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Paltalk Receives Certification by the TRUSTe Trusted Downloads Program

Paltalk added to the TRUSTe Whitelist of Certified Applications, Demonstrates Commitment to Providing Informed Consumer Choice

New York, NY - May 19, 2009 - Paltalk, the leading real-time, video-based community with over 4 million active members, today announced that PaltalkScene 9.7 has been certified by the TRUSTe Trusted Download Program (TDP). Trusted Download is the first software standards program in the industry, certifying applications that are created with the customer in mind. Paltalk users can be assured that the software they are using has been through the rigorous TRUSTe certification process.

Paltalk software is available for free and allows users to browse or search thousands of free chat rooms or create their own. Additionally, it allows them to send instant messages and video chat with up to 10 people at once with SuperIM. Paltalk has been certified by TRUSTe to clearly communicate key functionalities to ensure users know exactly what they are getting prior to download. The certification process also requires Paltalk to provide an easy uninstall of the software for users with clear instructions, among other requirements. Specifically, TRUSTe certified whitelist companies agree to:

Explain their software in such a way that users understand what they are downloading.
Offer consumers a notice and an opportunity to consent to what they are downloading.
Provide instructions for uninstalling that is easy to find and easy to understand.
Avoid creating applications that exhibit the following behaviors: taking control of a consumer's computer, modifying security or other settings of the computer to cause damage or harm, spyware tactics for surveillance and tracking, etc.
Allow monitoring by TRUSTe for ongoing compliance with the Program's strict standards.
"The companies whose applications have passed the challenging certification process for the Trusted Download whitelist are all demonstrating a commitment to protecting consumer privacy," said Fran Maier, executive director and president of TRUSTe. "By completely informing users about the particulars of the downloads they offer up front, the participating companies are increasing transparency and giving control to users."

For over ten years, Paltalk has been leading the industry in real-time audio and video chat with nine patents, a focus on quality user experiences, and continual product innovation to create the largest video-based community in this space. Paltalk's growth is due to a rich feature set to enable user interactions and connections, which includes:

Free SuperIM - voice and video chat for up to 10 people simultaneously
Free chat room - Every member within Paltalk is able to create their own chat room and invite anyone to join them. Top room categories include politics, karaoke, sports and religion.
Friend Finder - easy way to find friends based on a member's e-mail address book
Auto-launch into a room - Joining a room is easy and new users are automatically brought into popular rooms based on the member's preferences
Better safety for the Paltalk community - All Paltalk employees are designated by a special watermark and a header to prevent imposters from pretending to be Paltalk employees. This measure is unique in the industry and is part of Paltalk's approach to community safety.
A Bot-Free and Friendly Environment - Paltalk is a place for real people to connect in a friendly, trusted environment. Utilizing proprietary technology, Paltalk has created a "no-bot zone," free of chatterbots or virtual chat partners.
"We are committed to providing a trusted environment for our users to communicate with one another," said Judy Shapiro, Senior VP of Sales & Marketing for Paltalk.com. "TRUSTe certification serves as a benchmark in our ongoing commitment to safeguard consumer privacy and security, considering 100,000 real people are using Paltalk at any given time."

Download and install Paltalk v9.7 to access free chat rooms, instant messaging, voice and video chat: http://download.cnet.com/PaltalkScene/3000-2150_4-10043373.html?utm_source=internal&utm_medium=press&utm_content=download&utm_campaign=TRUSTe

About Paltalk
Paltalk, is the premier provider of software and technology for real-time, rich media, interactive social networking. The Paltalk platform powers the largest collection of video based communities and continues to grow since it was launched in 1998. Paltalk now boasts millions of active members with nearly 100,000 people simultaneously chatting in rooms engaged in lively dialogues, meeting new friends, trading stock tips, singing karaoke, and attending family reunions. The Paltalk community is vibrant due to the high quality of the room environments supported by a range of free moderation tools.

In addition, Paltalk delivers original programming geared to the interests of the community. Paltalk Interactive events have hosted such entertainment celebrities as William Shatner and radio personalities Opie and Anthony, among others. Paltalk supports IM pals on AOL, Yahoo, and ICQ and is available as a free download. For more information, please visit paltalk.com.

About TRUSTe
TRUSTe Privacy Seals help consumers click with confidence by guiding them to trustworthy Web sites. More than 3,500 Web sites rely on TRUSTe industry best practices to help them make the right decisions about privacy and protecting confidential user information. Most of the top fifty Web sites are certified to TRUSTe's leading practices, including Yahoo, Facebook, MSN, eBay, AOL, Disney, New York Times, Comcast and Apple. To find out more about privacy, visit http://www.truste.com.