Websites and apps use complex technologies to collect information about what you do online. Websites may track your online activity by using a cookie or pixel to identify you even after you leave the site. Or they may use device fingerprinting, a technique that uses your browser’s unique configurations and settings to track your activity.

When you use an app on your smartphone, advertisers may use a unique advertising identifier to track you. Companies also may track your activity on different internet-connected devices, like your laptop and your smartphone.

Companies do so to save your preferences and information, like your username or things you left in your shopping cart. It also allows them to show you personalized content like local weather and stories about topics you’re interested in. Additionally, companies gather analytics about your visit to a website, like the pages you visited, how much time you spent on the site, and the type of device and browser you used.

While this technology is important to your online experience, there are some ways that you can protect your personal information.

1. Compare privacy protections. Compare the privacy protections of different websites and apps that offer similar services. Look for a privacy notice that explains in simple terms what information they collect from you, and how they use and share your information. If the website or app shares your information, does it say why? Does it limit what others can do with it?
2. Review website notices. If you visit a website and see a notice about how the website uses cookies, review the options. They may let you choose to allow only cookies that are necessary or to allow cookies for advertising and other purposes. Choose the option that best suits you.
3. Customize the information you share. Your browser’s privacy settings let you customize the information websites collect about you. For example, you can choose to block your location or personalized advertising or block websites from seeing your browsing history. For details, see How Websites and Apps Collect and Use Your Information.

What does FMB do with your Information?

The information that you share with Farmers & Merchants Bank, stays with us. With no affiliates, you can feel confident that the information you share is safe. Personal information is used in our everyday business purposes or for marketing our products or services to you. To protect the personal information that you do share from unauthorized access and use, we use security measures that comply with federal law. These measures include computer safeguards and secured files and buildings. For our full Privacy Policy, see Privacy – Farmers and Merchants Bank (fmberlin.com)