Policy:Privacy policy: Difference between revisions

<translate><!--T:288--> Whether you are brand new to privacy terminology or you are an expert who just wants a refresher, you might find our [[<tvar name="Glossary">Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Privacy policy/Glossary of key terms</tvar>|Glossary of Key Terms]] helpful.</translate>}}

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When you make a contribution to any Wikimedia Site, including on user or discussion pages, you are creating a permanent, public record of every piece of content added, removed, or altered by you. The page history will show when your contribution or deletion was made, as well as your username (if you are signed in) or your [[<tvar name="GlossaryIP">Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Privacy policy/Glossary of key terms#Internet Protocol Address</tvar>|IP address]] (if you are not signed in). We may use your public contributions, either aggregated with the public contributions of others or individually, to create new features or data-related products for you or to learn more about how the Wikimedia Sites are used, as further explained below in the [[<tvar name="use">#use</tvar>|"How We Use Information We Receive From You"]] section of this Privacy Policy.</translate>

If you do not create an account, your contributions will be publicly attributed to your [[<tvar name="GlossaryIP">Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Privacy policy/Glossary of key terms#Internet Protocol Address</tvar>|IP address]].</translate>

You are not required to create an account to read or contribute to a Wikimedia Site, except under [[<tvar name="needaccount">Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Privacy policy/FAQ#needaccount</tvar>|rare circumstances]]. However, if you contribute without signing in, your contribution will be publicly attributed to the [[<tvar name="GlossaryIP">Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Privacy policy/Glossary of key terms#Internet Protocol Address</tvar>|IP address]] associated with your device.</translate>

If you want to create a [[<tvar name="standardaccount">Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Privacy policy/FAQ#standardaccount</tvar>|standard account]], in most cases we require only a username and a password. However, if you choose not to provide an email address, we can't help you recover your password.</translate>

Your username will be publicly visible, so please be careful about revealing your real name or other Personal Information in your username. Your password is only used to verify that the account is yours. Your [[<tvar name="GlossaryIP">Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Privacy policy/Glossary of key terms#Internet Protocol Address</tvar>|IP address]] is also automatically submitted to us, and we record it temporarily. This is to protect Wikimedia users and project content; in the event of abuse, IP addresses may be associated with usernames as part of an investigation. No other Personal Information is required: no name, no email address, no date of birth, and no credit card information.</translate>

If you consent, we can use [[<tvar name="GlossaryGPS">Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Privacy policy/Glossary of key terms#GPS</tvar>|GPS]] (and other technologies commonly used to determine location) to show you more relevant content. We keep information obtained by these technologies confidential, except as provided in this Policy. You can learn more by checking out the list of examples of how we use these technologies in our [[<tvar name="gpsexamplesFAQ">Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Privacy policy/FAQ#gpsexamplesFAQ</tvar>|FAQ]].</translate>

Sometimes, we automatically receive location data from your device. For example, if you want to upload a photo on the Wikimedia Commons mobile app, we may receive [[<tvar name="GlossaryMD">Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Privacy policy/Glossary of key terms#Metadata</tvar>|metadata]], such as the place and time you took the photo, automatically from your device. Please be aware that, unlike location information collected using GPS signals described above, the default setting on your mobile device typically includes the metadata in your photo or video upload to the Wikimedia Sites. If you do not want metadata sent to us and made public at the time of your upload, please change your settings on your device.</translate>

Finally, when you visit any Wikimedia Site, we automatically receive the [[<tvar name="GlossaryIP">Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Privacy policy/Glossary of key terms#Internet Protocol Address</tvar>|IP address]] of the device (or your [[<tvar name="GlossaryProxy">Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Privacy policy/Glossary of key terms#Proxy Servers</tvar>|proxy server]]) you are using to access the Internet, which could be used to [[<tvar name="inferlocationFAQ">Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Privacy policy/FAQ#inferlocationFAQ</tvar>|infer your geographical location]].</translate>

Because of how browsers work, we receive some information automatically when you visit the Wikimedia Sites. This includes when you use an online tool on a third-party site that loads information coming from the Wikimedia Sites. This information includes the type of device you are using (possibly including unique device identification numbers, for some beta versions of our mobile applications), the type and version of your [[<tvar name="GlossaryBrowser">Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Privacy policy/Glossary of key terms#Browsers</tvar>|browser]], your browser's language preference, the type and version of your device's [[<tvar name="GlossaryOS">Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Privacy policy/Glossary of key terms#Operating System</tvar>|operating system]], in some cases the name of your internet service provider or mobile carrier, the website that referred you to the Wikimedia Sites, which pages you request and visit, and the date and time of each request you make to the Wikimedia Sites.</translate>

We actively collect some types of information with a variety of commonly-used technologies. These generally include [[<tvar name="GlossaryTP">Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Privacy policy/Glossary of key terms#Tracking Pixel</tvar>|tracking pixels]], [[<tvar name="GlossaryJS">Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Privacy policy/Glossary of key terms#JavaScript</tvar>|JavaScript]], and a variety of "locally stored data" technologies, such as [[<tvar name="GlossaryCO">Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Privacy policy/Glossary of key terms#Cookies</tvar>|cookies]] and [[<tvar name="GlossaryLS">Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Privacy policy/Glossary of key terms#Local Storage</tvar>|local storage]]. These types of technologies may also be used in online tools on a third-party site that loads information from the Wikimedia Sites. We realize that some of these technologies do not have the best reputation in town and can be used for less-than-noble purposes. So we want to be as clear as we can about why we use these methods and the type of information we collect with them.

Depending on which technology we use, locally stored data may include text, Personal Information (like your [[<tvar name="GlossaryIP">Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Privacy policy/Glossary of key terms#Internet Protocol Address</tvar>|IP address]]), and information about your use of the Wikimedia Sites (like your username or the time of your visit). See below for more information.

Want to know even more? You can read more about some of the specific cookies we use, when they expire, and what we use them for in our [[<tvar name="cookieFAQ">Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Privacy policy/FAQ#cookieFAQ</tvar>|FAQ]].</translate>

We believe this data collection helps improve your user experience, but you may remove or disable some or all locally stored data through your browser settings, depending on your browser. You can learn more about some options you have in our [[<tvar name="limitstorageFAQ">Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Privacy policy/FAQ#limitstorageFAQ</tvar>|FAQ]]. While locally stored data may not be necessary to use our sites, some features will not function properly if you disable locally stored data.</translate>

We will send these types of emails to you only with your consent except as otherwise permitted by applicable law. We do not sell, rent, or use your email address to advertise third-party products or services to you. You can manage what kinds of notifications you receive and how often you receive them by going to your Notifications Preferences and User profile. You can learn more about email and notifications and how to change your preferences in our [[<tvar name="emailsfaq">Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Privacy policy/FAQ#emailsFAQ</tvar>|FAQ]].</translate>

Your responses to our surveys and feedback requests are always optional. We will email these types of requests to you only with your consent except as otherwise permitted by applicable law. You can manage what kinds of notifications you receive and how often you receive them by going to your Notifications Preferences and User profile. You can learn more about email and notifications and how to change your preferences in our [[<tvar name="emailsfaq">Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Privacy policy/FAQ#emailsFAQ</tvar>|FAQ]].

When you visit any Wikimedia Site, we automatically receive the [[<tvar name="GlossaryIP">Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Privacy policy/Glossary of key terms#Internet Protocol Address</tvar>|IP address]] of the device (or your proxy server) you are using to access the Internet, which could be used to infer your geographical location. We keep IP addresses confidential, except as provided in this Policy. If you are visiting Wikimedia Sites with your mobile device, we may use your IP address to provide anonymized or aggregated information to service providers regarding the volume of usage in certain areas.

We share your Personal Information for a particular purpose, if you agree. For example, if you receive a scholarship and we ask permission to share your Personal Information with a local chapter. You can find more information in the list of examples in our [[<tvar name="permissionexamplesFAQ">Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Privacy policy/FAQ#permissionexamplesFAQ</tvar>|FAQ]].</translate>

We hope that this never comes up, but we may disclose your Personal Information if we believe that it's reasonably necessary to prevent imminent and serious bodily harm or death to a person, or to protect our organization, employees, contractors, users, or the public. We may also disclose your Personal Information if we reasonably believe it necessary to detect, prevent, or otherwise assess and address potential spam, malware, fraud, abuse, unlawful activity, and security or technical concerns. (Check out the list of examples in our [[<tvar name="investigateuseFAQ">Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Privacy policy/FAQ#investigateuseFAQ</tvar>|FAQ]] for more information.)</translate>

We use third-party service providers or contractors to help run or improve the Wikimedia Sites for you and other users. We give access to your Personal Information to these providers or contractors as needed to perform their services for us or to use their tools and services. We put requirements, such as confidentiality agreements, in place to help ensure that these service providers treat your Personal Information consistently with, and no less protective of your privacy than, the principles of this Policy. For further information, please see our [[<tvar name="thirdpartyshareexamplesFAQ">Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Privacy policy/FAQ#thirdpartyshareexamplesFAQ</tvar>|FAQ]].

When we give access to Personal Information to third-party developers or researchers, we put requirements, such as reasonable technical and contractual protections, in place to help ensure that these service providers treat your Personal Information consistently with the principles of this Policy and in accordance with our instructions. If these developers or researchers later publish their work or findings, we ask that they not disclose your Personal Information. Please note that, despite the obligations we impose on developers and researchers, we cannot guarantee that they will abide by our agreement, nor do we guarantee that we will regularly screen or audit their projects. (You can learn more about re-identification in our [[<tvar name="reidentifiationFAQ">Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Privacy policy/FAQ#reidentifiationFAQ</tvar>|FAQ]].)</translate>

Once we receive Personal Information from you, we keep it for the shortest possible time that is consistent with the maintenance, understanding, and improvement of the Wikimedia Sites, and our obligations under applicable law. In most instances, Personal Information is deleted, aggregated or de-identified after 90 days. Non-Personal Information may be retained indefinitely as appropriate. (Check out the list of examples in our [[<tvar name="datatimeexamplesFAQ">Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Privacy policy/FAQ#datatimeexamplesFAQ</tvar>|FAQ]].)</translate>

Please remember that when you make a contribution to any Wikimedia Site, the page history will show when your contribution was made, your username (if you are signed in), or your [[<tvar name="GlossaryIP">Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Privacy policy/Glossary of key terms#Internet Protocol Address</tvar>|IP address]] (if you edit while not logged in). The transparency of the projects' contribution and revision histories is critical to their efficacy and trustworthiness. To learn more about our data retention practices, see our [[<tvar name="dataretention">Special:MyLanguage/Legal:Data retention guidelines</tvar>|data retention guidelines]].</translate>

For more information regarding Do Not Track signals and how we handle them, please visit our [[<tvar name="DNTFAQ">Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Privacy policy FAQ#DNTFAQ</tvar>|FAQ]].