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Plain-English summary
This privacy policy raises several concerns regarding user data. Information shared in public forums is not private and may be used by third parties for unauthorized purposes (risk_flags-0001). Additionally, any content, ideas, or inventions sent to Customer Service are not covered by the Privacy Policy and will not be kept private (risk_flags-0002). Geolocation data, if enabled, can be collected and used for targeted advertising (risk_flags-0003). WebMD may also acquire personal information from external data brokers and aggregators (data_use-0001) and combines collected user data with information from these third-party sources for market research and measurement (data_use-0002). Your data may be shared with WebMD's subsidiaries, affiliates, or companies acquired by or merged with WebMD (data_use-0003). Furthermore, WebMD partners with PulsePoint, Inc. for targeted advertising and analytics, meaning your information may be disclosed to them for behavioral advertising (data_use-0004). The company also discloses data to LiveRamp Inc. for personalization and advertising, which can link demographic and interest data to your browser (data_use-0005). Third-party ad networks are used to collect information about your activities for targeted advertising on WebMD sites and other websites (data_use-0006). In the event of a corporate change, your personal information may be transferred to a new party (gotchas-0001). Finally, tracking identifiers used in WebMD's mobile apps cannot be removed through device settings, unlike browser cookies (gotchas-0002).
90% confidence
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Risk Flags
Critical issues that users should be aware of, as they may lead to significant harm or loss.
high90% confidence confidence
Data related to user reviews and public forums is not private and can be used by others for unauthorized purposes.
Information, including personal information, shared in reviews or public forums on WebMD is open to the public and not private. This information can be seen, disclosed to, or collected by third parties and potentially used for unauthorized purposes.
Why it matters: Any information you post in public forums may be viewed by others and could be used in ways WebMD cannot control, including for unauthorized contact, and may appear in third-party search engines.
Any information (including personal information) you share in any review, or other forum is by design open to the public and is not private. You should think carefully before posting any personal information in any public forum. What you post can be seen, disclosed to or collected by third parties and may be used by others in ways we cannot control or predict, including to contact you for unauthorized purposes. As with any public forum on any site, the information you post may also show up in third-party search engines.
Information Collected About You, paragraph 16 · Citation strength: strong
medium85% confidence confidence
Content sent to Customer Service is not subject to the Privacy Policy and will not be kept private.
The Privacy Policy does not apply to information, content, business information, ideas, concepts, or inventions sent to WebMD Customer Service via email or other online communication methods. Users are advised not to send such items if they wish to keep them private.
Why it matters: Information, content, or ideas sent to WebMD Customer Service will not be kept private or proprietary and are not covered by the Privacy Policy.
This Privacy Policy does not apply to information, content, business information, ideas, concepts or inventions that you send to WebMD Customer Service, including by email or through other online communication methods. If you want to keep content or business information, ideas, concepts or inventions private or proprietary, do not send them by email or through other online communication methods to WebMD Customer Service.
Information Collected About You, paragraph 18 · Citation strength: strong
medium85% confidence confidence
Geolocation data can be used for targeted advertising.
WebMD collects geolocation information, such as city, state, and postal code associated with an IP address, when enabled by the user. This data is used to provide more relevant content, including advertising based on geolocation.
Why it matters: Your precise location information, if enabled, can be used to deliver targeted advertisements.
When enabled by you, we collect geolocation information provided by your mobile device, such as city, state and postal code associated with an IP address. We do so to provide you more relevant content including advertising based on your geolocation. You may disable the collection and use of your geolocation data through your device settings. To change geolocation settings on your device, please refer to your device’s official knowledge base.
Why it matters: Information about you not directly provided to WebMD may be collected from other companies and used in accordance with the Privacy Policy.
We may also acquire information about our users from external sources, including third party data brokers and aggregators.
Information Collected About You, paragraph 1 · Citation strength: strong
medium85% confidence confidence
User data is combined with information from external sources for various purposes.
WebMD may combine personal information and other collected data with information from external sources, such as age, gender, demographic, geolocation, personal interests, and product purchase activity, for purposes like market research and measurement.
Why it matters: Data collected about you may be combined with information from third parties, which can then be used for improved targeting of content, advertising, or programs.
WebMD may combine your personal information and other information collected about your use of the Services, and also supplement with information from external sources for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy. For example, information that WebMD collects about you may be combined by WebMD with other information available to WebMD through third parties for market research and measurement purposes, including measuring the effectiveness of content, advertising or programs. This information from other sources may include age, gender, demographic, geolocation, personal interests, product purchase activity or other information.
**Use of Your Personal Information**, paragraph 4 · Citation strength: strong
medium90% confidence confidence
Data may be shared with subsidiaries or acquired companies.
WebMD may share your information with its subsidiaries, affiliates, and companies acquired by or merged with WebMD for the purposes outlined in the Privacy Policy.
Why it matters: Your personal information may be transferred to other companies if WebMD is acquired by or merges with another entity, potentially changing who holds your data.
We may disclose your information to our subsidiaries, affiliates and companies acquired by or merged with us and our affiliates for their use for the purposes set forth in this Privacy Policy.
**Disclosure of Your Personal Information**, paragraph 2 · Citation strength: strong
medium85% confidence confidence
WebMD partners with PulsePoint, Inc. for targeted advertising and data analytics.
WebMD partners with its affiliate, PulsePoint, Inc., for measurement, analytics, identification, personalization, targeted advertising, and sponsored programs. WebMD may disclose user information to PulsePoint for behavioral or targeted advertising, and PulsePoint may provide analytics and insights related to user activity.
Why it matters: Your information may be shared with PulsePoint for targeted advertising and other analytical purposes. You may receive targeted ads based on your usage.
We partner with our affiliate, PulsePoint, Inc., for the purposes set forth in this Privacy Policy, including for measurement, analytics, identification, personalization and in connection with targeted advertising and sponsored programs. Subject to applicable law, we may disclose your information to PulsePoint, which may also use cookies and other tracking technologies described herein, for behavioral or targeted advertising, and to provide to us analytics, insights, actions and other information related to your use of the Services or those of third parties and to its clients to provide similar services to you.
**Disclosure of Your Personal Information**, paragraph 2 · Citation strength: strong
medium85% confidence confidence
Data is disclosed to service provider LiveRamp Inc. for personalization and advertising.
For personalization and advertising services, WebMD may disclose information such as your email address (hashed), IP address, or browser/operating system information to LiveRamp Inc. and its affiliates. LiveRamp may link demographic or interest-based information to your browser.
Why it matters: Your email address (hashed), IP address, or device information may be shared with LiveRamp Inc. and its affiliates, which can then link other demographic and interest data to your browser for targeted advertising.
To provide you with certain personalization and advertising services described herein, when you use our WebMD Sites, we may disclose information that we may collect from you, such as your email address (in hashed form), IP address or information about your browser or operating system, to our service provider, LiveRamp Inc. and its affiliates, which may in turn link demographic or interest-based information to your browser.
J. Cookies and Other Tracking Technologies, paragraph 3 · Citation strength: strong
medium90% confidence confidence
Third-party ad networks collect information for targeted advertising.
WebMD works with third-party ad networks that use tracking technologies to collect information about your activities on the WebMD Sites and App. This information is used to provide you with cookie-based targeted advertising on WebMD Sites and third-party websites, based on your interactions, browsing activity, and interests.
Why it matters: Third-party ad networks track your online activity to deliver targeted advertisements to you, both on WebMD sites and other websites.
We also work with third party ad networks to display advertising on our WebMD Sites and on third party websites. Our ad network vendors use tracking technologies to collect information about your activities on the WebMD Sites and in our flagship WebMD App to provide you cookie-based targeted advertising on our WebMD Sites and on third party websites based upon your interactions, browsing activity and your interests.
J. Cookies and Other Tracking Technologies, paragraph 4 · Citation strength: strong
Cancellation & Renewal
Terms related to account cancellation, subscription renewal, and associated policies.
✓
Looking good
No billing surprises spotted
Verbaterm only flags concerns it can cite. No cancellation, auto-renewal, or refund terms needed attention here.
Gotchas
Potentially surprising or unfavorable clauses that users should be aware of.
medium85% confidence confidence
Personal information may be transferred in the event of a corporate change.
In the event of a corporate change of control, such as a sale to or merger with another entity, or a sale of assets or bankruptcy, WebMD reserves the right to transfer your personal information to the new party in control or the party acquiring the assets.
Why it matters: Your personal information may be transferred to a new company if WebMD undergoes a corporate change, like a merger or acquisition, meaning a different entity would then control your data.
In the event of a corporate change in control resulting from, for example, a sale to, or merger with, another entity, or in the event of a sale of assets or a bankruptcy, WebMD reserves the right to transfer your personal information to the new party in control or the party acquiring assets.
**Disclosure of Your Personal Information**, paragraph 2 · Citation strength: strong
medium90% confidence confidence
Mobile App tracking numbers cannot be removed through settings like cookies.
When you install a WebMD App, a random number is assigned to your App installation. Unlike cookies, this random number cannot be removed through settings because the App does not work through a browser.
Why it matters: While a random number assigned to your App installation is not personally identifiable, it acts similarly to a cookie for tracking, but offers no direct setting to remove it, unlike browser cookies.
When you download and install one of our Apps onto your mobile device we assign a random number to your App installation. This number cannot be used to identify you personally, and we cannot identify you personally unless you choose to become a registered user of the App. We use this random number in a manner similar to our use of cookies as described in this Privacy Policy and in our [Cookie Policy](https://www.webmd.com/about-webmd-policies/cookie-policy). Unlike cookies, the random number is assigned to your installation of the App itself and not a browser, because the App does not work through your browser. Therefore the random number cannot be removed through settings.
J. Cookies and Other Tracking Technologies, paragraph 6 · Citation strength: strong
Protections
Commitments and features that protect user rights and privacy.
Protection95% confidence confidence
The company commits not to knowingly invite individuals under 18 to participate in market research surveys.
WebMD states that it will not knowingly invite individuals under the age of 18 to participate in market research surveys conducted by or on behalf of WebMD.
Why it helps: This helps protect minors from being exposed to market research surveys without parental consent or knowledge.
We will not knowingly invite individuals who are under the age of 18 to participate in market research surveys.
Information Collected About You, paragraph 13 · Citation strength: strong
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