ONLINE PRIVACY POLICY
Last updated:TOOL GAUGE (“TOOL GAUGE”, “we”, “us”, “our”) is committed to letting you know how we will collect and use your personally identifiable information (“PII”). This online privacy policy is applicable to the TOOL GAUGE web site, accessible at www.toolgauge.net (“web site”). We have established this online privacy policy to let you know the kinds of information we may gather on the web site, why we gather your information, what we use your information for, when we might disclose your information, and how you can manage your information.
This online privacy policy does not apply to information that you may submit to us off-line, or to third-party web sites and mobile applications that may be linked to or from the web site. We are not responsible for the actions and privacy policies of these third-party web sites and applications.
By visiting our web site, you are accepting the practices described in this online privacy policy. If you do not agree to the terms of this online privacy policy, please do not use the web site. We reserve the right to modify the terms of this online privacy policy from time to time without notice. Your continued use of our web site following the posting of changes will mean you accept those changes.
WHAT INFORMATION ABOUT YOU DO WE COLLECT AND STORE?
We may collect two basic types of information about you: (1) personally identifiable information (“PII”) and (2) non-personally identifiable information (“non-PII”). PII is any information that you supply us with that can individually identify you. PII includes, among other things, your name, contact information (e.g. email address, postal address, or telephone number), payment information (e.g. credit or debit card information), and social security number. Non-PII includes information that does not personally identify you, such as your IP address, device identifiers, general location information, and demographic data.
Personally Identifiable Information
As a general matter, you can browse the web site without providing us with your personally identifiable information. However, there are some circumstances in which you may supply us with your PII, such as:
- Sign up to receive alerts, email offers, or newsletters
- Participation in surveys, panels, or market research
- Participation on social media accounts involving TOOL GAUGE (Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, etc.)
- Submission of job applications
- Any other place on the web site where you knowingly volunteer information
Non-Personally Identifiable Information
As stated above, we also collect non-personally identifiable information when users interact with the web site. Non-PII does not personally identify you and may include:
- Device information used to access the web site – this may include IP address, unique device identifiers, browser type, browser language, and other information
- Usage information about interactions with the web site – this may include a history of the pages viewed or advertisements clicked on, or other information used to customize the web site
- Additional use data such as time and date of access, software crash reports, session identification number, and referring web site addresses
- Aggregate data regarding the use of the web site
- User search terms and search results
HOW DO WE USE YOUR INFORMATION?
We use the information we learn from you to help us personalize and continually improve your experience on the web site. We may use your personally and non-personally identifiable information in the following ways:
General Uses
General uses include the following:
- Provide requested content
- Communicate about features and enhancements on the web site
- Send newsletters and respond to inquiries
- Optimize or improve the web site and our operations
- Detect, investigate, and prevent activities that may violate our policies or be illegal
- Perform statistical, demographic, and marketing analyses of web site users
We may use the information collected from one portion of the web site on other portions of the web site and may combine information gathered across the web site into a single record. We may also use or combine information that we collect off-line or we collect or receive from third-party sources to enhance, expand, and check the accuracy of your user records.
Use Of Cookies And Other Tracking Technologies And Your Choices
Like many web sites, we use “cookies” which are small text files that are stored on your computer or equipment when you visit certain online pages that record your preferences and actions. We use cookies to monitor traffic, improve the web site, and make it easier to use and more relevant. Most web browsers automatically accept cookies, but, if you prefer, you can usually modify your browser settings to disable or reject cookies. If you delete your cookies or you set your browser to decline cookies, some features of the web site may not work or may not work as designed. For more information on cookies and how to disable them, we invite you to consult the information provided by the Interactive Advertising Bureau at www.allaboutcookies.org.
This web site also uses Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google, Inc. (“Google”). Google Analytics uses cookies or other tracking technologies to help us analyze how users interact with and use the web site, compile reports on web site activity, and provide other services related to web site activity and usage. The technologies used by Google may collect information such as your IP address, time of visit, whether you are a return visitor, and any referring web sites. The web site does not use Google Analytics to gather any PII. The information generated by Google Analytics will be transmitted to and stored by Google and will be subject to Google’s privacy policies.
Your browser or device may include “Do Not Track” functionality. TOOL GAUGE’s information collection and disclosure practices will continue to operate as described in this online privacy policy, whether or not a “Do Not Track” signal is received.
WHO DO WE PROVIDE YOUR INFORMATION TO?
We do not sell or share your personally identifiable information with unaffiliated third-parties without your express prior permission. We may disclose your PII collected on the web site to our agents, affiliates, partners, and other third-parties as described below.
Third-Party Agents And Service Providers
We have third-party agents, subsidiaries, affiliates, and service providers that perform functions on our behalf, including, but not limited to hosting, content syndication, content management, technical integration, marketing, analytics, and customer service. These entities may have access to PII if needed to perform their functions.
Assignment
We may change our ownership or corporate organization while providing the web site. We may also sell certain assets associated with the web site. In such event, we may transfer some or all of your information to an entity acquiring all or part of our assets or to another entity with which we have merged. Under such circumstances, we would request the acquiring party to follow the practices described in this online privacy policy. Nevertheless, we cannot promise that an acquiring party or the merged entity will have the same privacy practices or treat your information the same as described in this online privacy policy.
Law Enforcement, Legal Process, And Emergency Situations
We may also use or disclose PII if required to do so by law or on the good faith belief that such action is necessary to (a) conform to applicable law or comply with legal process served on us or the web site; (b) protect and defend our rights or property, the web site, or our users, or (c) act to protect the personal safety of us, users of the web site, or the public.
Use Of Non-Personally Identifiable Information
We may disclose your non-PII in any other manner that we deem appropriate. Among other things, we will disclose non-PII to third-parties to help us determine how people use parts of the web site and how we can improve our web site.
WHAT STEPS DO WE TAKE TO KEEP PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION SECURE?
We are concerned about ensuring the security of your PII and take certain security measures to help protect such information. Please understand, however, that while we try our best to safeguard your PII once we receive it, no transmission of data over the internet or any other public network can be guaranteed to be 100% secure. You can help protect the privacy of your own information. You must take precautions to protect the security of any PII that you transmit over any public or untrusted network by using encryption and other techniques to prevent unauthorized interception of your PII. You are responsible for the security of your information when using unencrypted, public, or otherwise unsecured networks.
HOW LONG DO WE KEEP PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION?
The time period for which we keep information varies according to what the information is used for. In some cases, there are legal requirements to keep data for a minimum period. Unless there is a specific legal requirement for us to keep the information, we will retain it for no longer than is necessary for the purposes for which the data was collected or for which it is to be further processed.
CHILDREN’S INFORMATION
The web site is not intended for children under 13 years of age. Unless otherwise disclosed during collection and with parent or guardian consent, TOOL GAUGE does not knowingly collect PII from children under 13 years of age. If you are under 13 years of age, please do not provide PII to TOOL GAUGE.
NOTICE TO NON-U.S. USERS
The web site is published in the United States and is directed to individuals located in the United States. Our policies are directed at compliance with the laws of the United States. If you are located outside the United States, you should be aware that your PII will be transferred to the United States, the laws of which may be deemed by your country to have inadequate data protection. If you use the web site, you consent to the use of such information as provided in this online privacy policy and to the transfer of that information to and storage of that information in the United States. If you are uncertain whether this online privacy policy conflicts with the applicable local privacy laws where you are located, you should not submit your PII to us.
OPTING OUT OF EMAIL MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS
You may opt out of receiving future email marketing messages and email newsletters from TOOL GAUGE at any time. We provide you with the opportunity to opt out of such communications from us by clicking the “unsubscribe” link at the bottom of each marketing email or by emailing us with “Please unsubscribe” in the subject line. Please note that you may not opt out of our communication with you that are related to your use of the web site.
If you have any questions about this online privacy policy, we invite you to contact us by email.