AOL Member Privacy Policy
Frequently Asked Questions

AOL is revising its Member Privacy Policy. You can read AOL's Privacy Commitments to Members to understand our key objectives for protecting your privacy and security. Para leer este documento en español haz clic aquí.

Why are you making these revisions?

The last significant revision to the AOL Member Privacy Policy was more than seven years ago, in 1998. A lot has changed since then, including an explosion of new technologies and the AOL Service's move away from a proprietary/closed environment to the Web. We are revising our policy to reflect these changes and, going forward, to allow you to take advantage of new technologies by offering greater personalization of your online experience based on your use of the AOL service.

To whom does the revised Privacy Policy apply?

The revised Privacy Policy applies to Members of the AOL Service. Other AOL offerings, such as AIM and the AOL Network, have their own privacy policies.

When do the revisions take effect?

These changes will take effect on November 10th and are not retroactive.

Do you/will you read my private e-mails or Instant Messages?

No. We do not disclose or read the private online communications of AOL Members except in the limited circumstances described in the Privacy Policy (for example, in response to a subpoena or court order).

Do you/will you sell my private information to other companies?

No. Although the existing Privacy Policy for AOL Members permitted us to share your name and/or address with other companies for marketing, we suspended that practice over a year ago. The revised policy reflects AOL's actual practices -- we do not sell or rent a Member's name, address, screen name, phone number, or credit card number to outside companies. We only share your AOL Member information with third parties to provide products and services you have requested, when we have your consent, or to present joint offers to you as described in our Privacy Policy

Do you/will you use information about where I personally go on AOL?

under our existing Privacy Policy, we said we would not use any information about where Members personally went on the AOL Service. That meant we were unable to offer personalized content, features, and promotions -- like news headlines or banners -- to Members based on that information

AOL's 1998 policy was simply outdated in this respect. Almost every major Web site -- including Amazon, MSN and Yahoo! -- already collects information about where its users go and what they do on their sites and pages, and uses that information to customize their users' experience.

Once the new policy takes effect, we will be able to use information about what you do on the AOL Service and where you go on AOL sites and pages to help personalize your online experience. For example, the millions of AOL Members who regularly visit AOL Sports might see top scores and highlights on their Welcome Screen, or get offers for tickets to home games.

Do you/will you use information about where I personally go on the Web outside AOL?

No. Just as under the existing policy, we do not use personal information about where you go outside the AOL Service unless you ask us to (such as when you activate the Enhanced History feature).

How does AOL use information about searches?

You decide how AOL uses search information. Like other major search engines, we may use information about your searches through the AOL Service and how you use the results of those searches to help customize and improve your search results and, over time, to provide more relevant content and offers to you. If you want, you can turn this functionality off completely or disable the functionality for either specific searches or all searches, as well as to review and/or delete any or all of your past searches.

What choices do I have about the use of AOL Member information?

We want our Members to receive marketing information about products and services that interest them, so we offer a special area where you can decide the types of marketing offers you would prefer to receive.

Do you check out other software on my computer?

Yes. To protect your security and improve your online experience, our systems may look at other software on your machine. This allows us to find and remove viruses before they delete important files or tell you when you've been infected with spyware that can hurt your computer or steal your identity. Read our Privacy Policy to learn more.

Read AOL's prior Member Privacy Policy.

Effective 11/10/05