Privacy Policy :

Thank you for visiting an MHS network web site. This privacy policy outlines what information we collect online and how we use it. This policy applies throughout our MHS network of web sites, unless otherwise specified. Including: MaineGuides.com, MaineJokes.com, MaineCharter.com, MaineAntique.com, MaineRestaurants.com, MaineHost.com.

TRUSTe Certification
MHS is TRUSTe certified. TRUSTe is an independent, non-profit initiative whose mission is to build users' trust and confidence in the Internet by promoting the principles of disclosure and informed consent. MHS wants to demonstrate its commitment to your privacy and has agreed to disclose its information practices and have its privacy practices reviewed and audited for compliance by TRUSTe.

Normal Web Site Usage

MHS offers web hosting services as well as web design and web site promotion services. The MHS sites intended us is to provide visitors access to hosting and web design services and solutions as well as support for those services.

Cookies

Some of our Web sites may use "cookie" technology to measure activity at our Web site and to customize information to your personal interests. A cookie is an element of data that a Web site can send to your browser to store on your hard drive. The use of cookies is an industry standard and you will find them at most major web sites.

Our web sites may use cookies to collect information about your visits, including the pages you view, the time of your visits, your registration information (if you register online), and a range of other navigational information.

Cookies allow us to tailor our site to your individual preferences and permit you to navigate certain parts of our site without having to re-enter information you provided on a previous visit. If you prefer not to take advantage of these conveniences, most browsers allow you to decline cookies. You are free to decline our cookies but if you do, you will not be able to take advantage of these conveniences.

Collection and Use of Personally Identifiable Information

In some instances, Maine Hosting Solutions (MHS) may request or collect information online that identifies you personally, such as your name, e-mail or postal address, or telephone number. MHS also may request or collect information about your preferences, interests, hobbies, and the like. This may occur in a variety of circumstances, including when you register online, communicate with us by e-mail, respond to surveys, or enroll in contests. Again, you are not required to provide this information but if you choose not to, some portions of our Web site may not be accessible to you.

We use the information we collect online to provide you with the services you request, and for a variety of general internal marketing and planning purposes. For example, we may use information that identifies you personally to communicate with you by e-mail, postal mail or telephone about special offers, promotions, products, or services, or to follow-up on products or services we have already provided. MHS does not rent or sell this information to other companies.

You should be aware that we reserve the right to disclose your personal information if required to do so by law, or in the good faith belief that such action is reasonably necessary to comply with legal process, respond to claims, or to protect the rights, property or safety of interactive marketing group, our employees, customers, or the public.

Storage and Security

The information you provide on this Web site is saved indefinitely and may be stored on one or more databases directly or indirectly maintained by MHS. The information is stored in a manner appropriate to the nature of the data, and is used for the purposes described in this online privacy policy.

Public Web Pages

A number of our Web pages are available to the public. MHS is not responsible for the uses that may be made by the public of any information you submit to MHS for posting on publicly accessible Web pages.

Links to Other Web Sites

MHS has made an effort to include links to sites that may be of interest to you and are in good taste. Please bear in mind that a link to or from our Web site does not imply endorsement of that site. We do not control the sites to which we link and assume no responsibility for their content or their privacy policies.

Questions or Concerns

If you have any questions or concerns about this online privacy policy, or believe MHS has not adhered to it, please let us know by sending an e-mail to privacy@mainehost.com.

What kinds of security procedures are in place to protect against the loss, misuse or alteration of your information?
The MHS Network has security measures in place to attempt to protect against the loss, misuse and alteration of your user data under our control. Only authorized employees have access to the information you provide us and strict rules on MHS Network employees who have access either to the databases that store user information or to the servers that host our services. While we cannot guarantee that loss, misuse or alteration to data will not occur, we make every effort to prevent such unfortunate occurrences. Any other particularly sensitive information, such as your credit card number collected for a commerce transactions at MHS Shop Sites or to purchase premium services from MHS, is encrypted prior to transmission.

You are ultimately responsible for the security of your MHS Network ID and password. Please take care when using and storing them. MHS recommends that you do not divulge your password to anyone. You should log out of your browser at the end of each computer session to ensure that others cannot access your personal information and correspondence, especially if you share a computer with someone else or are using a computer in a public place like a library or Internet cafe.

What you can do to better protect yourself on the Internet

1. Know the risks.
   When you communicate with others online, you should be aware that, when disclosing personal information such as one's actual name, member name, e-mail address, etc., on a web page, in a newsgroup, chat room or forum, that information may be collected and used by others to send that person unsolicited e-mail from other parties, outside the MHS Network. Some of the e-mail you receive may be useful to you, but some may not.
2. Educate yourself.
   Search the Web for as much information as you can about how to protect your privacy. Look for a privacy statement in the sites you visit. A good place to start is TRUSTe -- an independent, non-profit privacy initiative dedicated to building users' trust and confidence in the Internet. Please visit the Federal Trade Commission’s web site and read information on being a Savvy Internet Traveler and other privacy initiatives. Additional privacy resources can be found at by clicking on any of the following links:

   Department of Education: Parents Guide to the Internet
   http://www.ed.gov/pubs/parents/internet/

   Better Business Bureau (BBB)
   http://www.bbbonline.com

   The Privacy Rights Clearinghouse
   http://www.privacyrights.org/

   Center for Democracy and Technology
   http://www.cdt.org/privacy/ - Data Privacy
   http://www.cdt.org/privacy/guide/ - Guide to Online Privacy

   Direct Marketing Association (DMA)
   http://www.the-dma.org/

   Electronic Frontier Foundation - non-profit dedicated to protecting public interest in online privacy. http://www.eff.org

   EPIC.org (Electronic Privacy Information Center)
   http://www.epic.org

   Georgetown Internet Privacy Study
   http://www.msb.edu/faculty/culnanm/gippshome.html

   NetCoalition.com
   http://www.netcoalition.com

   Network Advertising Initiative
   http://www.networkadvertising.org/

   Online Privacy Alliance
   http://www.privacyalliance.org/

3. Tell your children: "Never talk to strangers!"
   While the MHS Network works hard to protect children on its sites, MHS cannot protect their privacy once they leave. Please teach children to not give out their names or other personal information to anyone on the Internet. They should also be instructed not to fill out any forms or register at any website without your knowledge and consent. Take advantage of the online resources for parents available on the MHS Network, such as SearchGuard and GetNetWise.
4. Use PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) http://www.pgp.com or another encryption program.
   

Changes to This Policy

By using this site, you agree to the terms and conditions of our online privacy policy. Please do not use this site if you do not agree to them. We reserve the right to change this policy at any time, but will post changes on our Web site if we do. We encourage you to review the terms of this privacy policy whenever you visit this Web site.

The MHS Privacy Policy was last updated on May 21, 2003.