Last updated on 21st Nov 2019
Please read this statement regarding your use of HWDOT services (websites, blogs, softwares, mobile apps, mobile games, etc). If you have questions please ask us via our contact form.
Privacy Policy Overview
HWDOT delivers a variety of contents and services for website/blog readers and app users/game players that will be referred to in this policy as the “Service” or “Services.” Because we’d like to avoid excessive formality and to make this policy more readable, the policy will often refer to HWDOT as “we” or “us” and to the reader as “you”. When we say “device” we mean any device, including desktop, laptop, PC or Mac computers, smartphones, tablets, or any other device that is used to access or interact with the Service.
By using the Service, you agree to this Privacy Policy and you consent to these information collection and usage terms, including (where applicable) the transfer of data into a country outside of the European Union and/or the European Economic Area (“EEA”) or the United States of America. This privacy policy governs our information practices for the Service, which includes any websites, where a link to this policy is provided. It describes how we collect, use, share, and protect information from readers, players, ad recipients, or people browsing or using our sites (collectively “Users”), when Users access or interact with or use our Service. This includes when Users:
- Visit HWDOT websites;
- Choose to interact with other readers on comment sections (website/blog) on the Services;
- License and install or download HWDOT’s games or use applications (“HWDOT Software”);
- Play games or use applications developed by HWDOT;
- Play games or use applications that display ads delivered by Google Ads and Unity Ads;
- Actively: When Users actively provide us with information. For example, when a User comments on an article/post of the website/blog, he or she will type in a name, user name and email address. We use email validation on most of our message boards in order to reduce “comment spam.”
- Passively: When our systems automatically collect information about browsers and devices and certain activity within the Service. For example, when Users access other websites on Internet that employ Google Analytics, their systems may automatically collect a variety of information from User devices, including device name, device characteristics and unique identifiers (e.g., Apple IDFA and Google Android Ad ID). Please note that We don't use Google Analytics on our Services at the present time, instead we use a simple counting aggregate traffic stats that uses non-personalized information about visitors on the Blogger's CMS blog platform (See “Traffic Reports” below).
HWDOT does not actively monitor any comments and the information on them is for entertainment purposes only. If we are alerted to something we deem inappropriate in any way, we may delete it at our discretion. We use email validation on most of our message boards in order to reduce “comment spam.”
Traffic Reports
Our industry-standard traffic reporting records referrer strings, countries, browser types and the date and time pages are loaded. The aggregate data statistics are in general that are non-individual specific, displayed with summary statistics, such as trending contents, and overall site traffic. We use this information in the aggregate only to provide traffic statistics to advertisers and to figure out which features and editorials are most popular.
Your Choices About HWDOT’s Collection and Use of Your Information
- You always have the option to refrain from using the Service or to discontinue using the Service if you do not want information collected about you.
- You can choose to use the Service in a manner that limits the data we collect. For example, in HWDOT’s comment boards of website you can post a comment, but choose not to provide a name also known as anonymous.
- You can opt out of communications like email, by following the instructions in any marketing message you receive.
- Google Ads opt-out: You can’t opt-out of receiving ads in our games or apps using Google Ads, but you can take steps to opt-out of certain personalized ads when you use the apps or play the games (for European Economic Area (“EEA”) countries). There will be a consent dialog about the use of mobile identifiers for personalized or non-personalized ads inside the games/apps for EEA users. By default, we already use the tool provided by Google to set "non-personalized" ads setting for all EEA visitors on our websites and apps/games.
- Unity Ads opt-out: You can’t opt-out of receiving ads in our games or apps using Unity Ads, but you can take steps to opt-out of certain personalized ads (for European Economic Area (“EEA”) countries). See Unity Ads' Cookie Policy at "https://unity3d.com/legal/cookie-policy#cookies" for more information on your choices for tracking and targeting of ads in apps on mobile devices and the options available to you.
- As of the effective date of this policy, We don't use any personalized analytics on our Services at the present time, but in the future we might want to use e.g. Google Analytics to understand how our sites are used and to improve experiences within the Service. We will update this privacy policy if we use one in the future. If you want to know more about how Google Analytics works or to exercise choice in regard to the data collected by it please visit "https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/partners/". In order to control the collection of data for analytical purposes by Google, you may install the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-On at "https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout".
Cookie Policy
This website uses cookies that do not contain any personal information about you. We use cookies to allow us to see how the web site is used. The cookies cannot identify you. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with this. If you want to use the sites without cookies or would like to know more, please go on reading below.
What are cookies?
Cookies are pieces of data that sites and services you use or visit can set on your browser or device and they can typically be read on future visits to learn more about the User and to personalize an experience, including the ads that are displayed to the User. "Cookies" is also a term that may be used to refer to a range of technologies that help an operator identify Users and devices, which in turn can help personalize an experience, prevent fraud, store preferences, and speed up delivery of content.
Third Party Cookies
This site uses cookies from Google (on the Blogger's CMS blog platform) to deliver its services and to analyze traffic. Your IP address and user-agent are shared with Google along with performance and security metrics to ensure quality of service, generate usage statistics, and to detect and address abuse. To learn more about How Google uses cookies, please visit "https://policies.google.com/technologies/cookies".
HWDOT uses third-party advertising services to serve ads when you visit our website or use our other services via our software/mobile application/mobile game. These ad services may use information about your visits to this and other websites in order to provide advertisements about goods and services of interest to you.
How does third parties advertising within the Service use cookies?
Third parties advertising within the Service may employ cookies and related technologies described below for a variety of purposes, including:
- to learn more about how our products and Services are used and similar analytical purposes;
- to understand how Users interact with the ads;
- to understand how to improve performance;
- to prevent fraud;
- to customize our products and Services with more relevant content; and
- to provide you with more relevant advertising.
As described below HWDOT employs a number of technologies to provide and improve the Service. When you use the Service you consent to our use of these technologies, but you are welcome to exercise the choices described below.
- Browser cookies: HWDOT uses browser cookies from Google (on the Blogger's CMS blog platform). Most major browser companies offer tools or settings for Users that do not want cookies set or read on their devices. Please visit your browser’s settings or privacy settings pages. To learn more about How Google uses cookies, please visit "https://policies.google.com/technologies/cookies".
- Device IDs and mobile ad identifiers: The Service may use one or more of a variety of unique identifiers to recognize users and their devices, including Apple IDFA, Android Ad ID, and digital fingerprint, which may be comprised of several types of data, including device name, the app list or applications installed on the device, and browser characteristics.
- Game Settings: All of our games do NOT collect or save any personal user data. Configuration settings and autosaved game progress including high scores and other options inside the games are only stored on your personal device and can be removed by uninstalling the games.
Read more on how Google manages data in its ads products which is in line with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the EU User Consent Policy at "https://www.google.com/policies/technologies/partner-sites/".
For EEA-based Users, We already use non-personalized ads setting for Google Ads to be displayed on our websites and apps/games for these countries. To learn more about it yourself and customize your Google Ads Settings, you can visit the Google Ads Settings page at "https://www.google.com/settings/ads".
For users in California, We already enable restricted data processing to comply with the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), Google will limit how it uses data and begin serving non-personalized ads only.
What are my privacy choices for advertising?
Advertising helps to defray certain costs of providing Services, especially costs that are incurred by HWDOT but not recovered from Users. Thus, you may not have a choice to prevent advertisements from being presented when using the Services; however, you do have choices to limit personalized advertisements that are tailored to your interests.
If HWDOT delivers personalized advertising, HWDOT will provide notice and information about how you may be able to opt-out of such personalized advertisements. Such opportunity to opt out may occur through your device settings (See “Information and choices regarding tracking and targeting on mobile devices” below).
If you do not wish to receive personalized advertising that is delivered by third parties, you may be able to exercise that choice through opt-out programs that are administered by third parties, including the Network Advertising Initiative (NAI), the Digital Advertising Alliance (DAA), and/or the European Interactive Digital Advertising Alliance (EIDAA). Where applicable, you may exercise your opt-out choices at the NAI website at "http://www.networkadvertising.org/choices/" , the DAA website at "http://www.aboutads.info/choices/" , or the EIAA website at "http://www.youronlinechoices.eu/". HWDOT does not control these third-party provided opt-out processes and is not responsible for any choices you make using these mechanisms or the continued availability or accuracy of these mechanisms.
HWDOT uses Google to provide advertising through the Services. To opt-out or customize your Google Ads Settings, you can visit the Google Ads Settings page at "https://www.google.com/settings/ads".
More choices regarding browser cookies and beacons and other tracking technologies
There are several browser plugins available to Users that want to be better informed about and have more control over the use of cookies and related technologies on their devices. Some popular ones are Ghostery at "https://www.ghostery.com/" and Abine at "http://www.abine.com/index.html".
Information and choices regarding tracking and targeting on mobile devices
- As of the effective date of this policy, Apple and Google offered the owners of devices that use their operating systems, iOS and Android, options for limiting tracking and targeting in relation to ads. HWDOT does not control your device level opt out processes and is not responsible for any choices you make through such mechanism or for the continued availability, accuracy, effectiveness, or location of that mechanism. Using a device level opt-out mechanism may opt you out of all third party personalized advertisements, not just those delivered by HWDOT. You can reset your advertising ID at any time via the settings on your mobile device.
- Apple iOS
If you use an Apple device go to Settings > Privacy > Advertising > Reset Advertising Identifier.
Read more at "http://support.apple.com/kb/ht4228".
- Google Android
If you use an Android device, navigate to the google settings page, select ads and then choose to reset your Android Ad ID or opt-out of personalized ads.
We will make every effort to preserve user privacy but HWDOT may need to disclose information when required by law.
Links
HWDOT websites frequently link to other websites. We are not responsible for the content or business practices of these websites. When you leave our websites we encourage you to read the destination site’s privacy policy. This privacy statement applies solely to information collected by HWDOT.
Mention of third-party websites and products is for informational purposes only and constitutes neither an endorsement nor a recommendation. There are risks inherent in the use of any information or products found on the Internet, and HWDOT.com assumes no responsibility in this regard.
Notification of Changes
When HWDOT makes changes to this privacy policy we will post those changes here. We will update this Privacy Policy from time to time. These updates, will take effect from the date of issue on our website. Please check back regularly for updates.
Contact Information
If you have any questions regarding our privacy policy, please contact us.
