Microsoft
Research Applications for the Office Store Privacy Statement
Last updated: February 2013
Microsoft is committed to protecting your privacy, while delivering software
that brings you the performance, power and convenience you desire in your mobile
device and services. This privacy statement describes the data collection and
use practices of Microsoft Research software and services (“Research
Applications”) created for Microsoft Office Store. It focuses on features that
communicate with the Internet and that take advantage of features and
capabilities of Office. It
does not apply to other online or offline Microsoft sites, products or
services.
Collection
and Use of Your Information
As part of your use of
Research Applications and related services, we will collect some information
from you in order to enable the features you are using and provide the
service(s) or carry out the transaction(s) you have requested or authorized.
Information we receive may also be used to analyze and improve Microsoft
products and services unless more limited purposes are specified for a feature
in the Specific Features
section below. Certain information we collect from you is used for displaying
content customized to your interests and preferences. Some information we
collect may be used at Microsoft Research for further research in software
development, in collaboration with other academic researchers. Any information
used for research purposes at Microsoft Research will not include any data that
personally identifies you or your device.
Some Research Applications use application analytics tools to gather data about
application performance and the features you use, such as which buttons you
press and how often, the quantity of data processed, and how long you use the
application. We also collect information about how each is set up and
performing. This data is not stored with any information that personally
identifies you or allows us to contact you. Typically, application analytics
are enabled by default.
To offer you a more consistent and personalized experience in your interactions
with Microsoft, information collected through one Microsoft service may be
combined with information obtained through other Microsoft services. We may
also supplement the information we collect with information obtained from other
companies. For example, we may use services from other companies that enable us
to derive a general geographic area based on your IP address in order to
customize certain services to your geographic area.
How We
Communicate with You
We may send certain mandatory
service communications for Research Applications or for Office Store products
and services, such as welcome letters, information on technical service issues,
and security announcements to the email address you provided for password
resets when creating your Microsoft Account. Depending on your location, you
may also have the opportunity to receive periodic communications about Office
Store products, services, events and surveys. You can follow the instructions
in communications you receive to unsubscribe from future communications.
Information
Shared with Others
Except as described in this
privacy statement, your personal information will not be transferred to third
parties without your consent. We occasionally hire other companies to provide
limited services on our behalf, such as packaging, sending and delivering
purchases and other mailings, answering customer questions about products or
services, processing event registration, or performing statistical analysis of
our services. We will only provide those companies the personal information
they need to deliver the service, and they are prohibited from using that
information for any other purpose.
Microsoft may access or disclose information about you, including the content
of your communications, in order to: (a) comply with the law or respond to
lawful requests or legal process; (b) protect the rights or property of
Microsoft or our customers, including the enforcement of our agreements or
policies governing your use of the services; or (c) act on a good faith belief
that such access or disclosure is necessary to protect the personal safety of
Microsoft employees, customers, or the public. We may also disclose personal
information as part of a corporate transaction such as a merger or sale of
assets.
Information
Storage and Transfer
Information that is collected
by or sent to Microsoft by Research Applications or the Office Store may be
stored and processed in the United States or any other country in which
Microsoft or its affiliates, subsidiaries, or service providers maintain
facilities. Microsoft abides by the safe harbor framework as set forth by the
U.S. Department of Commerce regarding the collection, use, and retention of
data from the European Union, the European Economic Area, and Switzerland.
Security of
Your Information
Microsoft is committed to
helping protect the security of your information. We use a variety of security
technologies and procedures to help protect your information from unauthorized
access, use, or disclosure. For example, we store the information you provide
on computer systems with limited access, which are located in controlled
facilities.
Changes to
this Privacy Statement
We will occasionally update
this privacy statement to reflect changes in our products, services, and
customer feedback. When we make changes, we will revise the "last
updated" date at the top of the privacy statement. If there are material
changes to the privacy statement or in how Microsoft will use your personal
information, we will notify you either by posting a notice of such changes
prior to implementing the change or by directly sending you a notification. We
encourage you to periodically review this privacy statement to be informed of
how Microsoft is protecting your information.
For More
Information/Access Requests
Microsoft welcomes your
comments regarding this privacy statement. If you have questions about this
statement, believe that we have not adhered to it, or want to request access to
the personal information we've collected, please contact us at privmsr@microsoft.com, or by using the contact information provided
below.
Microsoft Privacy
Microsoft Corporation
One Microsoft Way
Redmond, Washington 98052
USA
For privacy information specific to Microsoft Office, please visit the Office Privacy Statement.