WEBSITE EVOLUTION LLC

Website Evolution LLC Privacy Policy

Effective Date: January 31, 2020

This policy explains what information we collect when you use Website Evolution LLC’s sites, services, mobile applications, products, and content (“Services”).  It also has information about how we store, use, transfer, and delete that information. Our aim is not just to comply with privacy law.  It’s to earn your trust.

Information We Collect & How We Use It

Website Evolution LLC does make money from ads on some of our websites. It’s how we pay the bills.  We do log your movements on our site.  It helps us understand what you’re most interested in, and thereby what we should address and advertise.  We decide what and who are the most logical advertisers to have on our sites, and we approach them. 

If visitors to our sites believe they could benefit from seeing advertisements from specific groups of vendors or others, those visitors can contact us via our ‘Contact Us’ page(s) and let us know of their ideas.  The tracking we do at Website Evolution LLC is to make our site work as well as possible.

In order to give you the best possible experience using any Website Evolution LLC website, we collect information from your interactions with our network. Through some of this information, you actively tell us what’s important to you.  Also, information such as your email address or other identifying information including but not limited to your Internet Protocol address, information about your device such as device or browser type, assists us in tracking and securing your account or may help us to communicate with you.

We use this information to help:

1. Provide, test, improve, promote and personalize Website Evolution LLC services and websites.
2. Fight spam and other forms of fraud and abuse.
3. Generate aggregate, non-identifying information about how people use our services and sites.
4. Gather usage statistics of services.
5. Provide customized reading experience.
6. Publish and distribute user-generated content.
7. Provide access to paid content.
8. Pay authors in Partnership Program(s) for certain content.

If and when you create an account on any of the Website Evolution LLC websites, and authenticate with a third-party service (like Twitter, Facebook or Google) we may collect, store, and periodically update information associated with that third-party account, such as your lists of friends or followers. We will never publish through your third-party account without your permission.

Information Disclosure

Website Evolution LLC won’t transfer information about you to third parties for the purpose of providing or facilitating third-party advertising to you. We won’t sell information about you.

We may share your account information with third parties in some circumstances, including:

1. With your consent;
2. To a service provider or partner who meets our data protection standards;
3. With academic or non-profit researchers, with aggregation, anonymization, or pseudo-anonymization;
4. When we have a good faith belief it is required by law, such as pursuant to a subpoena or other legal process;
5. When we have a good faith belief that doing so will help prevent imminent harm to someone.

If we are going to share your information in response to legal process, we’ll give you notice so you can challenge it (for example by seeking court intervention), unless we’re prohibited by law or believe doing so may endanger others. We  will object to requests for information about users of our services that we believe are improper.

Data Storage

Website Evolution LLC uses third-party vendors and hosting partners, for hardware, software, networking, storage, and related technology we need to run Website Evolution LLC and our various websites and locations.  By using Website Evolution LLC services or websites, you authorize Website Evolution LLC to transfer, store, and use your information in the United States and any other country where we operate.

Third-Party Embeds

Some of the content that you see displayed on any Website Evolution LLC website is not hosted by Website Evolution LLC.  We call these “embeds”.  These “embeds” are hosted by a third-party and embedded in Website Evolution LLC websites.  For example:  YouTube™ or Vimeo™ videos, various images, and audio files, Twitter™ tweets, GitHub™ code, or other documents, files, data or digital elements that appear within a Website Evolution LLC website.  These “embeds” send data to the hosted site they originated from or were purposed for just as if you were visiting that site directly.  (For example, when you load a Website Evolution LLC post or page with a YouTube video embedded in it, YouTube receives data about your activity). Website Evolution LLC does not control what data third parties collect in cases like this, or what they will do with it.  So, third-party embeds on Website Evolution LLC websites are not covered by this privacy policy.  They are covered by the privacy policy of the third-party service(s).

Some embeds may ask you for personal information, such as your email address.  We do our best to keep bad actors off our websites.  However, if you choose to submit your information to a third party in this way, we don’t know what they  may do with it.  As explained above, their actions are not covered by this Privacy Policy.  So, please be careful when you see embedded forms on (any websites including) Website Evolution LLC websites asking for your email address or any other personal  information.  Make sure you understand who you are submitting your information to and what they say they plan to do with it.  We suggest that you do not submit personal information to any third-party through an embedded form.  Such information may or may not be encrypted before being transmitted.  Unencrypted information, should it be intercepted along the way to its destination(s) is easily read, understood or usable.

If YOU embed a form or any other content in any transaction or interaction with this or any of our other website, and it allows for submission of personal information by users, you must provide a prominent link placed near the embedding link to an applicable Privacy Policy that clearly states how you intend to use any information collected.  Failure to do so may lead Website Evolution LLC to disable the content, form or other manner of interaction and take action to limit or disable your account(s) or access to any or all of our websites.

Tracking & Cookies

We use browser cookies and similar technologies to recognize you and aid you in returning to our websites.  We use those technologies in various ways.  For example to log you in, remember your preferences, and personalize content and other information, to name a few.

Some third-party services that we use to provide the Website Evolution LLC websites, may place their own cookies in your browser.  This Privacy Policy covers use of cookies by Website Evolution LLC only and not the use of cookies by third parties.

Data Security

We use encryption (HTTPS/TLS) to provide industry standardized protection of data transmitted to and from our sites.  You may notice that if type in our web address as beginning with “http://”, it will automatically be corrected to “https://”, and the security icon next to that address will indicated a secure connection.  That means that any information you send or receive to or from our website(s) is encrypted and unencrypted at each end of the connection.  This greatly aids in securing the connection and any information sent between you and our website(s).  However, no data transmission over the Internet is 100% secure, so we can’t guarantee security, and never will.  You use the our websites at your own risk, and you’re responsible for taking reasonable measures to secure your account.

Business Transfers

If we are involved in a merger, acquisition, bankruptcy, reorganization or sale of assets such that any information on such website would be transferred or become subject to a different privacy policy, we’ll notify you in advance so you can opt out of any such new policy by deleting your account before transfer.

Email from Website Evolution LLC

In response to inquires or other normal business practices, we send emails.  You can’t opt out of this type of “transactional” email.  However, you can opt out of non-administrative emails such as digests, newsletters, and activity notifications.  Simply contact us at inquiries@website-ev.com.

When you interact with an email sent from a Website Evolution LLC website (such as opening an email or clicking on a particular link in an email), we may receive information about that interaction.  We won’t email you to ask for your password or other similar information.  If you receive an email requesting any information you consider private, DO NOT RESPOND, and please send (forward) it to us so we can investigate.

Changes to this Policy

Website Evolution LLC may periodically update this Policy.  We will notify you about significant changes to it.  The most current version of the policy will always be on this page and we will archive former versions of the policies.

Data Protection Statement for European Union Users

Description of Processing Activity

Website Evolution LLC collects and stores personal information about the users of all its websites in order to customize their reading experience and enable personalized distribution of content.  It shares minimal data with its service providers.

Purposes of Processing to:

1. Provide, test, improve, promote and personalize Website Evolution LLC services and websites.
2. Fight spam and other forms of fraud and abuse.
3. Generate aggregate, non-identifying information about how people use our services and sites.
4. Gather usage statistics of services.
5. Provide customized reading experience.
6. Publish and distribute user-generated content.
7. Provide access to paid content.
8. Pay authors in Partnership Program(s) for certain content.

Legal Basis

In order to provide services, Website Evolution LLC collects and stores personal data about the visitors and users of its websites on the legal basis of consent given when you create an account and agree to the Privacy Policy.

Website Evolution LLC also pursues its legitimate interests by collecting minimal data of logged out users to provide the services, as outlined above.

Where Website Evolution LLC collects and stores personal data about non-users, it does so under performance of contract obligations with users who use the services to publish content on web sites hosted by Website Evolution LLC.  In
such cases, users authoring such content containing personal data of third parties are responsible for that content.  Website Evolution LLC will consider related complaints in compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation’s rights
of the data subject, as well as rights of expression and access to information.

Public Nature of Personal Data

Logged-in users may choose to interact publicly with Website Evolution LLC websites in the form of clapping for a post, highlighting parts of a post, following other user accounts, sharing links on connected social media accounts, or writing original posts.  Where such personal data may reveal special category protected data, it is processed on the basis that it is manifestly made public by the user.  Additional information on potential consequences of such processing can be found below.  If you do not agree to this public usage, do not create an account or use these features of any Website Evolution LLC websites.

Categories of Personal Data Collected

Logged-out Users/Visitors Personal Data:

• Reading history
• IP address
• Browser information
• DNT status

Logged-in Users/Visitors:

• Username
• Display name
• Bio
• Avatar image
• Email address (non-public)
• Session activity (security)
• Linked social media accounts (optional)
• IP address
• Browser information
• Reading history (on Website Evolution LLC network)
• Network interactions (recommendations, follows, etc.)
• Posts, responses, or series published by the user/visitor

Members:

• Billing information and history

Partners, Authors:

• Bank account for payments
• Business information, if applicable

Categories of Recipients

Website Evolution LLC shares minimal personal data with third-party processors in order to provide the Services. These processors offer at least the same level of data protection as that set out in this statement. This includes the following categories of recipients:

• Hosting, Storage, & Other Infrastructure
• Security
• Analytics
• Communication & Support
• Payment Processors

Search engines will index user profiles, public interactions, and any user-generated content. Users may also share links to their content on social media.

Payment Processors

Website Evolution LLC provides services and owns websites which provide services in conjunction with several payment processors, including but not limited to:  Stripe, Paypal, Google Play,  Apple Pay and others as time goes on.  Users or visitors to our websites may pay for memberships or receive payment based on participation in our programs, those of our partners, or the purchasing of products and/or services.  Those companies acting as payment processors, may collect and store personal data related to your billing information and history in order to provide their services, and may collect and store personal data and business data to prevent fraud and other abuse, as well as other data collecting as they document in their own Privacy Policies and other online Conditions of Use.

When you delete your account(s) from any Website Evolution LLC websites, Website Evolution LLC deletes your personal data as outlined in this document.  However, to delete your payment or billing information, you will need to do so with your payment provider, as Website Evolution LLC only has minimal secure access to those records as needed to provide such payment services.

Existence of Automated Decision-Making

Website Evolution LLC collects and stores personal data about its users to customize reading. This includes automated decision-making to promote content tailored to the preferences and interests indicated by the user, and to their browsing history and network interactions.

Website Evolution LLC also filters content for the purposes of fighting and preventing spam, fraud, and other forms of abuse.

Potential Consequences of Processing

By creating an account on any Website Evolution LLC website, users may make certain personal data about themselves public and accessible to others on their profile and through network interactions.  This may in some cases, constitute “special category protected data” which is considered to be “manifestly made public by the user”.

Due to the public nature of information posted to Website Evolution LLC websites, it may be possible for third parties to derive identifying personal data from posts, whether by reading, inference, supplemental research, or automated extraction and analysis.

Users are free to use their real name and information, or a pseudonym of their choosing, for their account.  Users may also choose to use the websites without posting data or engaging in network interactions.  However, if you do not agree with and accept the risks of such usage, you may not use the websites.

Retention

Website Evolution LLC retains personal data associated with your communication with us.  For security and legal reasons, we retain such information, and said information is NOT deletable.

Our Contact Information

Website Evolution LLC

3432 Denmark Avenue, Suite 201
Saint Paul, MN  55123

United States of America

Representative: Head of
Legal — legal@website-ev.com