socalTECH PRIVACY POLICY

Last Modified on March [5], 2012

Our Privacy Commitment

SOCALTECH LLC (“socalTECH,” “we,” “us” or “our”) is committed to respecting the privacy rights and concerns of all users of the socalTECH.com www.socaltech.com website where this Privacy Policy is posted (the “Site”) (we refer to the Site and the services made available through the Site, collectively, as the “socalTECH Features”).  As such, we have established and implemented this Privacy Policy to inform visitors to the Site and users of the socalTECH Features how we use and protect the information we collect through the Site and the socalTECH Features.  By visiting the Site or using any of the socalTECH Features, you consent to socalTECH’s collection, use, storage, deletion and disclosure of information relating to you as set forth in this Privacy Policy.  This Privacy Policy is effective as of the date set forth above and is only applicable to the Site and not to any other website that you may be able to access from the Site which may have its own data collection and use practices and policies.

This policy answers the following questions:

·         What information do we collect about you and how do we use it?

·         Will we share your personal information with third parties?

·         What choices do you have about the collection and use of your personal information?

·         What security measures do we take to safeguard your personal information?

What information do we collect about you and how do we use it?

Types of Information We Collect

You do not need to submit personal information to access certain areas of the Site, but if you do not want to disclose certain personal information to us, you will not be able to access certain aspects of the socalTECH Features.

We collect personal information when you create an account through the socalTECH Features; subscribe to our newsletter; participate in feedback forms, questionnaires or contests; participate in forums; make a purchase through the socalTECH Features; or receive customer or technical support.

To create an account for the socalTECH Features, we require you to provide certain information to create your profile, including your name, email address, mailing address, phone number, company name and job title. You will also need to create a username and password.  Additionally, we may collect other types of information such as your hobbies, interests, photographs and forum dialogue.  Providing additional information beyond what is required to create an account is entirely optional, but enables you to gain more from the socalTECH Features.  If you sign up for one of our services which involves social networking sites, we may also collect personally identifiable information from these Internet sources and database services.  When you make a purchase through the socalTECH Features, you will also be required to provide a billing address and credit card or other payment information.  No information of this type will be collected unless you have registered for services that require it. 

How We Use Your Personal Information

The personal information you provide to us will allow us to fulfill your service order; alert you of new services, features, or enhancements; handle your customer service questions or issues; and notify you of promotions, updates, or special offers that we think may interest you. We also use your email address, mailing address and phone number as part of the socalTECH Features in sending you messages about the socalTECH Features and other general announcements. 

We keep track of your interactions with us, including but not limited to your activity within the socalTECH Features. We may use personal information that you provide to us to send messages to you in response to your request to perform an activity in connection with your use of any of the socalTECH Features. We may also use your personal information to contact you when necessary.

We may use your personal information with non-personal information that we have collected in a manner such that the end-product does not personally identify you or any other user of the socalTECH Features.  We may make your personal information non-personally identifiable by either combining it with information about other users (aggregating your personal information with information about other users), or by removing characteristics (such as your name or email address) that make the information personally identifiable.  This process is known as de-personalizing your information.  You grant us a royalty-free, worldwide, perpetual, irrevocable and fully transferable right and license to use your personal information in connection with the creation and development of analytical and statistical analysis tools relating to the use of the customer data we collect in providing the socalTECH Features (the “Analytical Data”). We are expressly authorized to make any commercial use of the Analytical Data, including without limitation, sharing the Analytical Data with third parties, provided that we do not sell, trade, or otherwise transfer from us any part of the Analytical Data that personally identifies any socalTECH Features users.  

Cookies

“Cookies” are small bits of electronic information that a website sends to a visitor’s browser and are stored on the visitor’s hard drive. Like many websites, we employ cookies in certain areas of the Site to allow us to provide information to make your online experience more convenient. For example, when you return to the Site after logging in, cookies provide information to the Site so that the Site will remember who you are on subsequent visits, speeding up or enhancing your experience of the socalTECH

Our servers automatically record information that your browser sends whenever you visit the Site.  This information includes your Internet Protocol address, your browser type and version, the search engine you used to find the socalTECH Features, if any, which socalTECH Features you use and when and how long you use them.  We use this information to monitor and analyze how users use the socalTECH Features, to provide customer service and to maintain and improve the socalTECH Features.

Children’s Privacy

We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13, or allow them to create an account for the socalTECH Features. We take children’s privacy seriously, and encourage parents to play an active role in their children’s online experience at all times.

Will we share your personal information with third parties?

Sharing of Information

We use your personal information to complete transactions, respond to your requests, deliver services you request, and send communications to you about promotions, updates, or special offers (which may be offered by socalTECH or one of its business partners) that may be of interest to you.  We may share your personal information with carefully selected vendors and business partners, including companies that perform marketing services and other business operations for us. We may also use your personal information to provide analyses of our users in the aggregate (including Analytical Data subject to the terms of this Privacy Policy) to prospective partners and other third parties.  In addition, we will share the personal information we collect from you under the following circumstances:

  • Protection of rights.  We will share personal information if we have a good faith belief that (i) access, use, preservation or disclosure of such information is reasonably necessary to satisfy any applicable law, regulation, legal process, such as a court order or subpoena, or a request by law enforcement or governmental authorities, (ii) such action is appropriate to enforce our Terms of Use for the socalTECH Features, including any investigation of potential violations thereof, (iii) such action is necessary to detect, prevent, or otherwise address fraud, security or technical issues associated with the socalTECH Features, or (iv) such action is appropriate to protect the rights, property or safety of socalTECH, its employees, users of the socalTECH Features or others.
  • Asset transfers.  If we become involved in a merger, acquisition or other transaction involving the sale of some or all of socalTECH’s assets, user information, including personal information collected from you through your use of the socalTECH Features, could be included in the transferred assets.  Should such an event occur, we will use reasonable means to notify you through email and/or a prominent notice on the Site.
  • Service Providers.  We may share your personal information with service providers that we engage for the purpose of processing information on our and your behalf.  For example, we may partner with other companies to process payments for the socalTECH Features.  Additionally, we may partner with other companies to process, analyze, and/or store data, including, but not limited to, Analytical Data.  While providing services for us, these companies may access your personal information.  To the extent applicable, we require these entities to comply with this Privacy Policy and appropriate confidentiality and security measures.

Additional Information You Should Know About Third Parties

This Privacy Policy does not cover the information practices of third party websites linked to the Site. Although we encourage such third parties to adopt and follow their own privacy policies, we are not responsible for their collection and use of your personal information.  You should refer to the privacy policies and statements of other websites or contact the respective webmasters of those websites to obtain information regarding their information collection, use and disclosure policies. 

When you have clicked on a third party logo or URL displayed on our Site which links you to a different website, our Privacy Policy no longer applies and you must read the privacy policy of the third party to see how your personal information will be handled on their website.

What choices do you have about the collection and use of your personal information?

Control of Your Information

You may update or delete your personal information or modify your account preferences for the socalTECH Features by accessing the account interface on the Site.  Please note that when you cancel your account, we may retain your account information for a reasonable period of time afterward for the purpose of internal account management and fraud prevention activities.

Opting Out of Receiving Communications from Us

If you no longer want to receive our newsletter, emails or other announcements, you may unsubscribe by writing to us at customerservices@socaltech.com or replying to the unsubscribe link at the bottom of our emails.  Please note that you cannot unsubscribe from certain correspondence from us, including messages relating to your account transactions.

Mediation

If you are a resident of a country outside of the European Union, you also agree that, in the event any dispute or claim arises out of or relating to this Privacy Policy that you and socalTECH will attempt in good faith to negotiate a written resolution of the matter directly between the parties.  You agree that if the matter remains unresolved for forty-five (45) days after notification (via certified mail or personal delivery) that a dispute exists, all parties shall join in mediation services in the County of Ventura, California with a mutually agreed mediator in an attempt to resolve the dispute.  Should you file any arbitration claims, or any administrative or legal actions without first having attempted to resolve the matter by mediation, then you agree that you will not be entitled to recover attorneys’ fees, even if you would otherwise be entitled to them.

Dispute Resolution for Residents of the European Union

If you are a resident of the European Union, in the event that you have any dispute or claim arising out of or relating to this Privacy Policy, you may report your claim to the European Union Data Protection Authorities located in your jurisdiction. 

What security measures do we take to safeguard your personal information?

The personal information that you provide to us is stored on servers, which are located in secured facilities with restricted access, and protected by protocols and procedures designed to ensure the security of such information.  In addition, we restrict access to personal information to socalTECH employees, independent contractors and agents who need to know this information in order to develop, operate and maintain the socalTECH Features.  All socalTECH personnel who have access to this information are trained in the maintenance and security of such information.  However, no server, computer or communications network or system, or data transmission over the Internet can be guaranteed to be 100% secure.  As a result, while we strive to protect user information, we cannot ensure or warrant the security of any information you transmit to us or through the use of any of the socalTECH Features and you acknowledge and agree that you provide such information and engage in such transmissions at your own risk.  Once we receive a transmission from you, we will endeavor to maintain its security on our systems.

European Union and Switzerland Data Protection - Safe Harbor

socalTECH complies with the U.S.-EU Safe Harbor Framework and the U.S.-Swiss Safe Harbor Framework as set forth by the U.S. Department of Commerce regarding the collection, use, and retention of personal information from European Union member countries and Switzerland. socalTECH has certified that it adheres to the Safe Harbor Privacy Principles of notice, choice, onward transfer, security, data integrity, access, and enforcement. To learn more about the Safe Harbor program, and to view socalTECH certification, please visit http://www.export.gov/safeharbor/.

Notification of Changes

This Privacy Policy may change from time to time and we will post all changes on this page.

Questions?  Contact Us

If you have any questions about our privacy practices or this Privacy Policy, please contact us at:

Privacy Department
SOCALTECH LLC
4607 Lakeview Canyon Road, Suite 290
Westlake Village, California 91361

Tel: (888) 412-6831
Email: customerservices@socaltech.com
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Terms of Use

Please read the Terms of Use governing the use of the Site and the socalTECH Features.