Privacy Policy

DATED 2012-12-18 · VERSION 20130104_rev01 · COMPARED WITH 20121101_rev01 · ARCHIVE SNAPSHOT

Full text changes — 20121101_rev01 to 20130104_rev01

COLOUR MARKS THE SEVERITY OF A FLAGGED CLAUSE · + AND − MARK ADDED AND REMOVED

+Effective as from 17 October 2012
+Effective as from 18 December 2012
 . [Introduction]()
 . [The information we collect]()
 . [How we use the information we collect]()
 . [How we share the information we collect]()
 . [Your preferences]()
 . [Links]()
 . [Security]()
 . [Children]()
 . [Accessing and updating user information]()
 . [Contact us]()
 . [Changes to the Privacy Policy]()
+. [More information about cookies & similar technologies]()
+. [Information about cookies & similar technologies]()
 Hello, and welcome to our **Privacy Policy**. This Privacy Policy helps you to make informed decisions about your relationship with us, so please read it carefully. We hope you're sitting comfortably. Here we go...
 ## 1\. Introduction
 Thanks for choosing Spotify. To provide you with the **Spotify Service** (or **"Service"**, both as defined in the [Terms and Conditions of Use](https://www.spotify.com/us/legal/end-user-agreement/)), Spotify USA Inc. (**"Spotify", "we", "us", "our"**) needs to collect some information about you, and this Privacy Policy is where we describe the information we collect, what we do with it, and how you can manage and control the use of your information. By using or interacting with the Service, you are entering into a binding contract with us and consenting to the use of your information as explained in this Privacy Policy. If you don't agree with these terms, then please don't use the Service.
 ## 2\. The information we collect
 ### 2.1 Registration data
+When you sign up for the Service, we may collect information we ask you for, like your username, password, e-mail address, date of birth, gender, postal code, and country. We may also collect information you voluntarily add to your profile, such as your mobile phone number and mobile service provider. If you connect to the Service using your Facebook credentials, you authorise us to collect your authentication information, such as your username, encrypted access credentials, and other information that may be available on or through your Facebook account, including your name, profile picture, country, hometown, e-mail address, date of birth, gender, friends' names and profile pictures and networks. We may store this information so that it can be used for the purposes explained in Section 3.
+When you sign up for the Service, we may collect information we ask you for, like your username, password, e-mail address, date of birth, gender, postal code, and country. We may also collect information you voluntarily add to your profile, such as your mobile phone number and mobile service provider. If you connect to the Service using your Facebook credentials, you authorise us to collect your authentication information, such as your username, encrypted access credentials, and other information that may be available on or through your Facebook account, including your name, profile picture, country, hometown, e-mail address, date of birth, gender, friends' names and profile pictures and networks. We may store this information so that it can be used for the purposes explained in Section 3 and may verify your credentials with Facebook.
+### 2.2 Usage & log data
+### 2.2 Usage, log data & cookies
+When you use the Service, we automatically collect certain information, including: (i) information about your type of subscription and your, interactions with the Service, including with songs, playlists, other Spotify users, Third Party Applications (as defined in the [Terms and Conditions of Use](https://www.spotify.com/us/legal/end-user-agreement/)) and advertising, products and services which are offered, linked to or made available on the Service; (ii) the details of the queries you make; (iii) User Content (as defined in the [Terms and Conditions of Use](https://www.spotify.com/us/legal/end-user-agreement/)); (iv) technical data, which may include the URL you are coming from, your IP address, unique device ID, network and computer performance, browser type, language and identifying information, transactional information enabling digital rights management, operating system, and Spotify application version; and (v) location information. If you have connected your account to Facebook, we may receive similar information related to your interactions with the Service on Facebook. We may store this information so that it can be used for the purposes explained in Section 3.
+When you use the Service, we automatically collect certain information, including: (i) information about your type of subscription and your, interactions with the Service, including with songs, playlists, other Spotify users, Third Party Applications (as defined in the [Terms and Conditions of Use](https://www.spotify.com/us/legal/end-user-agreement/)) and advertising, products and services which are offered, linked to or made available on the Service; (ii) the details of the queries you make; (iii) User Content you post, upload and/or contribute to the Service (as defined in the [Terms and Conditions of Use](https://www.spotify.com/us/legal/end-user-agreement/)); (iv) technical data, which may include the URL you are coming from, your IP address, unique device ID, network and computer performance, browser type, language and identifying information, transactional information enabling digital rights management, operating system, and Spotify application version; and (v) location information. If you have connected your account to Facebook, we may receive similar information related to your interactions with the Service on Facebook. We may use cookies and similar technologies to collect this information and you can learn more about such use at the bottom of this Privacy Policy ([by clicking here]()). We may store this information so that it can be used for the purposes explained in Section 3.
 ### 2.3 Other Services
 You may integrate your Spotify account with third party services besides Facebook ("Other Integrated Services"). If you do, we may receive, use and share the categories of information described above, including information made publically available on or through your account of such Other Integrated Service, in accordance with this Privacy Policy.
 ### 2.4 Payment data
+When you sign up for a Trial or any of our Paid Subscriptions (as defined in the [Terms and Conditions of Use](https://www.spotify.com/us/legal/end-user-agreement/)), or make other purchases through the Service, your credit card information and other financial data that we need to process your payment are collected and stored by third party payment processors, and we may collect some limited information, such as your postal code and details of your transaction history. These third parties generally provide us with some limited information related to you, such as a unique token that enables you to make additional purchases using the information they've stored, and your card's type, expiration date, and last four digits. If you choose to pay by invoice, Spotify may need to collect and transfer additional information, like your name, date of birth and phone number, to our invoicing service provider to enable credit checks and send you invoices. The use of your data by our invoicing service provider is subject to its privacy policies.
+When you sign up for a Trial or any of our Paid Subscriptions (as defined in the [Terms and Conditions of Use](https://www.spotify.com/us/legal/end-user-agreement/)), or make other purchases through the Service, your credit card information and other financial data that we need to process your payment are collected and stored by third party payment processors. We may collect some limited information, such as your postal code, mobile number and details of your transaction history. In addition, the third party payment processors generally provide us with some limited information related to you, such as a unique token that enables you to make additional purchases using the information they've stored, and your card's type, expiration date, and last four digits. If you choose to pay by invoice, Spotify may need to collect and transfer additional information, like your name, date of birth and phone number, to our invoicing service provider to enable credit checks and send you invoices. The use of your data by our invoicing service provider is subject to its privacy policies.
+### 2.5 Cookies & similar technologies
+### 2.5 Sweepstakes, contests, & surveys
+A cookie is a small text file that resides on your computer, mobile phone, or other device, and allows us or our business partners to recognise your device when you return to the Service. We may use cookies to perform functions essential to the operation of the Service, track site usage and trends, provide advertising on the Service, and improve and customise your Spotify experience. We may also allow certain business partners to place or recognise cookies for those purposes. Learn more about how we use cookies and other similar standard Internet technologies at the bottom of this Privacy Policy (by clicking [here]()).
+From time to time, we may offer you the chance to participate in sweepstakes, contests, and surveys ("Special Promotions") through the Service. A Special Promotion may be governed by a privacy policy and/or terms and conditions that are separate from this Privacy Policy and the [Terms and Conditions of Use](https://www.spotify.com/us/legal/end-user-agreement/)). If the provisions of the Special Promotion's privacy policy or terms and conditions conflict with this Privacy Policy or the [Terms and Conditions of Use](https://www.spotify.com/us/legal/end-user-agreement/), those separate terms and conditions or privacy policy shall prevail. If you participate in a Special Promotion, we may ask you for certain personal information in addition to what is stated in this Privacy Policy. That additional information may be combined with other account information and may be used and shared as described in this Privacy Policy.
+### 2.6 Sweepstakes, contests, & surveys
+From time to time, we may offer you the chance to participate in sweepstakes, contests, and surveys ("Special Promotions") through the Service. Participation in a Special Promotion is entirely voluntary. A Special Promotion may be governed by a privacy policy and/or terms and conditions that are separate from this Privacy Policy and the [Terms and Conditions of Use](https://www.spotify.com/us/legal/end-user-agreement/)). If the provisions of the Special Promotion's privacy policy or terms and conditions conflict with this Privacy Policy or the [Terms and Conditions of Use](https://www.spotify.com/us/legal/end-user-agreement/), those separate terms and conditions or privacy policy shall prevail. If you choose to participate in a Special Promotion, we may ask you for certain personal information in addition to what is stated in this Privacy Policy. That additional information may be combined with other account information and may be used and shared as described in this Privacy Policy.
 ## 3\. How we use the information we collect
 We may use the information we collect, including your personal information, to: (i) provide, personalise, and improve your experience with the Service and products and services made available through the Service, for example by providing customised or localised content and advertising; (ii) ensure technical functioning of the Service and products and services made available through the Service, develop new products and services, and analyse your use of the Service, including your interaction with applications, advertising, products and services that are made available, linked to or offered in the Service; (iii) communicate with you for Service-related purposes, including promotional e-mails or messages; (iv) enable and promote the Service, including features and content of the Service and products and services made available through the Service, such as sharing, user interactions, notifications and suggestions, and integration with third party services; (v) enforce this Privacy Policy, the [Terms and Conditions of Use](https://www.spotify.com/us/legal/end-user-agreement/), and the [Mobile Terms](https://www.spotify.com/us/legal/mobile-terms-and-conditions/), including to protect the rights, property or safety of Spotify, users or any other person and the copyright-protected content of the Service; and (vi) as otherwise stated in this Privacy Policy.
 ## 4\. How we share the information we collect
 We may share the information we collect, including your personal information, as follows:
 ### 4.1 Finding you and sharing within the Spotify Service
+The Spotify Service is a social service which offers many ways to find, enjoy, and share content, and we enable and encourage users to explore who else is using the Service and their public profiles. Much of your Spotify profile information is publicly available to others by default, such as name and/or username, profile picture, type of subscription, and playlists you create or subscribe to. We may use your public information to promote the Service and to help others find you and/or your Spotify profile content, including through Facebook and Other Integrated Services. Your activity on the Service, including but not limited to music you listen to or add to your profile and Third Party Applications that you add or use will automatically appear in the activity feed of friends.
+The Spotify Service is a social service which offers many ways to find, enjoy, and share content, and we enable and encourage users to explore who else is using the Service and their public profiles. Most of your Spotify information is or may be publicly available to others by default, such as your name and/or username, profile picture, type of subscription, your following relationships and your activity, including the music you add or favorite, Third Party Applications you add or use and User Content you post, upload and/or contribute to the Service. Your activity on the Service will automatically appear in the activity feed of friends and users who follow you or your Spotify profile content.
+We may use your information to notify others, including on the Service, via e-mail, and through Facebook and Other Integrated Services, about news related to your profile and activity, such as that you have joined Spotify, take actions related to their Spotify profiles or content which they subscribe to, or other actions which we think may be of interest to them. Likewise, we may notify you about such activity of other users.
+We may use your public information to promote the Service and to help others find and follow you and/or your Spotify profile content, including through Facebook and Other Integrated Services.
+Learn more about how to manage notifications, your publicly available profile information, and what you share with others in section 5 below.
+Your information may also be used to notify others, including on the Service, via e-mail, and through Facebook and Other Integrated Services, that you have joined Spotify, and about activity related to their Spotify profiles, content which they follow, or which we think otherwise may be of interest to them. Likewise, we may notify you about such activity of others.
+Learn more about how to manage notifications, your publicly available information, and what you share with others in section 5 below.
 ### 4.2 Sharing with Facebook and other services
 If you connect to Spotify using Facebook or otherwise connect your Spotify account to an Other Integrated Service, the default setting is generally that Spotify automatically shares your activity and activity-related stories with that service, including the music you listen to. You understand that such information may be attributed to your account on Facebook or the Other Integrated Service and may be published on such service. See section 5 below to learn how you can disable sharing of information on Facebook and Other Integrated Services.
 Spotify also enables you to share a particular item of content, on an individual basis, to third party services or other Spotify users by using the share functionality in the Service. Please note that sharing of such content on a third party service may be posted as activity on the Service, regardless of your account settings. To share an individual item of content to a third party service, you'll be prompted to enter your access credentials for that third party service. Spotify may store your username and an access token or similar credentials obtained from the third party service, so that you are able to share particular items of content, on that third party service, on an individual basis, without entering your access credentials again.
 . consent to collection of additional information about you by a Third Party Application provider when you for example register with or log in to the Third Party Application,
 the Third Party Application may be able to identify you and associate the information previously provided by Spotify with you. You agree and understand that a Third Party Application provider's privacy policy governs its use of your information that we provide to it or that it collects from you.
 ### 4.4 Service providers and others
+We may from time to time engage other companies in the Spotify group and third party service providers to perform functions and process user data, consistent with section 3 above. Third party service providers' processing of user data will always be subject to security and confidentiality obligations consistent with this Privacy Policy and applicable law.
+We may from time to time engage other companies in the Spotify group as well as certain trusted business partners and third party service providers to perform functions and process user data, consistent with section 3 above. Such third parties' processing of user data will always be subject to security and confidentiality obligations consistent with this Privacy Policy and applicable law.
 ### 4.5 Other sharing
 In addition to the above, we may also share your information to third parties for these limited purposes:
 . to allow a merger, acquisition, or sale of all or a portion of our assets;
 . to respond to legal process (e.g. a court order or subpoena), if we believe in good faith that it is necessary to do so; to comply with requirements of mandatory applicable law; to protect the safety of any person; to protect the rights and property of Spotify, including to enforce the Terms and Conditions of Use and Mobile Terms; and to address fraud, security or technical issues;
+. to inform business partners about use of the Service and products and services made available through the Service, in the form of aggregated statistics or otherwise in a format which does not reveal your identity;
+. to inform business partners about use of the Service and products and services made available through the Service, in the form of aggregated statistics or otherwise in a format which does not reveal your identity; and
 . if you expressly opt in to such sharing.
+You agree and understand that the privacy policies of the third parties will govern all use of information that we provide to it or that it collects from you.
+You understand and agree that the privacy policies of third parties will govern all use of information that we provide to them under this section.
 ## 5\. Your preferences
+Through your settings, you can choose which communications you receive from us, manage your public profile information, and set your sharing preferences. However, please note that it may not be possible to make certain information private on the Service, including your name and/or username and profile picture. Such information and other information which are set to "public" in your settings, such as playlists, may be used, re-shared or linked to by others on the Service or others across the web, so please use Spotify carefully and manage your account settings regularly. Remember that if you make profile content private, others who already subscribe to or otherwise have the details of such content will still have access to it. Also keep in mind that playlists and other content added to your profile may include personal information, such as username, which could enable other persons to find you in the Spotify Service or other services.
+Through your settings, you can choose which communications you receive from us, manage your public information, and set your sharing preferences. However, please note that it may not be possible to make certain information private on the Service, including your name and/or username, profile picture, and other basic information, such as your following relationships. Such information and other information which are set to "public" in your settings, such as playlists, may be used, re-shared or linked to by others on the Service or others across the web, so please use Spotify carefully and manage your account settings regularly. Remember that if you make profile content private, others who already subscribe to or otherwise have the details of such content may still have access to it. Also keep in mind that playlists and other content added to your profile may include personal information, such as username, which could enable other persons to find you in the Spotify Service or other services.
 To change, customise, or limit access to or sharing of information collected from Facebook or Other Integrated Service, please visit your account settings on that service.
 ## 6\. Transfer to other countries
 Spotify processes information about our users on servers located in a number of countries. Spotify may also subcontract processing or share your information to a third parties located in countries, other than your home country. Information collected within the European Economic Area ("EEA") and Switzerland may, for example, be transferred to, and processed in, a country outside of the EEA and Switzerland.. You expressly consent to this.
 If you have any questions or comments about this Privacy Policy, please contact us at [privacy@spotify.com](mailto:privacy@spotify.com).
 ## 12\. Changes to the Privacy Policy
 We may make changes to this Privacy Policy from time to time, so please visit this Privacy Policy regularly. If we make changes which we believe are material, we will inform you through the Service. Your continued use of the Service thereafter constitutes acceptance of the changes.
+## 13\. More information about cookies & similar technologies
+## 13\. Information about cookies & similar technologies
+### What are cookies and similar technologies?
+A cookie is a small text file that is placed on your computer, mobile phone, or other device when you visit a website. The cookie will help website providers to recognise your device the next time you visit their website. There are other similar technologies such as pixel tags, web bugs, web storage and other similar files and technologies that can also do the same thing as cookies. Spotify uses the term "cookies" in this policy to refer to cookies and all such similar technologies that collect information in this way.
+### How we use cookies
 | Cookie Type | Purpose |
 | --- | --- |
 | Essential Operational | These cookies are necessary to allow us to operate the Spotify Service as you have requested. For example, they let us recognise what type of subscriber you are and then provide you with services accordingly. |
+| Performance | We use these cookies to analyse how the Spotify Service is used or is performing. We use this information to maintain, operate and continually improve the Spotify Service. |
+| Performance/Analytics | We use these cookies to analyse how the Spotify Service is used or is performing. We use this information to maintain, operate and continually improve the Spotify Service. We may also obtain information from our e-mail newsletters, to learn whether you opened or forwarded the newsletter or clicked on any of the content. This information tells us about our newsletters' effectiveness and helps us ensure that we're delivering information that you find interesting. |
 | Functional | These cookies let us operate certain functions of the Spotify Service in line with the choices you make. These cookies mean that when you come back to the Spotify Service, we can provide you with our services as you have asked for them to be provided, such as knowing your username, remembering how you have customised our services and reminding you of music you have enjoyed. |
+| Targeting/advertising | We use these cookies to serve you with advertisements through the Spotify Service. Some advertisements may be relevant to you and your interests. These cookies may also help us and our business partners regulate the advertisements you receive and measure their effectiveness. |
+| Targeting/advertising | We use these cookies to serve you with advertisements that may be relevant to you and your interests. The information may also be used for frequency capping purposes and to help us regulate the advertisements you receive and measure their effectiveness. |
+| Third Party | We may allow our business partners to use cookies on the Spotify Service for the same targeting/advertising purposes identified above. We may also use service providers acting on our behalf to use cookies for the purposes identified above. |
+| Spotify Ads | We work with web publishers, advertising networks and service providers to deliver Spotify ads on other web sites. Cookies may be used to serve you with advertisements that may be relevant to you and your interests on other web sites and to regulate the advertisements you receive and measure their effectiveness. |
+As above, our business partners may use their cookies on the Spotify Service, for the same general purposes identified above. For more information about the use of cookies and how to block them, visit [www.allaboutcookies.org](http://www.allaboutcookies.org/), [www.youronlinechoices.eu](http://www.youronlinechoices.eu/) (Europe) or [www.aboutads.info/choices/](http://www.aboutads.info/choices/) (United States). Most web browsers also allow you to manage your cookie preferences.
+### Manage your preferences
+You can set your browser to refuse cookies, or delete certain cookies. This may impair or prevent due functioning of the Service.
+Most web browsers allow you to manage your cookie preferences. You can set your browser to refuse cookies, or delete certain cookies. Generally you should also be able manage similar technologies in the same way that you manage cookies - using your browsers preferences. The following links show how to adjust the browser settings of commonly used browsers:
+We may use standard Internet technologies similar to cookies like these:
+- [Internet Explorer](http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-vista/Block-or-allow-cookies)
+- [Firefox](http://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/Enabling+and+disabling+cookies)
+- [Safari](http://support.apple.com/kb/index)
+- [Chrome](http://www.google.com/support/chrome/bin/answer.py)
+Clear GIFs: We may use "clear GIFs" (aka "web bugs"), which are small image files that we embed into our e-mail newsletters, to learn whether you opened or forwarded the newsletter or clicked on any of the content. This information tells us about our newsletters' effectiveness and helps us ensure that we're delivering information that you find interesting.
+Please note that if you choose to block cookies, this may impair or prevent due functioning of the Spotify Service.
+HTML5 Local Storage: We use HTML5 local storage for frequency capping purposes and to provide you with relevant advertising. We do not use HTML5 local storage to collect any personal data or to track your activity on our websites.
+Two of the third party services we use to track activity related to the Service, e.g. by placing cookies are Google Analytics and Hasoffer Analytics. If you don't want any information to be collected and used by Google Analytics you can install an opt-out in your web browser ([tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=None](https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout)) and if you don't want any information to be collected and used by Hasoffer Analytics you can opt-out by clicking the following link: [www.mobileapptracking.com/privacy-policy/](http://www.mobileapptracking.com/privacy-policy/)
+### More information
+For more information about the use of cookies and how to block them, visit [www.allaboutcookies.org](http://www.allaboutcookies.org/), [www.youronlinechoices.eu](http://www.youronlinechoices.eu/) (Europe) or [www.aboutads.info/choices/](http://www.aboutads.info/choices/) (United States). If you have any questions or comments about our use of cookies, please contact us at [privacy@spotify.com](mailto:privacy@spotify.com).
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