EMERGE's policies and procedures for handling customer information have been created with the understanding that Internet technologies are still evolving and that Internet business methods are continuing to evolve to meet the needs and opportunities of the changing technologies. As a result, EMERGE's policies and procedures are subject to change.

In the course of serving its customers, EMERGE acquires, stores and transmits customer communications and information that customers may regard as private or sensitive. Some of this information - such as the customer's name, address, telephone number, and credit card data - is provided to EMERGE by its customers in order to establish service. Other information - such as the customer's account status, choice of services, and customer logs - is created and maintained by EMERGE in the normal course of providing service. EMERGE also uses cookies, which are small pieces of information that a web site can store in a designated file on a user's computer for various reasons. For example, EMERGE uses cookies on the landing pages of products sold online which record the customer information that is required on the order form. This information is then forwarded to an internal sales tracking database within EMERGE. In addition, EMERGE may store customers' electronic mail and other communications as a necessary incident to the transmission and delivery of those communications.

EMERGE will protect the confidentiality of its customers' information, account information and personal communications to the fullest extent possible and consistent with the law and the legitimate interests of EMERGE, its partners, its employees and other customers of EMERGE's services. To protect the loss, misuse, and alteration of information that is collected from customers, EMERGE has appropriate physical, electronic, and managerial procedures in place.

EMERGE will not otherwise disclose its customers' personal and account information unless EMERGE has reason to believe that disclosing such information is necessary to identify, make contact with, or bring legal action against someone who may be causing harm or interfering with the rights or property of EMERGE, EMERGE's customers, or others, or where EMERGE has a good faith belief that the law requires such disclosure.

EMERGE also will not, except for reasons stated below, disclose to third parties the contents of any electronic mail or other electronic communications that EMERGE stores or transmits for its customers. The circumstances under which EMERGE will disclose such electronic customer communications are when:
a it is necessary in order to provide service to the customer;
a it is necessary to protect the legitimate interests of EMERGE and its customers;
a it is required to cooperate with interception orders, warrants, or other legal process that EMERGE determines in its sole discretion to be valid and enforceable; and
a it is necessary to provide to a law enforcement agency when the contents are inadvertently obtained by EMERGE and appear to pertain to the commission of a crime.

EMERGE disclaims any intention to censor, edit or engage in ongoing review or surveillance of communications stored on or transmitted through its facilities by customers or others. EMERGE will, however, review, delete or block access to communications that may harm EMERGE, its customers or third parties. The grounds on which EMERGE may take such action include, but are not limited to, actual or potential violations of EMERGE's Acceptable Use Policy.