How we use the information we collect <p>We generally use the information we collect about you to operate, manage and maintain our business, to provide our products and services, and to accomplish our business purposes and objectives, including:</p> <ul> <li> to administer and manage our Sites and provide our services, such as to create and administer accounts and facilitate the use and enjoyment of forums and communication platforms;</li> <li> to enable geographic-specific features, such as geographic-specific information;</li> <li> to provide the product, service, feature or information you have requested and to fulfill your transactions, including to process payments;</li> <li> to send you administrative messages, updates, legal notices, technical notices or security alerts;</li> <li> to customize your user experience and to personalize the services of VerticalScope and our ad partners and provide you with content of interest, including by tailoring the advertisements that are displayed to you to make them more useful and relevant to you;</li> <li> to conduct research and development, analyze and understand trends and user behaviour and to improve our Sites, products and services;</li> <li> to provide customer service, technical and other support;</li> <li> to protect the safety of VerticalScope and our users, including to ensure compliance with our Terms of Use and other policies, block suspected spammers, address abuse, and detect and prevent fraud;</li> <li> to provide you with newsletters, information, promotional offers and other advertising about us or our advertising partners;</li> <li> to facilitate your participation in a contest or similar promotion, or a survey or poll;</li> <li> to meet contractual obligations;</li> <li> to facilitate corporate transactions;</li> <li> to exercise our rights, defend legal claims and comply with law, legal process and internal policies.