Microsoft Windows 8 Developer License Privacy Statement

Last updated: October 2012

Microsoft is committed to protecting your privacy. This privacy statement explains many of the data collection and use practices of Microsoft related to issuing a Windows 8 Developer License (“Developer License”). It does not apply to other online or offline Microsoft sites, products, or services.

The developer licensing service issues a developer license for your PC, which allows you to install and run apps that have not been published by the Windows Store.

Collection and Use of Your Information

To obtain a developer license, you must sign in to the developer licensing web service with a Microsoft account. This gives the service access to the contact information in your Microsoft account profile, such as your name and email address. You can also use your Microsoft account to sign in to many different Microsoft sites and services, as well as those of select Microsoft partners. By signing in to one Microsoft site or service, you may be automatically signed in when you visit other Microsoft sites and services. To learn more about how your credential information is used when you sign in to participating sites, please read the privacy statement at https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/p/?linkid=260845.

When you request a developer license, Microsoft collects information about your PC and the apps installed on it. This information includes your PC’s name, manufacturer, and model; your IP address; a unique identifier generated based on your PC’s hardware configuration; and the edition of Windows you’re using. If there’s already a developer license installed on your PC (for example, if you’re renewing a developer license that has expired), Windows will also send the app name and information about the publisher for any app on your PC that was installed using that developer license.

The information we collect from you will be used by Microsoft and its controlled subsidiaries and affiliates to enable the features you are using and provide the service(s) or carry out the transaction(s) you have requested or authorized. Microsoft stores the information collected during developer license acquisition for later analysis. We might use this information to help understand usage patterns and trends, and to detect and block potential abuses such as app piracy. It may also be used to analyze and improve Microsoft products and services.

We may send certain mandatory service communications such as welcome letters, billing reminders, information on technical service issues, and security announcements. Some Microsoft services may send periodic member letters that are considered part of the service. We may occasionally request your feedback, invite you to participate in surveys, or send you promotional mailings to inform you of other products or services available from Microsoft and its affiliates.

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.

Except as described in this statement, personal information you provide 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 that is collected by or sent to Microsoft due to you obtaining or using a Developer License 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.

Collection and Use of Information about Your Computer

When you use software with Internet-enabled features, information about your computer ("standard computer information") is sent to the Web sites you visit and online services you use. Microsoft uses standard computer information to provide you Internet-enabled services, to help improve our products and services, and for statistical analysis. Standard computer information typically includes information such as your IP address, operating system version, browser version, and regional and language settings. In some cases, standard computer information may also include hardware ID, which indicates the device manufacturer, device name, and version. If a particular feature or service sends information to Microsoft, standard computer information will be sent as well.

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 post changes, we will revise the "last updated" date at the top of this statement. If there are material changes to this 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 statement to be informed of how Microsoft is protecting your information.

For More Information

Microsoft welcomes your comments regarding this privacy statement. If you have questions about this statement or believe that we have not adhered to it, please contact us at https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/p/?linkid=227290.

Microsoft Privacy

Microsoft Corporation

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Redmond, Washington 98052 USA