Like most websites and online services, we and our third party partners automatically collect certain types of usage information when you visit the Solution, read our emails, or otherwise engage with us. We typically collect this information through a variety of tracking technologies, including cookies, web beacons, Flash cookies (locally stored objects), embedded scripts, location-identifying technologies, and similar technology (collectively, “tracking technologies”). These tracking technologies collect information about how you use the Solution (e.g., the pages you view, the links you click, and other actions you take on the Solution), information about your browser and online usage patterns (e.g., IP address, browser type, browser language, referring / exit pages and URLs, pages viewed, whether you opened an email , links clicked), and information about the device(s) you use to access the Solution (e.g., mobile device identifier, mobile carrier, device type, model and manufacturer, mobile device operating system brand and model, and depending on your mobile device settings, your geographical location data (which could include GPS coordinates (e.g. latitude and/or longitude) or similar information regarding the location of your mobile device), or we may be able to approximate a device’s location by analyzing other information, like an IP address. We may also collect analytics data, or use third-party analytics tools, to help us measure traffic and usage trends for the Solution. Although we do our best to honor the privacy preferences of our visitors, we are not able to respond to Do Not Track signals from your browser at this time.
These tracking technologies (including cookies) allow us to provide you with a better user experience and to enable your School to provide a better user experience through the Solution. For example, data collected through tracking technologies can be used to: (a) remember information so that a user will not have to re-enter it during subsequent visits; (b) provide custom, personalized content and information; (c) to identify and contact you across multiple devices; (d) to provide and monitor the effectiveness of our Solution; (e) perform analytics and detect usage patterns on the Solution; (f) diagnose or fix technology problems; (g) detect or prevent fraud or other harmful activities or to protect the rights, property and personal safety of Blackboard, our Schools or our users; and (h) otherwise to plan for and enhance the Solution.
If you would prefer not to accept cookies, most browsers will allow you to: (i) change your browser settings to notify you when you receive a cookie, which lets you choose whether or not to accept it; (ii) disable existing cookies; or (iii) set your browser to automatically reject cookies. Please note that doing so may negatively impact your experience using the Solution, as some features and services on our Solution may not work properly. Depending on your mobile device and operating system, you may not be able to delete or block all cookies. You may also set your e-mail options to prevent the automatic downloading of images that may contain technologies that would allow us and your School to know whether you have accessed our e-mail and performed certain functions with it. Please note that deleting cookies does not delete Local Storage Objects such as Flash objects or HTML5 cookies. For information on disabling Flash cookies, go to Adobe’s web site www.adobe.com or by clicking here [https://helpx.adobe.com/flash-player/kb/disable-local-shared-objects-flash.html]. Please be aware that if you disable or remove cookies, Flash cookies, or HTML5 cookies on your device, some parts of our Solution may not function properly, and that when you revisit the Solution your ability to limit cookies is subject to your browser settings and limitations.
Tracking Technologies set by a School. Note that your School may engage with third parties to enable certain functionality or usage analytics, and such third-parties may set tracking technologies to facilitate these services. For example, Google Analytics may be used to track visitor activity on the Solution. Blackboard does not control these third party partners engaged directly by a School as part of the School’s Solution. Please review your School’s privacy policy or refer questions to your School.
Please see Section 5 below to learn more about third party tracking technologies used for interest-based advertising.