Our Data Privacy Pledge
In consideration of increasing concerns about companies selling and usage of customers’ private data, we want to tell you about the types of data we collect, why we collect it, and what we do with it.
What data do we collect?
We support small businesses and their diverse owners that form the backbone of our local economy. In order to ensure accuracy of our listings, we collect ownership and identity information from small business owners during the application process to enable a comprehensive verification and approval process. Verifications are reviewed internally at Sertify, and data is not shared with any third party entities for additional verification. Also, what we don’t do, and never will, is sell your private information.
How is the data stored?
Data collected is stored securely and privately in our Amazon secured servers. Data usage follow strict security protocols, using a combination of secure sockets layer (SSL), access tokens, firewalls, and encryption to ensure safety of your data.
How is the data used?
To validate that a small business is indeed owned by an owner that matches one of our sertifications, we review and verify the business ownership documents with the owner’s information to ensure proof of ownership as well as proof of their identity background. We’re using secure, industry standard tools to view and analyze the data.
We will always maintain our commitment to protect your privacy. If there are changes to our privacy pledge, we will make sure to notify you via email, regular mail, or phone - as required by law.
__________________________________________
Legalese (last updated: October 2020)
This Privacy Policy explains the information that Sertify, Inc. (“Sertify,” “Sertify.io,” “our,” “us” or “we”) collect to support Sertify products and services (collectively, the “Service”), how we may collect, use and disclose your information, as well as your choices about such uses and disclosures.
PLEASE READ THIS PRIVACY POLICY CAREFULLY BEFORE USING THE SERVICE. Access to the Service is offered to you conditioned on your acceptance of this Privacy Policy. By using the Service, you consent to the collection, use and disclosure of information in accordance with this Privacy Policy. IF YOU DO NOT ACCEPT THIS PRIVACY POLICY, DO NOT USE THE SERVICE.
We may modify or replace this Privacy Policy at any time in accordance with Section 11 (“Changes to this Privacy Policy”).
1. Information We Collect From You
2. Cookies
3. How We Use Your Information
4. Disclosure of Personal Information
5. Your Choices
6. Children
7. Users From Outside of the United States
8. Third Party Services
9. Security
10. Your California Privacy Rights
11. Changes to This Privacy Policy
12. Contact Us
__________________________________________
1. Information We Collect From You
We collect personal information from you in the course of providing you the Service. “Personal information” is any information that can be used, directly or indirectly, to identify, locate or contact someone. Types of personal information we collect include name, physical address, mailing address, email address, and phone number. Under certain circumstances, personal information may also include other information that can reasonably be used to link to a particular person, such as internet protocol (IP) addresses, unique device identification numbers, and internet activity. We collect your email address and password you select when you register for an account with us. If you register by using third party sign-on such as Facebook and Google, we collect your first and last name and your email address. We collect personal information from you at various point of our Services that indicate personal information is being collected. We may also collect personal information from you when you send us emails or submit other forms of information directly to us or submit information through our websites. We collect the content, communications and other information you provide when you use our Products, including when you sign up for an account, create or share content, and message or communicate with others. We collect information about how you use our Products, such as the types of content you view or engage with; the features you use; the actions you take; the people or accounts you interact with; and the time, frequency and duration of your activities. If you contact us by email or through our website or App, we will receive your name, email address and the contents of your message. If you contact us by mail, we will receive your name, postal address and the contents of your message. We also collect some information about you automatically when you use the Service including: a. Your mobile device’s unique identifier. b. Your device’s IP address. c. Technical information about your mobile device (such as type of device, operating system, browser type and version, etc.) d. Your preferences and settings (time zone, language, privacy preferences, application preferences, etc.), so that we may act in accordance with those preferences. e. The URL of the site that referred you to the Service. f. The buttons and links you clicked on (if any) within the Service, so that we may optimize your experience. g. How long you used the Service and which parts and features you used. h. Geographic locations in which you use the Service. Not all information is personal information. Nothing in this Privacy Policy restricts our collection, use or disclosure of any aggregated information or information that does not identify, or cannot be reasonably linked to, you or any other individual.
2. Cookies
We use cookies and other similar technologies when you visit our website. Cookies are small data files that are stored on your computer or mobile device. Cookies allow us to recognize your browser, personalize your experience, and obtain information about your use of our website. Most internet browsers automatically accept cookies, but if you do not want your information to be collected through the use of cookies, you can change the settings on your browser to stop accepting cookies or to prompt you before accepting a cookie. If you disable cookies, some features of the Service may not function properly. We use Google Analytics to analyze traffic and performance related to our website. To learn how Google uses data when you use our website, visit analytics (policies.google.com/technologies/partner-sites) privacy. To opt out of tracking by Google Analytics, click opt out (tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout). Some web browsers may allow you to send “do-not-track” signals to websites, but our Service does not respond to those signals.
3. How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect to: provide and improve the Service; review and approve small business application; customize the Service for you; better understand our users; develop new products and services; communicate with you about the Service and our other products and services we think may interest you; enforce our rights; and diagnose and fix problems with the Service. We may also use your personal information for any other purpose with your consent.
4. Disclosure of Personal Information
We do not share any personal information such as name, address, email, phone number, ownership information, or identity information with third parties. Here are some of the ways in which we may share your information with third parties: a. With your consent or at your direction, including if we notify you through our Service that the information you provide will be shared in a particular manner and you provide such information in response to such notice. b. To our affiliates for use and disclosures consistent with this Privacy Policy. c. To contractors, service providers, professional advisors (such as accountants, auditors, and law firms), and other third parties that provide support services to us or perform functions on our behalf, including analytics services. We only provide such information as necessary for these third parties to perform their services for us. We do not authorize any of these third parties to use the information we share with them for any purpose other than to provide their services for us. d. If required to do so by law or in the good-faith belief that such action is necessary (i) to conform to applicable law or comply with legal process, (ii) to protect and defend Sertify, our rights or property, or our users, (iii) to enforce our Terms of Service or Privacy Policy or other rights, and (iv) under emergency circumstances to protect the personal safety of us, our agents, our users, or the public. e. In the event of a proposed or actual business transaction, corporate restructuring, financing, sale or merger of Sertify, or involving some or all of our business, assets or equity, we may disclose and/or transfer information we have collected to those involved in assessing, planning and completing the sale (including the buyer and its employees, agents and representatives). Other than as described above, we do not share or sell your personal information to third parties for their marketing purposes.
5. Your Choices
Emails and Text Messages. If you are a registered user and want us to stop sending you emails or text messages that are not necessary to ensure the regular operation of your account and/or availability of the Service, you can opt-out using the information provided at the bottom of the email. To request to access, change, or delete your data, please email us at privacy@sertify.io.
6. Children
We do not allow persons under 18 to register for the Service, and we do not knowingly collect any personally identifiable information from persons under the age of 13. If we are notified or have any other reason to believe that we have collected personal information from or about a child under the age of thirteen, we will promptly delete the information and any account associated with that information. If you believe Sertify has information from or about a child less than thirteen years of age, please contact us at support@sertify.io.
7. Third-Party Services
Sertify owns information collected through the Sertify web sites and Services. We may outsource to a third party the hosting and operation of the web site and the Services. Some applications embedded within, or linked from, our Services, such as maps and social media platforms or websites of listed companies, are controlled by third-parties. However, such third parties do not and will not have any ownership interest in the personal information collected or any right to use the personal information apart from the operation of the website and services. These third-party applications may use cookies, alone or in connection with other tracking technologies, to collect information about you when you use those application. These third parties have privacy policies that differ from ours. We do not control these third-parties or their privacy practices.
8. Users From Outside of the United States
The Services are hosted on servers located in the United States of America (U.S.) and are intended for use by individuals and entities who are United States residents. If you use our Services outside of the U.S., you consent to having your personal information transferred to and stored and processed in the U.S. The privacy laws in the U.S. may not be as protective as the laws in your country of residence.
9. Security
Sertify takes security measures designed to protect your personal information from misuse, unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration and destruction. We maintain physical, electronic and procedural safeguards to limit access to your nonpublic personal information, such as password protection. Access to your personal information is restricted to employees and contractors who need to know that information to provide services to you. While we do use care to protect your information, no data transmission over the Internet or other network can be guaranteed to be 100% secure. As a result, we cannot and do not guarantee the security of any information you transmit on or through the Service, and you do so at your own risk.
10. Your California Privacy Rights
California law permits users in California to request certain details about how their “personal information” (as defined in California Civil Code Section 1798.83) is shared with third parties for direct marketing purposes. We may from time to time elect to share certain “personal information” about you with third parties for those third parties’ direct marketing purposes. California users may, under certain circumstances, request and obtain certain information regarding our disclosure, if any, of personal information to third parties for their direct marketing purposes. If this applies, you may obtain the categories of personal information shared and the names and addresses of all third parties that received personal information for their direct marketing purposes during the immediately prior calendar year (e.g. requests made in 2020 will receive information about 2019 sharing activities).
11. Changes To This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Those changes will go into effect on the “last updated” date shown at the top of the updated Privacy Policy. If we make any material changes, we will use reasonable efforts to notify you, by means of a notice on the Service, by email or text, or by other means. Those changes will go into effect on the “last updated” date shown at the top of the updated Privacy Policy. Your continued use of the Service constitutes your consent to be bound by the revised Privacy Policy.
12. Contact Us
If you have any questions about this privacy policy, please email us at privacy@sertify.io or write to Serify, Inc., PO Box #230677, New York, NY, 10023-9998.