Find the answers to all your questions about SmartPlanet membership
- 1 - Do I have to register to use SmartPlanet.com?
- 2 - Why do you need my personal details?
- 3 - Why do you need my postcode?
- 4 - What are the rules for usernames?
- 5 - What is an avatar? What are the rules for avatars?
- 6 - Why can’t I register?
- 7 - So what setting should I use for cookies?
- 8 - Why do I need to click on the link in the ‘Confirm your SmartPlanet membership’ email?
- 9 - How can I tell if I am logged in?
- 10 - Do I have to log in every time I visit the site?
- 11 - Help! I’ve forgotten my password! What should I do?
- 12 - I can’t remember which email address I used when I signed up, and now I can’t log in. What should I do?
- 13 - How can I update my personal details?
- 14 - How do I report bad behaviour by other users?
- 15 - How do I report a problem with my account?
- 16 - Who can see my profile?
- 17 - What are the badges that appear in the Vital Statistics box?
- 18 - What’s the difference between my avatar and my profile picture?
- 19 - How do I change the background for my profile pages?
1 - Do I have to register to use SmartPlanet.com? (Back to top)
Almost all areas of the site are open to both registered and anonymous users. However, you will need to register if you want to receive updates when we add new features, enter competitions or write reviews of green products. Registering also makes it easier to add comments to the site, allows you to display your personal avatar alongside your contributions and lets you create a profile page describing your interests.
2 - Why do you need my personal details?(Back to top)
To provide you with the best and most useful content and services. We use the information for four general purposes:
- - To customise the advertising and content you see
- - To determine how well each page performs based on aggregate user demographics and traffic patterns.
This helps us build a better service for you - - To fulfill your requests for certain products and services, such as sending out electronic newsletters and enabling you to participate in polls, contests and forums
- - To send you information about topics we think will be of interest to you. We only do this if you have agreed to receive such information
Please read our privacy policy for more information.
3 - Why do you need my postcode?(Back to top)
If you give us your postcode, we’ll be able to help you shop locally by highlighting businesses and services that are nearby. We do not display your postcode to other users.
Giving us your postcode is optional -- you can leave this field blank if you prefer.
4 - What are the rules for usernames?(Back to top)
Usernames are used to identify you on the site. Your username can only contain letters and numbers and is limited to 16 characters.
We do not allow usernames that are offensive. If we consider your username inappropriate, we may withdraw it and require you to choose another one.
5 - What is an avatar? What are the rules for avatars?(Back to top)
An avatar is a small image that is displayed alongside your username to identify you to other users. When you are logged in, it will also appear in the membership box at the top of each page.
You can choose one of our avatars or upload an image of your own. If you would like to upload your own image, the following rules apply:
- - Your image must be saved as a GIF, JPG or PNG file
- - Maximum size for the file is 100K
- - Your image should be square (if it isn’t, it will be squashed into a square)
- - Avatar images must not be offensive. If we consider your avatar inappropriate, we may withdraw it and require you to choose another one.
You can change your avatar image as often as you like. However, each time you upload a new one, it will overwrite the old one -- we only store one avatar image per user.
6 - Why can’t I register?(Back to top)
You probably have cookies turned off in your browser. We use cookies to customise some areas of the site for members and collect statistical information and -- please read our privacy policy for more information. If you do not want to turn on cookies for all sites, you can just turn them on for SmartPlanet.com
7 - So what setting should I use for cookies?(Back to top)
In Internet Explorer, set the privacy level to Medium High, Medium or below. To do this, go to the Tools menu and select Internet Options. Click the Privacy tab and move the slider to set the level. Alternatively, if you only want to accept cookies from SmartPlanet.com, click the Sites button. Enter http://www.smartplanet.com/ in the Address box and click the Allow button.
In Firefox, tell the browser to accept cookies. To do this, go to the Tools menu and select Options. Click the Privacy icon and select the ‘Accept cookies from sites’ checkbox. Alternatively, if you only want to accept cookies from SmartPlanet.com, click the Exceptions button. Enter http://www.smartplanet.com/ in the Address box and click the Allow button.
8 - Why do I need to click on the link in the ‘Confirm your SmartPlanet membership’ email?(Back to top)
Clicking on the link verifies your email address and activates your account. This helps to prevent unauthorised sign-ups.
9 - How can I tell if I am logged in?(Back to top)
Your SmartPlanet avatar and username will appear in at the top of the page. If you see an anonymous avatar and the words ‘Anonymous User’, click the ‘Log in’ link and log in.
10 - Do I have to log in every time I visit the site?(Back to top)
No, you can choose to be logged in automatically. Next time you log on, select the `Remember me’ checkbox. In future, you will not need to type your email address and password to log in.
If you use more than one computer to visit SmartPlanet.com, you’ll need to do this on each one. You may not want to do this on a computer you share with other people.
11 - Help! I’ve forgotten my password! What should I do?(Back to top)
When you try to log in, you’ll see a ‘Forgot password’ link under the password box. Click this link and follow the instructions on the screen. We’ll send you a temporary password so you can log in again. Once you’ve done that, you should update your account with a new password that you can remember more easily (see question 13 below).
12 - I can’t remember which email address I used when I signed up, and now I can’t log in. What should I do?(Back to top)
Please send an email to customerservice@smartplanet.com listing all your email addresses and we’ll do our best to help.
13 - How can I update my personal details?(Back to top)
Once you have logged in, click the ‘My profile’ link below your username at the top of the page. This will take you to your personal home page. Click the Account Details tab to edit your personal information.
14 - How do I report bad behaviour by other users?(Back to top)
Please send an email to moderator@smartplanet.com. If you are reporting an offensive comment, please copy the location of the page from your browser’s address bar and paste it into your email.
15 - How do I report a problem with my account? (Back to top)
Please send an email to customerservice@smartplanet.com describing the problem and we’ll do our best to sort it out.
16 - Who can see my profile?(Back to top)
All visitors to SmartPlanet.com can see your profile, whether they are members or not. However, you can choose how much information you display here. To change your profile, log in to SmartPlanet, then click the ‘Profile’ link in the membership box at the top of all the pages. Click the Edit Profile tab to change your profile picture, decide what information to display and write a short description of yourself.
17 - What are the badges that appear in the Vital Statistics box?(Back to top)
Badges are small icons that reflect your SmartPlanet status or activity.
Staff
This badge is given to people who are employed by CNET Networks
Founder
This badge was given to early birds who joined SmartPlanet before March 2008
First Review
This badge is given when you write your first review of a product or service
18 - What’s the difference between my avatar and my profile picture?(Back to top)
When you first sign up, we use a larger version of your avatar on your profile page. However, you can make your profile picture different from your avatar if you want. To upload a new profile picture, go to the Edit Profile page (see question 16). Click the Browse button next to the Profile picture field and find your image, which must be a square JPG, GIF or PNG file.
You can change your profile picture as often as you like. However, each time you upload a new one, it will overwrite the old one -- we only store one image per user.
19 - How do I change the background for my profile pages?(Back to top)
Go to the Edit Profile page (see question 16) and choose a new image from the Change Background box.