Welcome to the The Westby Times and its subsidiary and affiliate corporations, successors, and assigns (collectively referred to as "The Westby Times"). All Products and Services on the The Westby Times (as defined in our Terms and Conditions) are made available subject to this Privacy Policy. By using our Products and Services, you agree, without limitation or qualification, to be bound by this Privacy Policy or any other privacy or data collection policy applicable to any individual The Westby Times Web site and to receive any required legal notices regarding our privacy practices through the continuous posting of a clear and conspicuous link to the current version of this Privacy Policy throughout the The Westby Times near the bottom of most pages. If you become an inactive user, we will adhere to the policies and practices as described in this Privacy Policy, which may be revised from time to time.

Please note that the The Westby Times contains links to other sites and occasionally allows other sites to be co-branded with the The Westby Times name. Web sites that are linked to The Westby Times sites or carry the The Westby Times brand for co-branding or marketing purposes may have privacy policies which differ from that of the The Westby Times.

The The Westby Times Privacy Policy discloses our privacy practices and contains detailed information about the following:

• What information of yours does the The Westby Times collect?
• What organization is collecting the information?
• What are "cookies" and "Web beacons" and how does The Westby Times use them?
• How does the The Westby Times Network use the information?
• With whom does the The Westby Times share the information that is collected?
• What is the opt-out policy for the The Westby Times?
• What types of security procedures are in place to protect against the loss, misuse or alteration of your information?

• How does the The Westby Times comply with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA)?
• What can you do to better protect yourself on the Internet?

1. What information of yours does the The Westby Times collect?

Our goal is to become your favorite Internet destination by providing the information, services, and product offerings that are most relevant to you. To achieve this goal, the The Westby Times must collect information so we can understand what makes you different from its millions of other unique users. While you are not required to register for any services on the The Westby Times, some Products and Services may not function properly or may not be accessible unless you do.

Information collected online is usually defined as being either anonymous or personally identifiable. Anonymous information refers to data that cannot be tied back to a specific individual. For example, The Westby Times collects some information each time a visitor comes to a The Westby Times site so we can improve the overall quality of the visitor's online experience. The Westby Times collects the visitor's IP address (e.g., whether the user is logged on from ibm.com or aol.com), referral data (e.g., the Internet address of the last Web page visited by a user before clicking over to a The Westby Times site), and browser and platform type (e.g., a Netscape browser on a Macintosh platform). The Westby Times also collects aggregate search terms from its HotBot and The Westby Times search services for internal reporting and targeted advertising. The Westby Times collects this user information for purposes of product monitoring, product improvement, and targeted advertising. You do not have to register with the The Westby Times before we can collect this anonymous information. Personally identifiable information refers to data that tells us specifically who you are, such as your name and postal address, which may be collected in addition to the anonymous data described above. The Westby Times collects personal information in the following ways from different parts of its network of Web sites:

The Westby Times Registration: When you register to use one or more sites on the The Westby Times, you provide The Westby Times with your name, postal address, ZIP Code, email address, birth date, gender, telephone number, occupation, marital status and other information. While not all of this data is required for our services to function, we are better able to customize your experience if you volunteer complete and accurate information. Users who complete the registration process are given a The Westby Times ID and can take full advantage of the many offerings across the The Westby Times.

Other Registration: In addition to registration for various services on the The Westby Times, we may ask you for personal information at other times, including when you enter a sweepstakes, contest or promotion sponsored by the The Westby Times Network. As described below, our co-brand partners also ask for personal information. If you choose not to provide the requested information, the The Westby Times may not be able to offer you some of the personalized services that depend on this type of information to function

Correspondence: If you contact the The Westby Times, we may keep a record of that correspondence. We do not collect any email addresses of those who communicate with the The Westby Times via email. We use the information provided so that we may respond to the email.

When you use Products and Services designed to post or transmit content, that content is necessarily stored in our computers for varying periods of time and associated with the registration information for your account. The Westby Times will not use or disclose such content except as described in this Privacy Policy.

2. What organization is collecting the information?

When you register for a service within the The Westby Times, that information is generally collected and maintained solely by the The Westby Times unless specifically stated otherwise at the point of collection. If data is collected and/or maintained by any company other than The Westby Times, we will tell you at the point of collection. If you do not want to share your information with that company, you can choose not to use that service.

The Westby Times runs many promotions and sweepstakes across its Network. These promotions may be sponsored or co-sponsored by third-party companies. Data collected during a promotion is typically shared with the sponsor or co-sponsor. The Westby Times will inform you at the point of collection whether or not we are sharing your personal data as a result of your participation in a promotion or sweepstakes. If you do not want to have the The Westby Times share your data, you can choose not to participate in the promotion or sweepstakes.

Be aware that The Westby Times sponsors and other advertisers have links on the Network that take you to external sites. Some of these sites may collect personally identifiable information from you, and third-party advertising networks for The Westby Times may use cookies and Web beacons in their advertisements to collect certain information from you. While The Westby Times hopes that all third parties involved adhere to our policies regarding the privacy of our users, the The Westby Times Privacy Policy does not cover third-party data collection practices and the The Westby Times does not assume any responsibility for any actions of third parties.

3. What are "cookies" and "Web beacons" and how does The Westby Times use them?

In addition to the personally identifiable information that The Westby Times actively collects when you register, we also collect anonymous information passively using cookies and Web beacons. This technology plays an important role in making the Internet work, but there is much confusion among Internet users about what cookies and Web beacons are and how they are used.

A cookie is a small text file containing a unique identification number that is transferred from a Web site to the hard drive of your computer so that the site administrator may identify your computer and passively track its activities on the Web site. This unique number identifies your Web browser to our computer system whenever you visit one of the sites in the The Westby Times. A cookie will not allow a Web site to learn any personally identifiable information (such as your real name and address) that you have not otherwise disclosed.

Cookies allow The Westby Times to automatically remember your Web browser when you visit our Network of Web sites. To help serve you better, The Westby Times generally uses cookies to allow us to deliver products and services more efficiently. By storing certain registration and preference information on cookies or associating cookies with registration, preference or profile information stored on our computers, we can deliver products and services that use such information more quickly and efficiently for more users. This information is normally saved in an encrypted form that only The Westby Times can interpret.

Prevent others from using your account. On some The Westby Times sites, cookies help us efficiently determine that only one user is logged on under the same member name at a time.

Measure statistics such as audience size and traffic patterns. This information is only collected in aggregate form and will not be linked to your personally identifiable information.

Display advertisements. Cookies let us know whether or not a Web browser has seen a particular advertisement (so we can show you a variety of material) and count the number of advertisements displayed to a particular browser. We also use cookies to customize the advertising you see based on non-personally identifiable demographic information that you provide when you register. Third-party advertising networks for The Westby Times may issue cookies on the The Westby Times and other sites when serving advertisements.

The use of cookies is an industry standard, and they are currently used on most major Web sites. It is possible to adjust your Web browser preferences to alert you when a cookie is sent to your hard drive, or to refuse cookies altogether. While The Westby Times does not require you to use cookies, keep in mind that certain sites and services will not function properly if you set your browser to refuse all cookies.

Web beacons, also known as clear GIFs or single-pixel GIFs, are small image files that The Westby Times may place on Web pages and within Web-based email newsletters that we send. Working in conjunction with cookies, Web beacons allow The Westby Times to accurately count the number of unique users who have visited a specific page on the The Westby Times and the number of times those pages are displayed. We can also use Web beacons to let us know how many people opened a Web-based email newsletter. This information is only collected in aggregate form and will not be linked to your personally identifiable information.

Without cookies and Web beacons, it would be difficult for The Westby Times to know which services have a larger audience than others. Tracking audience size helps us to better understand when to launch new services and enhance the current offerings. Keep in mind that any image file on a Web page can act as a Web beacon. Third-party advertising networks for The Westby Times may use Web beacons in their advertisements.

Because Web beacons work in conjunction with cookies, you can prevent our Web beacon from collecting anonymous information by setting your Web browser to refuse all cookies or the The Westby Times cookie in particular. Web beacons are built into our Web pages, so non-functional Web beacons will continue to appear even if you refuse the The Westby Times cookie.

4. How does the The Westby Times use the information it collects?

Any personally identifiable information you share with The Westby Times when registering for Products and Services at any of our Network sites is maintained and accessible only by The Westby Times unless specifically stated otherwise. The Westby Times requests information from its users so that users can enjoy customized experiences across the The Westby Times, including personalization services, interactive communications, online games and much more. Most of these Products and Services are available to you at no cost, and The Westby Times displays advertisements so we can continue to provide great content and services free of charge. We can also better prepare future content based on your interests.

The following are examples of how the The Westby Times may use the information it collects:

The Westby Times uses the information collected (both anonymous and personal) to personalize and enhance the content you see on the The Westby Times, such as news, stock portfolios, weather reports, sports scores, horoscopes, advertisements and more. In some cases, our Products and Services cannot work unless you have volunteered accurate information (for example, we need your valid ZIP Code to display weather conditions in your local area).

The Westby Times collects anonymous data and shares it with third-party advertisers in an aggregate form. We will disclose to those advertisers the numbers of The Westby Times users who have certain demographic characteristics and the number of those people who have seen and "clicked" on a particular display. We will also disclose to those advertisers the overall demographics available regarding who saw and "clicked" on their advertisement. No personally identifiable information will be disclosed as part of this process.

The Westby Times also uses the aggregate data to perform statistical analyses of the collective characteristics and behavior of our registered users and visitors, to measure user demographics and interests regarding specific areas of the The Westby Times Network, and to analyze how and where best to use our resources. We do not track what pages individual users are browsing, but rather how well each page performs overall. Without such data, we would not know which parts of the The Westby Times are the most popular, and we would not be able to change and update the content and services appropriately.

The Westby Times sometimes uses an individual registered user's data to "pre-populate" online forms that are displayed for the purpose of collecting additional individual data by the The Westby Times, selected third-party sites, and/or sponsors and advertisers.

The Westby Times may, from time to time, use your information to contact you about changes or enhancements to Products and Services on the The Westby Times, issues regarding your account, or The Westby Times Terms and Conditions violations or suspensions.

If you enter a sweepstakes or a contest on the The Westby Times, we will use the information you provided to contact you in the event you win.

If you told The Westby Times that you were interested in receiving offers or information from selected sponsors and advertisers, The Westby Times will send you email about products and services that we feel may be of interest to you. For those who elect to receive such materials from The Westby Times or third parties, and who indicate that they do in their profile, The Westby Times will release personally identifiable information to the applicable third party. Information released includes name, email address and other information supplied in the The Westby Times registration process.

5. With whom does the The Westby Times share the information that is collected?

As described below, the The Westby Times will sometimes share personally identifiable information with third-party companies and organizations. In most cases, you agree to share your information when you choose to register at a co-branded Web site. Co-branded sites are operated by third-party companies and offer a particular service or product to The Westby Times members. We may also maintain private label relationships where a third-party company provides The Westby Times with technology, services and/or content under The Westby Times branding.

Whenever you provide registration information on co-branded or private label sites, that data may be shared with the third-party company providing the service. You should make every effort to read the individual privacy policies of such third parties and make an informed decision on your own whether or not to continue based upon these sites' privacy practices and your own discretion. You may opt-out of sharing your information with such providers by choosing not to use that service or content.

When you find goods or services through The Westby Times Shopping, you submit data directly to the individual merchants from whom you order goods or services. Please review carefully the privacy policies of particular merchants that you access through The Westby Times Shopping.

In addition to finding co-branded and private label sites, you will find direct links on our site to sites offered by third parties. Some of these sites are authorized to use the The Westby Times brands and/or logos. No third-party sites are covered by this Privacy Policy. If you feel that a site using a The Westby Times Network brand and/or logo does not follow an acceptable privacy policy, please contact the The Westby Times Privacy Site Coordinator by email at privacy@The Westby Times.com.

Also, The Westby Times will disclose information about individual users to governmental or judicial authorities or law enforcement agencies, or to other individuals or entities in response to subpoena, court order, or other legal process. In matters involving a danger to personal or public safety, The Westby Times may voluntarily provide information to appropriate governmental authorities.

6. What is the opt-out policy for the The Westby Times?

You can opt out of sharing your personally identifiable information with any third-party service or content providers in any areas of the The Westby Times by choosing not to use such areas.

In addition, all The Westby Times newsletters and direct email communications have easy-to-follow unsubscribe instructions at the bottom of each email.

If you have a question about the The Westby Times opt-out process that is not answered here, please send an email to webmaster@couleenews.com.

7. What kinds of security procedures are in place to protect against the loss, misuse or alteration of your information?

The The Westby Times has security measures in place to attempt to protect against the loss, misuse and alteration of your user data under our control. The Westby Times uses physical, electronic, and procedural safeguards to protect any personally identifiable data stored on its computers. Only authorized employees have access to the information you provide us. Any particularly sensitive information, such as a credit card number used to purchase premium services, is encrypted prior to transmission.

While we cannot guarantee that loss, misuse or alteration to data will not occur, we take many precautions to prevent such unfortunate occurrences.

You are ultimately responsible for the security of your The Westby Times ID and password. Please take care when using and storing them. The Westby Times recommends that you do not divulge your password to anyone. You should log out of your browser at the end of each computer session to ensure that others cannot access your personal information and correspondence, especially if several people have access to your personal computer or you are using a computer in a public place like a library or Internet cafe.

8. How does the The Westby Times comply with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA)?

The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) of 1998 provides safeguards to protect children who use the Internet by regulating the online collection of personal information from children under the age of 13. Because of these safeguards, children under 13 are not able to access or use all Products and Services on the The Westby Times. Parents of children under 13 can authorize their children to use some of our services by signing up for a The Westby Times memberhsip using their own registration information.

9. What you can do to better protect yourself on the Internet?

Know the risks. Meeting new people in an online community (chat room, forum, newsgroup, message board, Web page, etc.) is one of the best things about the Internet, but you should always be careful about disclosing personal information such as an actual name, member name, email address, and so on. This information may be collected and used by others within the online community to send unsolicited email messages from other parties, outside the The Westby Times. Some of the messages you receive may be useful to you, but some may not. In an effort to curtail unsolicited email, The Westby Times blocks certain email addresses and domains from sending messages to email addresses at our domains.

Educate yourself. Search the Web for as much information as you can about how to protect your privacy. Look for a privacy policy on the Web sites you visit. A good place to start is TRUSTe -- an independent, non-profit organization with a mission to build trust and confidence in the Internet. The Federal Trade Commission has a great Web site with useful information on being a Savvy Internet Traveler along with other privacy initiatives.

Tell your children: "Never talk to strangers!" While The Westby Times works hard to protect children on the sites within the The Westby Times, we cannot protect their privacy once they leave. Please teach children that they should not reveal their names or other personal information to anyone they encounter on the Internet. They should also be instructed not to fill out any forms or register at any Web site without your knowledge and consent. Parents can also prevent or limit a child's access to inappropriate material on the Web by using commercially available parental control protections (such as computer hardware, software, or filtering services).

Use PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) http://www.pgp.com or another encryption program.

Contact Us Questions regarding this statement should be directed to:

webmaster@rivervalleynewspapers.com

The The Westby Times will update this policy from time to time so please check back periodically.