MarketForum respects the right to privacy of all site visitors. As a message board, we primarily make use of IP addresses and cookies to ensure conformity with MarketForum's rules and regulations. For example, messages cannot be posted on MarketForum if a computer's cookies are disabled. In turn, because we can identify a computer's cookies, we are able to impose posting bans on individuals who transgress the forum's rule and regulations.
MarketForum's posting rules also require that a valid e-mail address be made available to MarketForum . The requested e-mail address is not made public, but is required by MarketForum for two reasons: 1) To establish that a message posted on MarketForum is emanating from a verifiable source, and 2) For MarketForum to operate its e-mail exchange system, which it provides as a free service for forum posters who wish to exchange e-mail addresses and contact each other privately.
MarketForum is not able to collect full personal information about MarketForum participants because its rules allow for posters to display messages under assumed names, called ‘handles'. The use of handles is an accepted practice on Internet forums.
However, because MarketForum's rules require the furnishing of valid e-mail addresses, it is possible to create a database of forum posters and transmit informational and promotional messages to them. MarketForum reserves the right to offer forum posters the opportunity to receive its messages, subject to each individual's right to be removed from the database that is used to transmit these messages.
Inquiries should be addressed to: Julie Hardy, Moderator
jhardy@marketforum.com