Posted: 14 January 2014
Previous version: 30 September 2011
Effective for new users immediately and for current users on 17 February 2014. Supersedes all previous versions.
This User Privacy Notice tells you about how we use and protect your personal information. You can view a summary of this User Privacy Notice at our Privacy Summary Page. More detailed information about our privacy practices and how to contact us with question is available at our eBay Privacy Centre.
Contents
Scope and Consent
This User Privacy Notice describes how we collect, use, store, share and protect your personal information. It applies to the eBay.co.uk website and all related sites, applications, services and tools where this User Privacy Notice is referenced, regardless of how you access or use them. Some eBay-branded websites or applications may be governed by separate privacy policies. The User Privacy Notice that applies will be the notice that is referenced by the respective website, application, service or tool.
Throughout this User Privacy Notice we use the term “personal information” to describe information that can be associated with a specific person and can be used to identify that person. We do not consider personal information to include information that has been made anonymous or aggregated so that it cannot be used, whether in combination with other information or otherwise, to identify a specific user.
By accepting the Privacy Notice you consent to our collection, use, disclosure and retention of your personal information as described in this User Privacy Notice and in our User Agreement. We may amend this User Privacy Notice by providing existing users with 30 days advance notice. We will post any changes on this website. Additionally, we will notify you through the eBay Message Centre and/or via email of any material changes to this User Privacy Notice.
Controlling and Processing Parties
If you reside within the European Union, your data controller is eBay Europe S.à r.l, 22-24 Boulevard Royal, L-2449, Luxembourg. If you reside in a country that is not a member of the European Union your data controller is eBay International AG, Helvetiastrasse 15/17, 3005, Bern, Switzerland. Your data controller is responsible for the processing of your personal information and can transfer data to eBay International AG, eBay Europe S.à r.l, eBay Inc 2145 Hamilton Avenue, San Jose, CA 95,125 USA and elsewhere in the world eBay Inc. has facilities. eBay Inc. eBay Europe Sarl and Ebay International AG will process your personal information to deliver the services eBay provides under the User Agreement and within the framework and according to the principles laid down in this Privacy Notice.
Global Privacy Standards
Our parent company, eBay Inc. has established a set of corporate rules for privacy, known as Binding Corporate Rules (BCRs), which are the global privacy standards for all eBay Inc. companies. These BCRs have been approved by a number of European Union privacy regulators. They are a commitment by eBay Inc. to protect your personal information and honor our privacy obligations regardless of where your personal information is collected, processed or stored. Depending on where you reside, the BCRs may also provide you some additional privacy rights through your local privacy regulator or court. The privacy practices of our corporate family are consistent with those described in this User Privacy Notice and our BCRs. More information about our BCRs and our global privacy practices and principles, including information on how to contact us with any questions, is available at our eBay Privacy Centre.
Mobile Privacy
We may offer you the ability for you to connect with our sites, or use our applications, services and tools using a mobile device, either through a mobile application or via a mobile optimized website. The provisions of this User Privacy Notice apply to all such mobile access and use of mobile devices. This User Privacy Notice will be referenced by all such mobile applications or mobile optimized websites.
Collection of Personal Information
You can browse the eBay.co.uk website, or related sites, without telling us who you are or revealing any personal information about yourself. If you register for an account with us you give us your personal information, and you are not anonymous to us. If you choose to provide us with personal information, you consent to the transfer and storage of that information on our servers located in the United States or elsewhere in the world.We collect the following types of personal information in order to provide you with the use of and access to our sites, applications, services and tools, to help us personalise and improve your experience and for our advertising purposes.
Information We Collect Automatically
When you visit our sites, use our applications, services and tools, or interact with our advertising or content, we automatically collect information sent to us by your computer, mobile device, or other access device. This information is associated with you personally only when you sign in as a registered user, and includes:
device ID or unique identifier, device type, computer and connection information, statistics on page views, traffic to and from the sites, referral URL, ad data, IP address and standard web log information; and
anonymous information collected through our use of cookies and web beacons.
Information You Give Us
We collect and store any information you enter on our sites or you provide to us in the context of using our sites, applications, services or tools. This may include:
information you provide us when registering for an account, including email address, phone number, mobile telephone number, physical contact information, and (depending on the service used) sometimes financial information, such as credit card or bank account numbers;
additional information you may provide to us via social media sites or services;
transactional information based on your activities on the sites (such as bidding, buying, selling, item and content you generate or that relates to your account);
postage, billing and other information you provide to purchase or post an item, as well as, where postal services are provided through one of our programs, additional relevant postage information (tracking updates) stored by the chosen postal partner;
information provided in the context of community discussions, chats, dispute resolution, correspondence through our sites, or correspondence sent to us; and
additional personal information we ask you to submit to authenticate yourself or if we believe you are violating site policies (for example, if allowed by the law we may ask you to send us an ID or bill to verify your address, or to answer additional questions online to help verify your identity or ownership of an item you list).
Information We Collect From Mobile Applications or Devices
When you download or use our mobile applications, or access one of our mobile optimized sites, we may collect information about you and your mobile device as discussed above in this notice. This may include geo-location information we may use to provide you with location based services, such as advertising, search results, and other personalized content as authorized by you and your device. Most mobile devices allow you to control or disable location services in the device’s setting’s menu. If you have questions about how to disable your device’s location services, we recommend you contact your mobile service carrier or the manufacture of your particular device.
We will obtain your explicit consent before we collect any sensitive personal information from you as a result of your use of our mobile applications or your access of our sites using a mobile device. You may also be presented with an additional short form privacy notice explaining any additional or specific information we may collect from you that is not listed in this notice.
Information We Collect From other Sources
We may receive or collect supplemental information about you from third parties sources and add it to our account information. This may include, demographic and navigation information, credit check information, and additional information about you from a credit bureau, as permitted by law.
Information Collection from Sharing and Registration with Social Media
We offer sign-on services that allow you to use third party login credentials to access the eBay.co.uk and related sites (e.g. Facebook). We also offer services that allow you to share information with third party social media websites such as Facebook, Google Plus, Twitter, and others.You may choose to provide us with access to certain personal information stored by such third party websites. The personal information we have access to varies by website and is controlled by your privacy settings on that website and your consent. By associating an account managed by a third party with your eBay account and authorizing eBay to have access to this information, you agree that eBay may collect, use and store information from these websites in accordance with this User Privacy Notice.
Use of Personal Information
Our purpose in collecting personal information is to provide you with access to our sites and/or use of our services, applications and tools, provide you with requested customer service and relevant information about your account and our services, and to provide you with a safe, smooth, efficient, and customized experience. By accepting this privacy notice you agree that we may use your personal information to:
provide you access to our sites and the services and customer support you request;
prevent, detect, and investigate, fraud, security breaches, potentially prohibited or illegal activities, and enforce our User Agreement;
customize, measure and improve our services, content and advertising;
contact you, either via email or telephone, to resolve disputes, collect fees, and troubleshoot problems with your account or our sites, services, applications or tools, or for other purposes authorized by law;
contact you, either via email or, telephone to inform you about our services and those of our corporate family, deliver targeted marketing, service updates, and promotional offers based on your communication preferences and in compliance with applicable regulations;
compare information for accuracy, and verify it with third parties;
contact you at any telephone number using auto-dialed or pre-recorded message calls or text (SMS) messages (if applicable) as authorized by you in a manner consistent with applicable regulations and for the purposes described in this User Privacy Notice; and
provide you other services requested by you as described when we collect the information.
Use of Personal Information for Marketing
Based on the consent provided by you in a manner consistent with applicable regulations and on this privacy notice, we may use your personal information to;
tell you about our and our corporate family’s websites, applications, services and tools;
deliver targeted marketing and promotional offers based on your communication preferences; and
personalize, measure and improve our advertising, based on your ad customization preferences.
We do not sell or rent your personal information to third parties for their marketing purposes without your explicit consent. We may combine your personal information with information we collect from other sources and use it to improve and personalize our advertising and marketing to you.
Opting Out of Our Use of Personal Information
If you do not wish to receive marketing and promotional communications from us, you can indicate your communications preference in your My eBay page, or within the direct communication from us.
If do not wish to participate in our ad-customization programs, you can opt-out of our use of your information to provide you with customized advertisements by following the directions provided within the applicable advertisement, or directly at our Ad Choice program.
You can review our User Cookie Notice for more information on how to opt-out of third party cookies for advertising.
If you withdraw your consent for the use or disclosure of your personal information for the other purposes set out in this User Privacy Notice we may not be able to continue to allow you to have access to our websites, applications, or tools, or to provide you with some or all of the services and customer support offered to our users and authorized under this User Privacy Notice and our User Agreement.
Our Disclosure of Personal Information
We disclose personal information to respond to legal requirements, enforce our policies, respond to claims that a listing or other content violates the rights of others, or protect anyone's rights, property, or safety. Such information will be disclosed only in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. As stated above, we do not disclose your personal information to third parties for their marketing purposes without your explicit consent.
We may also share your personal information with:
Members of the eBay Inc. corporate family to provide joint content and services (like registration, transactions and customer support), to help detect and prevent potentially illegal acts and violations of our policies, and to guide decisions about their products, sites, applications, tools, services and communications. Members of our corporate family may use this information to send you marketing communications only if you have consented to their services and will use your personal information in compliance with their respective privacy policies and our global privacy standards.
Service providers under contract who help with our business operations (such as, but not limited to, fraud investigations, bill collection, affiliate and rewards programs, website operations, and co-branded credit cards).
Other eBay users, whether located in your country of residence or outside of your country of residence, as authorized by you or your use of our sites, services, applications or tools. For example, where you are involved in a transaction with another user, the other user may view your email address and request and obtain your contact information (including phone number and postal address) to help complete the transaction.
Other third parties to whom you explicitly ask us to send your information (or about whom you are otherwise explicitly notified and consent to when using a specific service).
Law enforcement or regulatory agencies, or authorized third-parties, in response to a verified request relating to a criminal investigation or alleged illegal activity or any other activity that may expose us, you, or any other eBay user to legal liability. In such events, we will disclose information relevant and necessary to the investigation or inquiry, such as name, city, state or province, provincial postal code, telephone number, email address, User ID history, IP address, fraud complaints, bidding and listing history
Credit bureaus with which we might report information about your account, including information on late payments, missed payments, or other defaults on your account may be reflected in your credit report, as allowed by applicable law.
eBay VeRO Program participants under confidentiality agreement, as we in our sole discretion believe necessary or appropriate in connection with an investigation of fraud, intellectual property infringement, piracy, or other unlawful activity. In such events, we will disclose name, street address, city, state, provincial postal code, country, phone number, email address and company name.
Other business entities, should we plan to merge with or be acquired by that business entity. Should such a combination occur, we will require that the new combined entity follow this User Privacy Notice with respect to your personal information. If your personal information will be used or disclosed for any purposes not set out in this notice, you will receive prior notification.
While we use contractual and other measures to ensure protection of personal information, the laws and regulations relating to privacy and personal information protection in other jurisdictions may not be the same as, or similar to, your local privacy laws. The governments, courts, law enforcement or regulatory agencies in these other jurisdictions may be able to request disclosure of personal information through the laws of these countries. In an effort to respect your privacy, we will not otherwise disclose your personal information to law enforcement, other government officials, or other third parties without a subpoena, court order or substantially similar legal procedure, except when we believe in good faith that the disclosure of information is necessary to prevent imminent physical harm, financial loss, to report suspected illegal activity, or otherwise keep the community free from bad actors.
Personal Information Users Display on eBay
Your User ID is displayed throughout eBay (and so available to the public), and is connected to all of your eBay activity. Other people can see your bids, purchases, items for sale, your collections, the members and collections you follow, storefronts, Feedback, ratings and associated comments. Other users can also see any information you chose to share in your profile. Notices sent to other community members about suspicious activity and policy violations on our sites refer to User IDs and specific items. So if you associate your name with your User ID, the people to whom you have revealed your name will be able to personally identify your eBay activities.
If you access our websites from a shared computer or a computer in an internet café, certain information about you, such as your User ID, activity or reminders from eBay, may also be visible to other individuals who use the computer after you.
Personal Information Users Share with Other Users
eBay enables you to share personal and financial information to complete transactions and collect payments. We encourage you to disclose your privacy practices and respect the privacy of other users. We cannot guarantee the privacy or security of your information and therefore we encourage you to evaluate the privacy and security policies of your trading partner before entering into a transaction and choosing to share your information. To help protect your privacy, we allow only limited access to other users' contact, shipping and financial information to facilitate your transactions and collect payments. When users are involved in a transaction, they may have access to each other's name, User ID, email address and other contact and shipping information. In all cases, you must give other users a chance to remove themselves from your database and a chance to review what information you have collected about them.
You agree to use another user’s personal information only for:
eBay transaction-related purposes that are not unsolicited commercial messages;
using services offered through eBay (such as escrow, shipping, and fraud complaints); or
specific purposes to which the user expressly chooses or consents to.
Cookies, Web Beacon, and Similar Technologies
When you visit or interact with our sites, services, applications, messaging (such as email), and tools, we or our authorized service providers may use cookies, web beacons, and other similar technologies for storing information to help provide you with a better, faster, and safer experience, and for advertising purposes. For more detailed information on our use of these technologies, see our User Cookie Notice.
No Spam, Spyware or Spoofing
We and our users do not tolerate spam. To report eBay-related spam or spoof emails to eBay, please forward the email to spam@ebay.co.uk or spoof@ebay.co.uk. Make sure to set your eBay communication preferences so we communicate to you as you prefer. If you send an email to an email address that is not registered in our community (via Refer-a-Friend or other tools), we will not rent or sell that email address.
You are not licensed to add other eBay users, even a user who has purchased an item from you, to your mailing list (email or physical mail) without their express consent. You may not use our communication tools to send spam or otherwise send content that would violate our User Agreement. We automatically scan and may manually filter messages to check for spam, viruses, phishing attacks and other malicious activity or illegal or prohibited content, but we do not permanently store messages sent through these tools.
Accessing, Reviewing and Changing Your Personal Information
Your password is the key to your account. Use unique numbers, letters and special characters, and do not disclose your eBay password to anyone. If you do share your password or your personal information with others, remember that you are responsible for all actions taken in the name of your account. If you lose control of your password, you may lose substantial control over your personal information and may be subject to legally binding actions taken on your behalf. Therefore, if your password has been compromised for any reason, you should immediately notify eBay and change your password.
You can see, review and change most of your personal information by signing on to eBay. Generally, we will not manually modify your personal information because it is very difficult to verify your identity remotely. You must promptly update your personal information if it changes or is inaccurate. In some cases, once you make a public posting on the site, you may not be able to change or remove it. However, we will honor any statutory right that you may have to erase or modify your personal information.
Protecting and Storing Personal Information
We store and process your personal information on our computers in the United States and elsewhere in the world where our facilities are located. We protect your information using technical and administrative security measures to reduce the risks of loss, misuse, unauthorized access, disclosure and alteration. Some of the safeguards we use are firewalls and data encryption, physical access controls to our data centres, and information access authorization controls.
We take steps to ensure that the personal information we collect is accurate and up to date, and we provide you with the opportunity to update your information through your account profile settings.
Closing Your Account & Retention of Personal Information
Upon your request, and subject to the provisions in this section, we will close your account and, as soon as reasonably possible, remove your personal information so that it cannot be viewed by other users. Removal will be based on your account status and in accordance with applicable law. We may also close or deactivate inactive accounts, or accounts that are used in violation of our User Agreement.
In general, personal information from closed or inactive accounts will be deleted or rendered anonymous as soon as reasonably possibly after the account is closed or deactivated. Under certain circumstances we may retain personal information from closed or inactive accounts for longer. Grounds for doing so would include; prevention of fraud, collection of fees owed, resolution of disputes, to enforce our eBay User Agreement, or to otherwise take actions permitted by law. Under such circumstances this information will be kept as long as it is necessary and relevant for our operations, and to comply with any applicable law.
Third Parties
Except as otherwise expressly included in this User Privacy Notice, this document addresses only the use and disclosure of information we collect from you. If you disclose your information to others, whether they are bidders, buyers or sellers on our websites or other websites throughout the internet, different rules may apply to their use or disclosure of the information you provide to them. eBay does not control the privacy policies of third parties, and you are subject to the privacy policies of those third parties where applicable. We encourage you to ask questions before you disclose your personal information to others.
Contact Use
You may Contact Us online at any time. If your questions are not answered online, you may write to us at: eBay Inc. Attn: Legal - Global Privacy Practices, 2145 Hamilton Avenue, San Jose, California 95125. More information about the Global Privacy Office or how to contact us is available at our eBay Privacy Centre.
