Fine Print

See what you've agreed to, in one list.

What Collins Dictionary's terms say

D privacy grade · collinsdictionary.com · News & reference

Collins Dictionary's terms of service and privacy policy have 31 rated points: 1 serious, 11 bad, 11 worth knowing and 8 good. 22 apply whenever you use the site, signed in or not; 9 only once you have an account.

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Whenever you use Collins Dictionary

Bad 11

  • Your personal data is used to employ targeted third-party advertising

    The privacy policy states that "On our sites, apps and/or emails we and our third-party service providers may obtain information about your activities to provide you with advertising about products and services tailored to your individual interests if you have consented."

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  • You may be tracked on other websites

    This service tracks you on other websites

    The privacy policy states that "Through [third-party advertising networks], we can track your online activities over time and across third-party websites and apps by obtaining information through automated means, as described above"

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  • This service receives your precise location through GPS coordinates

    In the privacy policy, part of the section on information it collects states, "Geolocation data that the Services obtain with your consent;"

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  • You are tracked via web beacons, tracking pixels, browser fingerprinting, and/or device fingerprinting

    In the privacy policy, it states, "We may obtain certain information through our Services by automated means, such as cookies (including HTTP, HTML5 and Flash cookies), web beacons, web server logs, JavaScript and similar technologies, including technologies designed to obtain information regarding your use of our Services (collectively “cookies”)".

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  • Referring and/or exit pages are tracked

    This service tracks which web page referred you to it

    In the privacy policy, it states, "The information we obtain through cookies may include ... referring URLs ...".

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  • Many different types of personal data are collected

    In the privacy policy, it states, "The information we obtain through cookies may include IP address, mobile device advertising ID, browser characteristics, device characteristics, operating system, language preferences, referring URLs, logs on actions taken on our Services such as content on which you may click while using the Services, and dates and times you access or use the Services. In connection with our mobile apps, we may use similar automated means and also may obtain your phone number and details about your mobile carrier".

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  • Logs are kept for an undefined period of time

    In the privacy policy, it states, "The information we obtain through cookies may ... logs on actions taken on our Services such as content on which you may click while using the Services ... ".

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  • Third-party cookies are used for advertising

    In the cookie policy, it states, "Third-party advertisers and other organizations may also use their own Cookies to collect information about your activities on our Site and/or the advertisements you have clicked on. This information, which may be combined with other information acquired from third parties, may be used by them to serve advertisements on our Site and third party sites that they believe are most likely to be of interest to you based on content you have viewed."

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  • You are being tracked via social media cookies/pixels

    In the cookie policy, it states, "Our products may have social plug-in capabilities which may include Cookies used to allow you to register to our Site with your social network account". Then, it proceeds to name these social media cookies: Facebook Social Plugin, Google Plus, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

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  • Third-party cookies are used for statistics

    In the privacy policy, it states, "Our Services may use third party analytics and advertising cookies, for example, to help create reports and statistics on the performance of the Services and to be able to present you with content tailored to your interests".

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  • Your personal data may be sold unless you opt out

    Your Personal data may be sold unless you opt out

    "We may share the Personal Data we collect with Our subsidiaries and affiliates, any of whom may use your Personal Data consistent with this Privacy Notice or for the subsidiary’s or affiliate’s own purposes, including marketing purposes"

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Worth knowing 6

  • This service does not condone any ideas contained in its user-generated contents

    In the terms and conditions, it states, "The User Content does not reflect our opinions, views or policies."

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  • Your IP address is collected, which can be used to view your approximate location

    In the privacy policy, it states, "The information we obtain through cookies may include IP address ..."...

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  • You agree not to use the service for illegal purposes

    In the section about which activity is prohibited in the terms and conditions, one item states, "using the Site in a manner inconsistent with any and all applicable laws and regulations".

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  • This service gives your personal data to third parties involved in its operation

    "We may share the Personal Data we collect with ... Service providers in the US and other jurisdictions who perform services on our behalf".

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  • Your personal data may be aggregated into statistics

    Your personal data is aggregated into statistics

    In a section on how they use information in the privacy policy, it states, "De-identify Personal Data to provide third parties with aggregated data reports showing de-identified information;"

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  • You should revisit the terms periodically, although in case of material changes, the service will notify

    In the "Updates to our privacy notice" section, it states, "This Privacy Notice may be updated periodically and without prior notice to you to reflect changes in our Personal Data practices. For significant changes, we will notify you by posting a prominent notice on our Services indicating at the top of the Notice when it was most recently updated. "

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Good 5

  • Information is provided about how your personal data is used

    " HOW WE USE THE INFORMATION WE OBTAIN"

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  • Information is provided about what kind of personal information is collected

    Information is provided about what kind of information they collect

    "INFORMATION WE OBTAIN"

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  • You can request access, correction and/or deletion of your data

    "You may request to access, rectify or erase your Personal Data."

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  • You can opt out of targeted advertising

    The privacy policy states that "To learn how to opt out of this ad network interest-based advertising, visit https://www.aboutads.info/choices/ and https://www.networkadvertising.org/choices/."

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  • The service claims to be GDPR compliant for European users

    " We have updated our policies and the language we are using for consent when we collect personal and sensitive information to meet the requirements of GDP"

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With an account

If you have a Collins Dictionary account

Serious 1

  • Specific content can be deleted without reason and may be removed without prior notice

    In the terms and conditions, it states, "We may delete any User Content at any time for any reason including but not limited to where the Content is offensive, infringes the rights of any third party, threatens the safety of any person or is otherwise unlawful. We will not be required to give you any reason for deleting such Content or enter into any dialogue with you. Our decision will be final."

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Worth knowing 5

  • Your account can be suspended for several reasons

    In the online communities section of the privacy policy, it states that "We also do not tolerate spam, unrequested, commercial or harassing correspondence sent to other users of the sites via our website forums or other message boards, and we reserve the right to suspend the membership of any user who sends messages of this kind."

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  • You agree not to submit libelous, harassing or threatening content

    In the section stating what you represent and warrant as a user in the terms and conditions, it staates, "the User Content is not libellous or obscene;"

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  • You are responsible for maintaining the security of your account and for the activities on your account

    In the section on online communities in the privacy policy, it states, "It is your responsibility to keep your password secure ...".

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  • Your content can be used by the service provider for all their existing and future services

    This service can use your content for all their existing and future services

    In the terms and conditions, it states, "By agreeing to these Terms of Use and by uploading any words, definitions, comments or other content to the Site (“User Content”) , you grant HarperCollins an irrevocable, perpetual, non-exclusive, transferable, fully paid, royalty-free, worldwide license (with the right to sublicense) to use such materials at Our own discretion including, without limitation, to copy, publish, stream, store, retain, publicly perform or display, transmit, scan, reformat, modify, edit, frame, translate, excerpt, adapt, create derivative works and distribute through any method now-known or developed in the future"

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  • Your content can be distributed through any media known now or in the future

    In the terms and conditions, it states, "By agreeing to these Terms of Use and by uploading any words, definitions, comments or other content to the Site (“User Content”) , you grant HarperCollins an irrevocable, perpetual, non-exclusive, transferable, fully paid, royalty-free, worldwide license (with the right to sublicense) to use such materials at Our own discretion including, without limitation, to copy, publish, stream, store, retain, publicly perform or display, transmit, scan, reformat, modify, edit, frame, translate, excerpt, adapt, create derivative works and distribute through any method now-known or developed in the future". | This is the best case. I had trouble finding it due to the fact that it was in the "Deprecated" section.

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Good 3

  • You are informed about the risk of publishing personal info online

    In the online communities section in the privacy policy it states, "As such you should always exercise care not to disclose private information when posting information on our websites, in your profile or in communications with other users of our websites", as well as, "You should always keep any password used to access your account or profile secret, and should not share it with anyone else".

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  • The service has non-exclusive use of your content

    In the terms and conditions, it states, "By agreeing to these Terms of Use and by uploading any words, definitions, comments or other content to the Site (“User Content”) , you grant HarperCollins an irrevocable, perpetual, non-exclusive, transferable, fully paid, royalty-free, worldwide license (with the right to sublicense) to use such materials at Our own discretion including, without limitation, to copy, publish, stream, store, retain, publicly perform or display, transmit, scan, reformat, modify, edit, frame, translate, excerpt, adapt, create derivative works and distribute through any method now-known or developed in the future" I think this is a better case.

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  • You can opt out of receiving promotional communications

    You can opt out of promotional communications

    "To update your preferences, ask us to remove your information from our marketing mailing lists or submit a request, please contact us as outlined in the How To Contact Us Section below."

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The documents

Ratings by ToS;DR volunteers; they can lag behind the current terms. Not legal advice.