GENERAL
Technical Communities, Inc., and all wholly owned subsidiaries, including Decibel Marketing, ITMart, TestMart, CloudMart, and TCI Marketing Services (COMPANY) respects the privacy of its users, customers and audience members (USER or YOU), who view COMPANY content via all published media and channels, including all those online (IE, website, mobile application, email, email newsletter, online video, webcast, etc.) and offline (catalog, direct mail, print placement, outdoor placement, etc.). The following COMPANY privacy policy (PRIVACY POLICY) is designed to inform YOU, as the user of COMPANY media, about the types of information that COMPANY may gather about or collect from YOU in connection through your use of said media.
COMPANY respects its USER privacy. This PRIVACY POLICY is designed to inform YOU regarding the types of information that COMPANY may gather from or about YOU in connection with your interactions with COMPANY media. This PRIVACY POLICY is also intended to explain the conditions under which COMPANY uses and discloses that information, and your rights in relation to that information. Changes to this PRIVACY POLICY are stipulated herein. Each time YOU interact with COMPANY media, especially online content, use the current version of this PRIVACY POLICY will apply. The date of any version of this PRIVACY POLICY is provided at the beginning of its stipulations. YOU are entitled to review the current version of this PRIVACY POLICY at any time.
JURISDICTION OF USE
Interaction with COMPANY media constitutes acceptance of the practices described in this PRIVACY POLICY.
All COMPANY media is hosted and / or created in the United States of America and is subject to US state and federal law. If YOU are accessing COMPANY media from other jurisdictions, be advised that you may be transferring your personal information to us at COMPANY locations in the United States by interacting with COMPANY media that requires you to provide and consent to that transfer. Be advised that your interaction with COMPANY media that requires you to provide or consent to the use of personal information, COMPANY will use your personal information in accordance with this PRIVACY POLICY.
USER agrees to abide by the applicable laws of the applicable state and US federal law concerning use COMPANY media and any resulting interactions, engagements, or agreements with COMPANY. Any USER accessing COMPANY media from any jurisdiction with laws and regulations governing the use of the Internet, including, personal data collection, use, and disclosure, different from those jurisdictions mentioned above may only use COMPANY media in a manner lawful in their jurisdiction. If USER’S interaction with COMPANY media would be unlawful in USER’S physical jurisdiction, COMPANY requests that USER not interact with COMPANY media.
GATHERING, USE, AND DISCLOSURE OF PERSONAL INFORMATION
Generally, Not Personally Identifying (NPII) information is data that, without the aid of additional information, cannot be directly associated with a specific person. Personally Identifying Information (PII), by contrast, is data such as USER’S name or email address that, without more, can be directly associated with a specific person.
Like most online media operators, COMPANY gathers PI from USERS, including information that various web browsers, depending on settings, may make available.
That information may include USER’S Internet protocol (IP) address, operating system, browser type, media USER interacts with before interacting with COMPANY online media, or media USER interacts with immediately after leaving COMPANY online media. While this is information is not personally identifying, it may be possible for COMPANY to determine from an IP address or USER’S Internet service provider the geographic location of USER’S point of connectivity and other statistical usage data.
NOT PERSONALLY IDENTIFYING INFORMATION (NPII)
COMPANY may analyze NPII gathered from USER to help COMPANY better understand how COMPANY media is being used. This analysis may include identifying patterns, trends, and usage information helpful in COMPANY’S design and optimization of COMPANY media, regarding types of content, USER experience, and ease-of-use. From time to time COMPANY may also release NPII gathered from use of COMPANY media in aggregate; including by publishing a report on trends and usage of the COMPANY media.
ONLINE MEDIA TRACKING – WEB COOKIES
Web cookies often include a string of information which assign YOU a unique profile on COMPANY online media. COMPANY online media may store this profile and other information a USER’S browser provides each time the USER submits information via COMPANY media. COMPANY may use cookies on COMPANY online media to keep track of services USER engages, to record registration information, to record USER preferences, to keep YOU logged in to COMPANY media, or to facilitate purchase procedures.
ONLINE MEDIA TRACKING – TRACKING BEACONS
A Tracking Beacon is an object that is embedded in online media or electronically transmitted messages that may or may not be visible to the USER and allows COMPANY to check whether USER has viewed, engaged, or interacted with COMPANY media. COMPANY may use Tracking Beacons on websites, in emails, or other COMPANY online media, to count users, to track a USER’s visits to and interaction with particular content, or to confirm whether a USER viewed emails and to deliver cobranded services.
COMPANY may analyze USER Tracking Beacon data in compilation and / or aggregation in COMPANY development of statistics regarding online media usage. Tracking Beacons collect only a limited set of information, including, web cookie status and details, number and time of media interactions, online media pages or email messages viewed, and a description of the page or email in which the Tracking Beacon resides.
YOU may not be notified when COMPANY begins use of Tracking Beacons on COMPANY media; however they can be rendered ineffective by declining our cookies or modifying your browser to notify you each time COMPANY employs a Tracking Beacon. These settings will permit you to accept or decline COMPANY’S use of Tracking Beacons.
COMPANY may share aggregated NPII collected under any of the above circumstances. COMPANY may share this information with third parties and affiliate companies to develop and deliver targeted marketing, advertising, or public relations communications via any and all COMPANY media channels. This sharing may result, when clearly indicated, in communication with USER by third parties. COMPANY may combine information it collects with additional not personally identifying information from other sources. COMPANY may share aggregated NPII with third parties, including, advertisers, for the purpose of conducting general business analysis. For example, COMPANY may tell advertisers the number of users COMPANY media attracts. This information will not contain any personally PII. NPII may be used to develop COMPANY media or service targeting and / or optimize other promotional vehicles and channels.
PERSONALLY IDENTIFYING INFORMATION (PII)
As defined above, PII is data that can be directly associated with a specific person. COMPANY may collect PII from and about COMPANY media users. Much of the PII collected by COMPANY about users is information provided by users themselves when registering for services or communications, including from COMPANY affiliates and partners, registering for information from our partners, logging in to COMPANY applications.
COMPANY may request information about USER’S interests, activities, gender, age, birthdate, company, title, career focus, mailing address and other contact information, and other demographically relevant information. USERS are under no obligation to provide COMPANY with PII of any kind with the caveat that a USER’S refusal to do so may prevent USER from interacting with certain COMPANY media.
COMPANY may use email addresses, where authorized by USER, to communicate notifications regarding new services and / or partners. COMPANY may also send YOU service-related announcements. USER may opt out of such emails at the time of registration, receipt, or at any time through well-placed unsubscribe resources at included in all COMPANY communications. COMPANY reserves the right to send USER notices about USER’S interaction with COMPANY and COMPANY media even if you do opt out voluntarily from all email notifications.
COMPANY DISCLOSURES
COMPANY will disclose PII in the following circumstances: by law or to protect rights, when we believe disclosures may, in connection with efforts to investigate, prevent or take other action regarding illegal activity, suspected fraud, or other wrongdoing, to protect and defend the rights, property, or safety, of COMPANY, USER, or others, to comply with applicable law or cooperative law-enforcement, to enforce our terms of use or other agreements or policies in response to a subpoena or similar investigative demand court order, or request for cooperation from law enforcement or government agency to establish or exercise our legal rights, to defend against legal claims or otherwise required by law in such cases we would may raise or waive any legal obligation or right available to us.
MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS
Unless USER opts out from receiving COMPANY marketing materials upon registration, or unsubscribe communication, COMPANY may email users about products and services COMPANY believes may be of interest to them. If YOU wish to opt out of receiving marketing communications or media from COMPANY via the various channels by which we publish content, YOU may do so by following the unsubscribe instructions in our email communications, calling the phone number provided on all company materials, sending an email to the address provided for unsubscribe notices, or by contacting us using the contact information provide in this PRIVACY POLICY.
THIRD PARTY COMMUNICATIONS
Unless USER opts out from receiving marketing communications upon registration, or unsubscribe communication, COMPANY may provide user email information to third parties, where expressly indicated, so that this third parties may directly contact USER about additional products and services.
USER is responsible for directly contacting third parties regarding cessation of marketing communications when COMPANY has already provided PII in accordance with this PRIVACY POLICY. COMPANY may share your PII, which may include your name and contact information, including email address.
BUSINESS TRANSFERS AND BANKRUPTCY
COMPANY reserves the right to transfer all PII in its possession to a successor organization, in the event of a merger, acquisition, bankruptcy, or other sale of all or a portion of COMPANY’S assets, other than to the extent ordered by bankruptcy or other court use, and disclosure of all transferred PII will be subject to this PRIVACY POLICY or to a new privacy policy if USER is given notice of the new privacy policy and is given an opportunity to affirmatively opt out of it. PII submitted or collected after a transfer however, may be subject to a new privacy policy adopted by the successor organization.
PRIVACY POLICY CHANGES
COMPANY may, in its sole discretion, change its privacy policy from time to time and any and all changes to COMPANY’S privacy policy will be clearly communicated to USER. The date of new versions will be clearly stated at the top of any COMPANY privacy policy. Unless stated otherwise, the current privacy policy applies to all information that COMPANY has about YOU. USERS may request an detail of any changes to this PRIVACY POLICY at any time. COMPANY will always communicate new versions of its privacy policy. It is important that users always maintain and update their contact information.
CHILDREN
The children’s online privacy act protects the online privacy of children under 13 years of age. COMPANY does not knowingly collect or maintain PII from anyone under the age of 13.Any person who provides personally identifying information for the website represents, by way of compliance with this PRIVACY POLICY, that he or she is 13 years of age or older. If YOU learned PII has been collected from a USER under 13 years of age via any COMPANY media, COMPANY will take the appropriate steps to cause this information to be deleted immediately upon notificiation. Please contact COMPANY by any of the means presented if you are aware of a child’s PII being transmitted.
CALIFORNIA PRIVACY RIGHTS
California civil code (CVC) Section 1 798.83 also known as the “Shine the Light” law, permits USERS or California residents to request and obtain from us, once per year and free of charge, information about PII we disclose to third parties for direct marketing purposes, in the preceding calendar year. If applicable, this information could include a list of companies, partners, or affiliates that PII was shared with and the names and contact information of those third parties. If YOU are a California resident and would like to make such a request, please contact COMPANY via any of the posted means, including those below.
DO NOT TRACK POLICY
Most web browsers and some mobile operating systems include do not track features or settings YOU can activate to signal your preference not to have data about your online browsing activities monitored, nor collected. COMPANY online media does respond to DNT browser signals or mechanisms.