Log data: When you use Abbott websites and apps, our servers automatically record information (“log data”), including information that your browser sends whenever you visit an website or app or your mobile app sends when you are using it. This log data may include your Internet Protocol address, the address of the webpages you visited that had Abbott features, browser type and settings, the date and time of your request, how you used websites and cookie data.
Cookie data: Depending on how you are accessing Abbott’s online Services, we and our Service Providers may use “cookies” (a small text file sent by your computer each time you visit our sites, unique to your Abbott account or your browser) or similar technologies, to record log data. When we use cookies, we may use “session” cookies (that last until you close your browser) or “persistent” cookies (that last until you and/or your browser delete them). For example, we may use cookies to remember your personal preferences, such as sections of the website that you visit frequently, your user ID, or other settings so you do not have to set them up every time you visit, and we may use cookies to serve you relevant advertising tailored to your interests. Some of the cookies we use are associated with your Abbott account (including personal information about you, such as the email address you gave us), and other cookies are not.
We may use tools such as Google Analytics, which uses cookies and similar technologies to collect and analyze information about use of the Abbott Services and report on activities and trends. This service may also collect information regarding the use of other websites, apps and online resources. You can learn about Google’s practices by going to https://policies.google.com/privacy/google-partners, and opt-out of them by downloading the Google Analytics opt-out browser add-on, available at https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout.
Social media plugins and data. In addition, our websites and apps may use social media plugins (e.g., the Facebook "Like" button, '"Share to Twitter"' button) to enable you to easily share information with others. When you visit any of our online Abbott Services, the operator of the social plugin can place a cookie on your computer, enabling that operator to recognize individuals who have previously visited our websites. If you are logged into the social media website (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, Google+) while browsing on our Abbott Services, the social plugins allow that social media website to receive information that you have visited our Abbott Services. The social plugins also allow the social media website to share information about your activities on Abbott with other users of their social media website. Abbott does not control any of the content from the social plugins. For more information about social plugins from other social media websites you should refer to those sites' privacy and data sharing statements.
If you choose to link your social media or Google account to Abbott, this allows us to obtain information from those accounts (such as your friends or contacts). The information we obtain from these services often depends on your settings or the applicable provider's privacy policies, so please check these policies before granting us access. You agree that we are not responsible for any acts or omissions by these social media service providers. If you give us permission to access this information, we will use it for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy.
Device information. In addition to log data, we may also collect information about the device you are using to access our Abbott Services, including what type of device it is, what operating system you are using, device settings, unique device identifiers and crash data. Whether we collect some or all of this information often depends on what type of device you are using and its settings. For example, different types of information are available depending on whether you are using a Mac or a PC, or an iPhone or an Android phone. To learn more about what information your device may make available to us, please also check the policies of your device manufacturer or software provider.
Interest Based Advertising. Abbott hopes to deliver to you advertising for products and services you need or want. Abbott, its vendors and partners, use common tracking tools, such as cookies, pixels, web beacons, and similar technologies, to automatically collect information about users for purposes of enhancing their online experience and delivering more meaningful advertisements. Like many companies, Abbott may also utilize third-party advertising vendors and other partners to collect this information.
Like most companies, we place advertisements where we think they will be most relevant to customers. One way we do so is by allowing network advertising companies with whom we work to place their own Tools when an individual visits Abbott websites and apps. This enables the network advertising company to recognize individuals who have previously visited Abbott websites and apps and to serve you ads based on your web browsing activity, purchases, interests and/or other information—a practice commonly referred to as interest-based advertising (“IBA”) or online behavioral advertising ("OBA").
These advertising companies may also use these types of technologies to recognize you across the devices you use, such as a mobile phone or a laptop, and serve you ads on websites you visit and applications you use.
Retargeting. One way in which we deliver more meaningful advertisements is through a common form of online advertising known as “retargeting” or “remarketing.” Retargeting works by serving ads on one site based on an individual’s online activities on a different, unrelated site. For example, if you look at Similac® products on an Abbott website, you may later see an advertisement for Similac® products when you visit third-party sites. To do this, Abbott or its advertising vendors may use a device ID, cookie, pixel, web beacon or similar technology placed by Abbott or our third-party vendor when you visit Abbott websites or apps or third-party websites or apps. The placing of these cookies or other technologies on your device may enable you to be identified across multiple websites. You should consult the privacy policies of our vendors and other websites that you visit to understand how they collect and use your data.
Opting-Out of IBA, OBA and Retargeting Activities.
As a participant of the Digital Advertising Alliance (DAA), we adhere to DAA’s Interest-Based Advertising principles by providing you enhanced notice, transparency and control of our digital marketing practices as stated at http://www.aboutads.info/principles/. Click here to opt-out of having your online behavior collected for advertising purposes and receiving behaviorally targeted advertisements from our advertising partners. Choices you make are both browser and device-specific. Also, certain versions of the iOS operating system permit you to "Limit Ad Tracking" in the system settings, and certain versions of the Android operating system allow you to "Opt-out of Interest-Based Ads" in the system settings. Options you select are browser and device specific.
Abbott Do Not Track Policy. Some browsers have Do Not Track (“DNT”) features that allow you to tell a website not to track you. These features are not all uniform, and some browsers may not be set up to honor such requests. Abbott honors the AdChoice DNT signals. Options you select are browser and device specific. Please be aware that limiting the ability of websites to set cookies, however, may worsen your overall user experience, and in some cases the sites will not work properly without cookies, local storage and similar technologies.
What Choices Do I Have About How Abbott Collects and Uses Information about Me?
Certain Abbott Services may ask whether you wish to opt-out or opt into our contact lists for offers, promotions and additional services that may be of interest to you.
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