provide your story or feedback, or login to access certain areas of this website or other Ford websites that require user authentication.
Our primary goal in collecting personal information from you when you visit @Ford Online is to provide you the functionality and services that you need to have a meaningful and customized experience while using the site features.
This site may use session and persistent “cookies” to collect personally identifiable information. An explanation for each of these items and how they work is included in Section 7 – Methods to Collect Information.
Email addresses collected at the point of a Tell-a-Friend email tool will be used solely for the purpose of forwarding to your intended recipient.
Please keep in mind that if you disclose personally identifiable information or other sensitive data through @Ford Online chat room, message board, or other online forums, this information may be collected and used by others.
4. How We Use the Personally Identifiable Information We Collect:
Personally identifiable information collected on @Ford Online may be used to:
• Fulfill a site user request (e.g., to post your story and upload photos and videos)
• Respond to your comments or requests for information
• Meet a request for or to develop new products or services
• Make the user experience more customer friendly
• Contact you if necessary in the course of processing a story
• Generate site analytics that improve our site layout, content, product offerings and services
• Compile user data that is stored in our corporate database, and where permitted, may be used for marketing and other purposes
• Match personal data collected here with data about you that we collect through other sources
• Comply with legal requirements
5. Other (Non-Personally Identifiable) Information We Collect From Site Visitors:
@Ford Online collects other information, non-personally identifiable information from site visitors. This means that we do not track these items on an individual basis that identifies the site visitor, but rather gather and collect this information on an aggregate [or anonymous] basis that includes all site visitors. Non-personal information includes tracking the site pages that are visited or the amount of time spent on our site.
Our primary goal in collecting aggregate information from you is to be able to perform site metrics that allow us to improve the functionality of the website. We need to collect aggregate information in order to track page visits and peak site usage times, and to perform site clickthrough analysis and site layout
re-design.
We may use session and persistent “cookies,” session logs, spotlight ads/web beacons/GIF/pixel tags, and third-party click tracking analytics tools (such as DART, Omniture tags, DoubleClick, Efficient Frontier, and Google Analytics) to collect aggregate or other non-personally identifiable information about site visitors. An explanation for each of these items and how they work is included in Section 7 - Methods to Collect Information.
6. How We Use the Aggregate or Non-Personally Identifiable Information We Collect:
Non-Personally identifiable information collected on @Ford Online may be used:
• Compile aggregate and statistical data to help in website design and to identify popular features
• Measure site activity to allow us to update our site to better meet user wants and needs
• Make the user experience more customer friendly
@Ford Online utilizes non-personal data for the purpose of performing analytics on the user’s experience while visiting this site. This analysis:
• Is performed on an aggregate level and does not identify you or your information personally
• May involve the use of a third-party vendor acting on behalf of @Ford Online
• Is performed in order to improve our website and the user experience
• May include the use of session and/or persistent cookies to track user movement across this and other Ford Motor Company websites or to track other events within or across this and other Ford Motor Company websites
• Third-party vendors with which Ford has entered into contracts to perform site analytics and which are provided aggregate information covered by this privacy statement are to use that information only to perform those services, and they may not share or resell this information
7. Methods to Collect Information:
A “cookie” is a small text file that helps us in many ways to make your visit to our website more enjoyable and meaningful to you. For example, cookies avoid you having to log in every time you come back to one of our websites. They also allow us to tailor a website or advertisement to better match your interests and preferences. There are a couple different types of cookies.
A “session” cookie is stored only in your computer’s working memory (RAM) and only lasts for your browsing session. When you close all your browser’s windows, or when you shut down your computer, the session cookie disappears forever.
A “persistent” cookie is stored on your computer’s hard drive until a specified date, which could be tomorrow, next week, or 10 years from now. Persistent cookies stay on your computer until either a) they expire, b) they are overwritten with newer cookies, or c) you manually remove them. Most browsers can be configured not to accept cookies, however, this may prevent you from having access to some site functions or features.
This site may use third-party click tracking analytics tools (such as DART, Omniture tags, DoubleClick, Efficient Frontier, and Google Analytics) to capture clickthrough statistics.
@Ford Online may use spotlight ads/web beacons/GIF/pixel tags which are site instrumentation tools that help us to determine, for instance, whether a page has been viewed or not and, if so, how many times. Emails or electronic newsletters we send may use tools (e.g., pixel tags or web beacons) to gather email metrics and information to improve the reader’s experience such as how many of the emails are opened, if they were printed or forwarded, the type of device (e.g., mobile or PC) from which they were opened, and the city, state, and county associated with the applicable IP address. In general, any electronic image viewed as part of a webpage, including an ad banner, can act as a web beacon.
When you visit our website the server housing the pages automatically generates a “session log.” We use session logs to help us determine how people travel through our site. In this way, we can structure our pages so that the information most frequently visited is easier to find. By tracking page visits, we can also determine if the information we’re providing is being used. The only data gathered is the Internet Protocol (IP) address from which you came, the website that referred you, the pages you visited and the date and time of those visits.
Online Advertising: Ford may contract with vendors to place advertisements on non-Ford websites. When you visit a non-Ford website, these vendors may target Ford advertisements to you based on information about your previous online activity that the vendor has collected using web tracking tools (e.g., cookies and web beacons). Additionally, Ford advertisements may contain web tracking tools such as cookies and web beacons to collect information on the effectiveness of the advertisements and to deliver future targeted advertisements and other messages to you. These web tracking tools collect information such as IP address, the page visited, and time of day.
8. Sharing Your Information:
@Ford Online does not share, sell, or rent personally identifiable information with independent companies for their own use without providing you a choice.
Personal information that you provide to us in the course of using our site features or requesting a product or service through this website may be gathered and stored in one or more of our corporate databases and, where permitted, be used for purposes of contacting you for things like promotional offers, marketing programs, or other communications from this website or other Ford Motor Company programs and services.
We may share personal information that we collect about you with other companies within the Ford Motor Company family of companies or subsidiaries. Our “family of companies” is the group of companies related to us by common control or ownership. We share information within this “family” as a normal part of conducting business and offering products and services to our customers.
Vendors, contractors or partners of @Ford Online who have access to your personal information in connection with providing services for @Ford Online are required to keep the information confidential and are not permitted to use this information for any other purpose than to carry out the services they are performing for @Ford Online.
Site metrics for @Ford Online may be shared with other Ford Motor Company websites or subsidiaries or affiliates. The information shared will be aggregate data and will not include any of your personally identifiable information.
@Ford Online will disclose your personal information, without notice, if (1) in the good faith belief that such action is necessary to: (a) conform to the edicts of the law or comply with legal process served on Ford Motor Company, its affiliates or the site; (b) protect and defend the rights or property of Ford Motor Company, its affiliates or this site; or (c) act under exigent circumstances to protect the personal safety of Ford Motor Company or affiliate personnel, users of their websites, or the public; or (2) if required to do so by law.
Contest or sweepstakes entrants only: If you are providing personally identifiable information in connection with a contest or sweepstakes through this website, and if you are selected as a winner, we may include your personally identifiable information in a publicly available winner’s list. See the applicable contest or sweepstakes rules.
9. Access To and Control Over the Use of Your Information:
To correct or update your personal information, contact us by using the Feedback link in the top right page header. @Ford Online will use reasonable efforts to correct any factual inaccuracies in your information.
The scope of access available for this request is for information stored in the database that holds the data for @Ford Online. Any personal information that has been collected from you on other Company websites will not be accessible or changeable through the processing of this request.
10. Security of Your Information:
Safeguarding information of visitors to our website is important to us. We use systems, policies and procedures to maintain accuracy of information and to protect information from loss, misuse or alteration.
When you send personal information, such as email address or telephone numbers, to @Ford Online we use “Secure Socket Layers” or SSL to protect your data. SSL is encryption technology that helps safeguard your personal information against misuse by unauthorized individuals.
Vendors, contractors or partners of @Ford Online who have access to your personal information in connection with providing services for @Ford Online are required to keep the information confidential.
Vendors are not permitted to use this information for any other purpose than to carry out the services they are performing for @Ford Online.
11. Processing of Personal Data:
By visiting this site and by providing your personally identifiable information to us, you understand and consent to the collection, use, processing, transfer, and disclosure of your personally identifiable and non-personally identifiable information globally --- including to the United States – in accordance with this Privacy Statement. Therefore, by visiting this site and by providing such information, you consent to the transfer of such information across country borders, and to the use, processing, and disclosure of such information in global locations. Your consent shall be deemed to include your consent to transfer of the personally identifiable or non-personally identifiable information to locations that may have different levels of privacy protection than in your own country.
12. Links to Other Sites:
@Ford Online provides links to other websites. We encourage you to review the privacy statements of all sites that you visit, including those whose links are provided so that you can understand how those sites collect, use and share your information. @Ford Online is not responsible for the privacy statements, content or data handling practices on other websites.
13. Children’s Privacy:
@Ford Online does not knowingly intend to collect personal information from children under 13 years of age.
If a child has provided us with personal information a parent or guardian of that child may contact us by clicking on the Feedback link in the top right page header if they want this information deleted from our records. We will then make reasonable efforts to delete the child’s information from the database that stores information for @Ford Online.
14. Contacting Us:
If you have any questions, comments or concerns about this online privacy statement for @Ford Online, @Ford Online privacy practices, or have any questions regarding the contents of this website please contact us at on the Feedback link in the top right page header
@Ford Online is committed to working with consumers to obtain a fair and rapid resolution of any complaints or disputes about privacy and the handling of your data. @Ford Online will be happy to respond to your questions and comments.
15. Privacy Statement Effective Date and Revision Days:
Occasionally we may update the privacy statement for @Ford Online in order to reflect any changes to the website or our privacy practices. If we update this statement, the new statement will be posted to the website ten (10) days prior to the changes taking effect.
The effective date of this privacy statement is February 15, 2012
Your California Privacy Rights
Under California’s "Shine the Light" law, California residents who provide personal information in obtaining products or services for personal, family or household use are entitled to request and obtain from us once a calendar year information about the customer information we shared, if any, with other businesses for their own direct marketing uses. If applicable, this information would include the categories of customer information and the names and addresses of those businesses with which we shared customer information for the immediately prior calendar year (e.g. requests made in 2012 will receive information regarding 2011 sharing activities).
To obtain this information on behalf of Ford Motor Company’s Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury U.S. operations please send an email message to
calprivy@ford.com with "Request for California Privacy Information" on the subject line and in the body of your message. We will provide the requested information to you at your e-mail address in response.
Please be aware that not all information sharing is covered by the "Shine the Light" requirements and only information on covered sharing will be included in our response.
For an explanation of our privacy practices please review our privacy statement above.
Social Security Number Privacy Protection Policy
This Social Security Privacy Protection Policy applies to U.S. Social Security Numbers (SSNs) that Ford Motor Company (including its brands), and Ford Motor Credit Company LLC, obtain in the course of doing business. Safeguarding the personally identifiable information that we collect from our employees, customers, dealers, and others is important to us. We use systems, policies, and procedures to protect personally identifiable information, including SSNs, from loss, misuse, or alteration.
Specifically, our policies mandate the following with respect to protecting the confidentiality of sensitive personally identifiable information we have collected, including SSNs:
Such information should be collected only when necessary to conduct business effectively and its use limited to the stated or reasonably implied purposes for which it was collected. For example, we collect SSNs to support legal and regulatory requirements, to provide products or services to you, and to fulfill our human resources needs.
Access and/or disclosure of such information must be restricted to employees, agents, and authorized third parties who have a legitimate business need for access. We may disclose such information to other third parties as legally required.
Such information must be stored and transmitted in a safe and secure manner. To the extent SSN data is collected over the public internet, encryption is required.
All data containing such information, whether hard copy or electronic, must be destroyed securely in a manner that protects the confidentiality of the underlying data.
Unlawful or improper use or disclosure of SSN information is prohibited. Those who violate this Policy are subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination.
Occasionally we may update this Policy. If we update this Policy, the new Policy will be posted ten (10) days prior to the changes taking effect.
Date: September 1, 2009