Cookies Policy
Last Updated: June 12, 2019
This Cookie Policy describes the practices concerning the information collected by the Ask Apps family of companies consisting of Ask Applications, Inc. (fka Mindspark Interactive Network, Inc. and APN, LLC) and IAC Search and Media Europe Limited ("Ask Apps", "we", "us" and "our") in connection with the use of cookies and all similar technologies on the (i) websites and applications (the "Ask Apps Products") and (ii) our "Search Applications" made available by means of a search box on a Ask Apps Product or website from which you can access our search services.
If you reside in the EEA then the company that is responsible for your personal information is our Irish affiliate IAC Search and Media Europe Limited (“SAM EU”). If you reside outside of the EEA then the company that is responsible for your personal information is Ask Apps. Collectively, we refer to the Ask Apps Products and these Search Applications in this Cookie Policy as the "Ask Apps Services".
We use cookies, pixel tags, web beacons, mobile device IDs and similar files or technologies to collect and store the information we automatically collect about your computer, device, and Ask Apps Service usage. We use the term "cookies" in this policy to refer to cookies and all such similar technologies that collect information automatically when you are using the Ask Apps Services, where this policy is posted. You can find out more about cookies and how to control them in the information below.
Certain cookies are required to make the Ask Apps Service work as necessary, and are provided based on contractual necessity with us to perform the Ask Apps Services to you. By choosing to use the Ask Apps Services after having been notified of our use of cookies in the ways described in this Policy, and, in applicable jurisdictions, through notice and unambiguous acknowledgement of your consent, you agree to such use.
If you do not accept the use of these cookies, please disable them using the instructions in this cookie policy, by following the 'opt-out' links provided below or by changing your browser settings so that cookies from this Ask Apps Services cannot be placed on your computer or mobile device.
We have recently updated our policies and we are in the process of translating it into several languages. If you do not have an appropriate language option and you have any questions please contact us via the methods described below.
1. What is a cookie?
Cookies are text files containing small amounts of information which are downloaded to your computer or mobile device when you visit a certain webpage. Cookies are then sent back to the originating webpage on each subsequent visit, or to another webpage that recognizes that cookie. Cookies are widely used in order to make Ask Apps Services work, or to work more efficiently, as well as to provide information to the owners of a website.
Cookies do lots of different jobs, like letting you navigate between pages efficiently, remembering your preferences, and generally improving the user experience. Cookies may tell us, for example, whether you have visited the Ask Apps Services before or whether you are a new visitor. They can also help to ensure that adverts you see online are more relevant to you and your interests.
There are two broad categories of cookies:
- First party cookies, served directly by us to your computer or mobile device.
- Third party cookies, which are served by a third party. We use third party cookies for functionality, performance / analytics, advertising (including to target ads to you) and social media purposes.
Cookies can remain on your computer or mobile device for different periods of time. Some cookies are 'session cookies', meaning that they exist only while your browser is open. These are deleted automatically once you close your browser. Other cookies are 'permanent cookies', meaning that they survive after your browser is closed. They can be used by Ask Apps Services to recognize your computer when you open your browser and browse the Internet again.
2. How do we use cookies?
We use cookies to:
- track traffic flow and patterns of travel in connection with the Ask Apps Services and more generally, to track, manage and optimize your interactions with us;
- understand the total number of visitors to our websites on an ongoing basis and the types of internet browsers (e.g. Firefox, Chrome or Internet Explorer) and operating systems (e.g. Windows or Mac OS) used by our visitors;
- monitor the performance of the Ask Apps Services and to continually improve them;
- customize and enhance your online experience through the serving to you of advertisements based on your online interests; and
- enable Ask Apps and third-party advertising both on and off this Ask Apps Services, and evaluate the effectiveness of that advertising
3. What types of cookies do we use?
The types of cookies used by us and our partners in connection with the Ask Apps Services can be classified into one of five categories, namely 'essential Ask Apps Services cookies', 'functionality cookies', 'analytics and performance cookies', 'advertising cookies', and ' social media cookies'. We've set out some further information about each category, and the purposes of the cookies we and third parties set in the following table.
| Type of cookie | What it does | How to block |
| Cookies necessary for essential Ask Apps Services purposes |
These cookies are essential to provide you with the Ask Apps Services available through the Ask Apps Services and to use some of its features, such as access to secure areas. Without these cookies, services you have asked for, like transactional pages and secure login accounts, would not be possible. |
Please see the instructions set out in 'How to control or delete cookies' below. |
| Functionality Cookies |
Functionality cookies record information about choices you've made and allow us to tailor the Ask Apps Services to you. These cookies mean that when you continue to use or come back to the Ask Apps Services, we can provide you with our Ask Apps Services as you have asked for them to be provided. For example, these cookies allow us to:
- Save your location preference if you have set your location on your homepage, if applicable, in order to receive a local weather forecast;
- Remember settings you have applied, such as layout, text size, preferences, and colors;
- Show you when you are logged in; and
- Store accessibility options.
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Please see the instructions set out in 'How to control or delete cookies' below. |
| Performance / Analytics Cookies |
We use performance/analytics cookies to analyze how the Ask Apps Services are accessed, used, or are performing in order to provide you with a better user experience and to maintain, operate and continually improve the Ask Apps Services. For example, these cookies allow us to:
- Better understand our Ask Apps Services visitors so that we can improve how we present our content;
- Test different design ideas for particular pages, such as our homepage;
- Collect information about site visitors such as where they are located and what browsers they are using;
- Determine the number of unique users of the Ask Apps Services;
- Improve the Ask Apps Services by measuring any errors that occur; and
- Conduct research and diagnostics to improve product offerings.
Amongst others, we use a third party called comScore to gather general information about how people use our Ask Apps Services for the purposes of Ask Apps Services optimization and analytics. To find out more about comScore's privacy policies, please click here.
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For Google Analytics, you can find our more details here https://policies.google.com/technologies/partner-sites
You can opt-out through Google Ads Settings, Ad Settings for mobile apps, or any other available means (for example, the NAI's consumer opt-out listed above). Google also provides a Google Analytics opt-out plug-in for the web
Please also see the instructions set out in 'How to control or delete cookies' below.
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| Advertising and Tracking Cookies |
As you use our Ask Apps Services, you will notice that they feature advertising. We allow third party companies, including advertising companies and ad networks, to place cookies on our Ask Apps Services. These cookies enable such companies to track your activity across various sites where they display ads and record your activities so they can show ads that they consider relevant to you as you browse the web. These cookies are anonymous -- they store information about the content you are browsing, but not about who you are. Cookies also allow us and third parties to know whether you've seen an ad or a type of ad, and how long it has been since you've last seen it. This information is used for frequency capping purposes, to help tailor the ads you see, and to measure the effectiveness of ads.
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All the ad companies or networks that we work with have their own privacy policies and offer a mechanism for users to opt out tracking and behavioral targeting available through the ad itself or through the opt out mechanisms listed in the 'How to control or delete cookies' section below. By using our service you agree to the transfer of information third parties collect using cookies outside your country of residence to any country or territory where our advertising companies or ad networks are located or maintain facilities, including but not limited to the United States. See the section on "Third Parties and Behavioral Advertising" for more information about how we and our third party advertising partners and network use cookies and similar technologies to deliver behavioral targeted advertising.
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| Social Media Cookies |
On some of our Ask Apps Services, third parties that provide applications through our Ask Apps Services may set their own anonymous cookies in order to track the success of their applications or customize applications for you. For example, when you share an article using a social media sharing button on our Ask Apps Services (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, or Google Plus), the social network that has created the button will record that you have done this. Because of how cookies work, we cannot access these cookies, nor can the third parties access the data in cookies used by Ask Apps. Some pages of our Ask Apps Services may also contain embedded content, such as video content from YouTube, and these sites may set their own cookies. |
Please see the instructions set out in 'How to control or delete cookies' below. |
4. How to control or delete cookies
You have the right to choose whether or not to accept cookies and we have explained how you can exercise this right below. However, please note that if you choose to refuse cookies you may not be able to use the full functionality of our Ask Apps Services.
Most browsers allow you to change your cookie settings. These settings will typically be found in the "options" or "preferences" menu of your browser. In order to understand these settings, the following links may be helpful, otherwise you should use the "Help" option in your browser for more details.
If you only want to limit certain third party advertising cookies, you can turn such cookies off by visiting the following links:
Please bear in mind that there are many more companies listed on these sites than those that drop cookies via the Ask Apps Services.
5. Changes to this Cookie Policy
We will occasionally update this Cookie Policy to reflect changes in our practices and services. When we post changes to this Cookie Policy, we will revise the "Last Updated" date at the top of this Cookie Policy. If we make any material changes in the way we collect, use, and/or share information held in cookies, we will notify you by prominently posting notice of the changes on the Ask Apps Services. We recommend that you check this page from time to time to inform yourself of any changes in this Cookie Policy or any of our other policies.
6. Need More Information?
If you would like to find out more about cookies and their use on the Internet, you may find the following links useful:
7. Cookies that have been set in the past
If you have disabled one or more cookies, we may still use information collected from cookies prior to your disabled preference being set, however, we will stop using the disabled cookie to collect any further information..
8. Contact us
If you have any questions or comments about this cookies policy, or privacy matters generally, please contact us via the address provided below:
If you are resident in the EEA, then please contact:
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