REALPLAYER AND REAL PREMIUM SERVICES

RealPlayer allows you to play streaming audio, video and multimedia as well as download, play, record and manage digital music. Real premium services are our family of premium consumer subscription services.

Customer Communications
A RealNetworks account is suggested, but not required, to use the free version of RealPlayer. RealNetworks will prompt users five times to supply account information. To purchase Real premium services or products, a RealNetworks account is required.

The RealPlayer consists of interactive Internet applications that perform a variety of communications over the Internet as part of their normal operation. A number of communications features are automatic and are enabled by default. For example, when RealPlayer, Auto-Update and Message Center communicate with RealNetworks servers, the software transmits standard information in order to deliver you the appropriate software, content, messages and updates. This includes information about the RealNetworks product you have installed (including the products name, version and build number), your current operating system, your location information (including zip or postal code, country and your preferred language) and standard Internet communication information including IP address, browser and date.

Once you Sign-in to RealPlayer and Real during installation, your account name (your encrypted e-mail address) and user id will be sent in communications with RealNetworks' servers. These are both used to verify access premium content, non-premium content, services, features, AutoUpdate, Message Center and other personalized services. RealNetworks may match the account name and user ID to personally identifiable information in order to provide you with content, products, services, and software that you’re entitled to and to provide you with relevant information.

You may erase personally identifiable information stored on your machine and may stop RealPlayer transmitting your user name and user ID to RealNetworks at any time by signing out. To sign out, simply select Help, then "Sign out of Real." If you choose to sign out, you will not be able to access any premium Real member benefits, including product features and premium content.

A RealNetworks account is suggested, but not required, to use the free version of RealPlayer. RealNetworks will prompt users five times to supply account information. To purchase Real premium services or products, a RealNetworks account is required.

RealNetworks Content Partner Programs in Real
From time to time, RealNetworks will partner with a content provider, media publisher or sports league to bring you premium content on a subscription basis either as part of a RealNetworks aggregated content subscription product (such as SuperPass), or as a stand-alone subscription offering. In cases where RealNetworks is performing e-commerce services for a content partner subscription product, a user will most likely begin the order process for the partner’s subscription product on the content partner’s web site, and will link to a product order path on pages managed by RealNetworks

In these cases, RealNetworks handles the information input and credit card processing for these content partner subscription products. When a user enters personal information, including name, address and credit card number, on the order form, RealNetworks sends this information to the respective content partner, whose use of such information will be governed by its terms of service and privacy policy. RealNetworks may also retain this data and we will apply our Privacy Policy to our use of such data. Where a user has separately obtained a RealPlayer for use of a content partner subscription product, information supplied to RealNetworks as part of the RealPlayer registration process will be subject to RealNetworks Privacy Policy.

Installation and Log-in
Using RealPlayer for the first time requires a user to complete a brief installation process, including signing in if you have created a RealNetworks account. Sign-in also may be required periodically during use of Real services and the RealPlayer. Sign-in is required to access premium features, content, services and personalization of products and services. During the installation information is sent in communications with RealNetworks servers. This information may include:

	Your age (optional information submitted by you during installation)
	Your gender (optional information submitted by you during installation)
	Your content preferences (optional information submitted by you during installation — used to deliver information about products, services, content and special offers you may be interested in)
	Information about the product you are installing, including the product name, version and build number
	Your current operating system
	Your connection speed
	Your location information, including zip or postal code, what country you are using the product in and your preferred language (used to deliver localized versions of services, products and content)
	Standard Internet communication information including IP address, browser and date
	Your RealPlayer’s Security ID number

AutoUpdate
RealPlayer, using AutoUpdate, automatically communicates with RealNetworks servers on the Internet to check for updates to RealNetworks software and RealNetworks partner software, such as bug fixes, security and other patches, enhanced functions, plug-ins, and new versions. When contacting RealNetworks servers, AutoUpdate sends information about your installed RealNetworks products to determine update availability. The AutoUpdate feature is activated by default.

RealPlayer will perform AutoUpdate checks under the following conditions:

	User-initiated: Performed by choosing "Check for Update" from the Tools Menu.
	Content-initiated: RealPlayer will perform an update check when you attempt to play content for which RealPlayer requires additional software to handle.
	Automatic: This type of update check occurs automatically, and runs in the background without advanced notification.

During any AutoUpdate check, additional updates to RealPlayer may be downloaded. If you prefer to be notified by AutoUpdate before downloading software, follow these steps: on the Tools menu, select "Preferences", "AutoUpdate", and then de-select "Automatically download and install software updates". For additional configuration options, see the section below entitled "Scheduler".

RealNetworks recommends you regularly check for updates to keep your RealPlayer software up to date by selecting "Check for Update" under the Tools Menu. AutoUpdate will request an update when you attempt to playback content for which RealPlayer requires additional software to handle. During any software check, AutoUpdate may download additional updates to RealPlayer. AutoUpdate also has the capability to run independently of the RealPlayer to perform background checks and send information about your installed RealNetworks products to determine update availability. A background update check may happen automatically and without advanced notification if RealNetworks deems a critical update is required, such as for urgent security patches and bug fixes.

Message Center
The RealPlayer Software, using Message Center, automatically communicates with RealNetworks servers to check for new important messages, including software updates and service bulletins. Message Center can also run independently of RealPlayer to perform background message checks. Message Center sends information about a user's message category preferences as well as installed RealNetworks products and components to the servers to determine suitable product update and other messages. The RealPlayer is set by default to check for messages once or twice per week, and to display the headline portion of such messages when they arrive. You can change the way Message Center displays messages and the frequency with which it checks for new ones by following these steps: On the View menu, select "Message Center"; The Message Center appears; within Message Center, select "Preferences" (or "Delivery Preferences", in RealOne Player v2 and earlier) and set your desired preferences. If you sign up for message topics that send messages more frequently than you previously selected, your frequency setting may be adjusted. For additional configuration options, see the section below entitled "Scheduler".

The first time you use RealPlayer, you may be sent a Welcome Message that will enable you to opt-out of receiving Special Offers messages and opt-in to receive other personalized messages, depending on your categories of interest to accommodate your topic choices.

Scheduler
An application Scheduler, known as "realsched.exe", is installed along with RealPlayer. Once installed, it runs independently of RealPlayer, reminding AutoUpdate, Message Center, and the "Watch Folders" feature to perform their tasks at pre-scheduled intervals. The Scheduler does not collect personal information or communicate with RealNetworks servers

In product versions prior to RealPlayer v10, the Scheduler is also used to automatically launch RealNetworks Media Type Helper. In such versions, the Media Type Helper ensures the system is configured for correct operation of the RealPlayer with Multi-Purpose Internet Mail Extensions ("MIME") types, file extensions, Internet protocols, and other media types. If a media type has been assigned a different action by a different application, Media Type Helper may override the association and substitute its own association consistent with RealNetworks policies regarding Ask-Tell-Help.

In RealPlayer v10, RealPlayer launches Media Type Helper at startup. The Scheduler no longer invokes Media Type Helper.

You can configure the Scheduler to only launch certain services such as AutoUpdate, Message Center, and Media Type Helper by following these steps:

	For RealOne Player v2: on the Tools menu, select "Preferences", "Automatic Services", then uncheck the services you want activated only while RealPlayer is running.
	For RealPlayer v10: on the Tools menu, select "Preferences", "Automatic Services", "Configure Message Center", then uncheck "Check for new messages" to turn off Message Center and Auto-Update communications.

Cookies in Real Websites, Services and RealPlayer
RealPlayer and Real services (including Real Web sites and premium content services) both employ the use of browser cookies and RealPlayer cookies. You may disable the transmission of RealPlayer cookies from your computer to RealNetworks in RealPlayer by selecting "Tools menu…Preferences…Internet Settings…Enable Cookies." Please note that RealPlayer automatically sets RealPlayer cookies, including cookies that control access to Real premium features, when the transmission feature is disabled. These cookies are enabled by default and cannot be turned off, however no cookie data will be transmitted from the user’s machine to RealNetworks.

You may disable browser cookies in RealPlayer by selecting "Tools menu…Preferences…Internet Settings…Browser preferences" or by adjusting the privacy settings in your Internet browser.

RealPlayer Services
RealPlayer features a variety of free and premium web services that are displayed in RealPlayer as web pages. These services include Search, Radio Tuner, Artist Guide, CD Look Up, Topic Centers and Channels.

When you access these services RealPlayer sends relevant system and geographic information to display the correct web pages. RealPlayer cookies and browser cookies may be sent in communications with RealNetworks' servers when one of these services is accessed.

The CD Lookup feature allows you to automatically obtain detailed information (Artist, song track titles, genre) for the CDs you use with RealPlayer. During a request for CD information RealPlayer sends the Table of Contents Code from the CD to a database service in order to look up the CD information. RealNetworks does create profiles that match the songs or albums you record with RealPlayer with personally identifiable information. You can disable this in one of two places. In earlier versions of the RealPlayer, this feature can be disabled by selecting "Tools…Album Info…Hide" or by selecting "Tools…Preferences…Connection…Internet Settings" and unchecking the box titled "Enable HTML Clip Info". In later versions, you can disable this feature by selecting "View…Album Info…Hide" or by selecting "Tools…Preferences…Connection…Internet / Privacy" and unchecking the box titled "Enable HTML Clip Info". However, you will not be able to automatically obtain the detailed CD information if the feature is disabled. If you record CDs offline, CD Table of Contents (TOC) information will be sent to RealNetworks when you establish an online connection. Again, you can disable this feature per the instructions noted above.

RealPlayer allows you to automatically look up artist biographies, album art and information through the Artist Guide (Album Info) feature. When you use Artist Guide, information identifying the currently playing track is transmitted to Real.com and content partners so that we can display the appropriate artist information. This information includes Artist Name, Track Name, Album Name and Genre. Selecting "View…Album Info…Hide" can disable the Artist Guide feature.

RealPlayer Radio functions include several features that are designed to make it easy to access your favorite Internet Radio stations: local stations and recently played stations. The local stations feature pre-populates radio stations based on your zip code information. Recently Played Stations pre-populates your Radio page with stations you play regularly. To bring you these features we store information on your local stations and recently played stations in browser cookies on your computer. You may disable these features at any time through the Settings link on the Radio page.

Technical Support
If an error occurs when you are using RealPlayer, a dialog box will appear describing the error. When you select the "More Info" button on the dialog box to obtain more information about the problem, RealPlayer sends relevant system configuration information to help RealNetworks technical support diagnose and resolve the problem. Selecting "Tools menu Preferences…Internet Settings…Send Support Info" can disable this feature.

RealPlayer Communications with Streaming Media Servers
Like previous versions of RealPlayer, RealPlayer must communicate with streaming media servers in order to receive the content sent from the servers. Those servers are typically owned and operated by third-party content providers, but these servers might also reside at RealNetworks if we are providing hosting services for a content provider, or are providing content ourselves. This section describes the information transmitted in those communications.