Privacy Policy

Cookies Policy. This Cookies Policy explains how the Community will use cookies and similar technologies to recognize you when you use the Community Ecosystem, including the Community’s Websites (if any). It explains what these technologies are, why they are used, as well as your rights to control how we use them. A “cookie,” as used in this Contract, is a packet of data sent by an Internet server to a browser, which is returned by the browser each time it subsequently accesses the same server, used to identify the user or track their access to the server. We use cookies (if at all) to improve user experience and analyze traffic within the Community Ecosystem, including the Websites. For these reasons, the Community may share the data related to your usage of the Community Ecosystem for data analytics purposes with persons who are not members of the Community. In some cases, the Community may use cookies to collect personal information, or that becomes personal information if we combine it with other information. By clicking “Accept Cookies,” you consent to store on your device all the technologies described in this Cookie Policy. You can change your cookie settings at any time by clicking “Cookie Preferences” where indicated on the Community Ecosystem’s Websites.

Data Use and Privacy Policy. Members of the Community Ecosystem share their professional and other identities, engage with their network within the Community Ecosystem, exchange knowledge and professional insights, post and view relevant content, learn and develop skills, and find business and career opportunities. Some of this content and data may be viewed by non-members (“Visitors”)We use the term Designated Countries to refer to countries in the European Union (EU), European Economic Area (EEA), and Switzerland.

Applicability of This Data Use and Privacy Policy. This Data Use and Privacy Policy, including our Cookie Policy as set forth in the Contract (collectively, “Policy”) applies to your use of the Community Ecosystem. For California residents, additional disclosures required by California law may be found in our California Privacy Disclosure in relation to the California Consumer Privacy Rights Act. We will provide a California Privacy Disclosure to the Community Ecosystem.

Data Controllers and Contracting Parties. The Community will be the controller of your personal data provided to, or collected by or for, or processed in connection with, our Services. As a Visitor or Member of the Community Ecosystem, the collection, use and sharing of your personal data is subject to this Policy and other documents referenced in this Policy, as well as updates.

Changes to Policy. Changes to this Policy apply to your use of the Community Ecosystem after the “effective date” of the change. We can modify this Policy; and if we make material changes to it, we will provide notice through the Cooperative Ecosystem’s Websites, or by other means, to provide you the opportunity to review the changes before they become effective. If you object to any changes, you may close your account. You acknowledge that your continued use of the Cooperative Ecosystem after we publish or send a notice about our changes to this Policy means that the collection, use and sharing of your personal data is subject to the updated Policy, as of its effective date.

Data We Collect

Data You Provide to Us. You provide data to create an account with the Community.

  1. Registration. To create an account, you need to provide data including your name, email address and/or mobile number, a user ID, a password, and any other unique factor we may require for multi-factor authentication for access.
  2. Payment Information. If Membership or any other service within the Community Ecosystem requires payment by Members, you will need to provide payment (e.g., credit card or debit card) and billing information.
  3. Your Profile. You create your own profile within the Community Ecosystem. To the extent provided for on the Websites or other Community Ecosystem directories, you have choices about the information on your profile, such as your education, work experience, skills, photo, city or area, interests, and what Intellectual Property you have contributed. It is your choice whether to include sensitive information on your profile and to make that sensitive information available to Members and Visitors. Do not post or add personal data to your profile that you would not want to be publicly available.
  4. Uploading and Posting. We collect personal data from you when you provide, post or upload it to the Community Ecosystem. You don’t have to post or upload personal data; though if you do not, it may limit your ability to engage with other Members of the Community Ecosystem.

Data from Other Members. Other Members may post or write about you.

Content. You and others may post content that includes information about you within the Community Ecosystem. Members, Visitors, and third parties may provide data to the Community, which appears within the Community Ecosystem.

Use of Community Ecosystem. We log your visits to and use of the Community Ecosystem, including use of any apps. We log usage data when you access or otherwise use within the Community Ecosystem, including Websites, app and platform technology, searches, installations, or share content. We use log-ins, cookies, device information and internet protocol (“IP”) addresses to identify you and log your use.

Cookies and Similar Technologies. We collect data through cookies and similar technologies. As further described in our Cookies Policy above, we use cookies and similar technologies to collect data to recognize you and your device(s) on, off and across different services and devices where you have engaged with the Community Ecosystem. We also may allow some others to use cookies as may be described in our Cookie Policy. If you are outside the Designated Countries, we also collect (or rely on others who collect) information about your device where you have not engaged with the Community Ecosystem so we can provide better understand its effectiveness. You can opt out from our use of data from cookies and similar technologies that track your behavior.

Your Device and Location. We receive data from your devices and networks, including location data.

Messages. If you communicate through the Community Ecosystem, we learn about that.

How We Use Your Data. We use your data to provide, support, personalize and develop the Community Ecosystem and Works and other content produced by the Community Ecosystem. How we use your personal data will depend on how you interact with the Community Ecosystem.

Communications. We contact you and enable communications between Members. We may offer settings to control what messages you receive and how often you receive some types of messages. We may contact you through email, mobile phone, notices posted on the Community Ecosystem’s Websites or apps, messages to your account inbox (if any), and other ways through the Community Ecosystem, including text messages and push notifications. You may change your communication preferences at any time. While you are a Member, you cannot opt out of receiving service messages from the Community, including security and legal notices. We also enable communications between you and other Members.

Customer Support. We use data to help you and fix problems. We use data (which can include your communications) to investigate, respond to and resolve complaints and for service issues (e.g., bugs).

Security and Investigations. We may use data for security, fraud prevention and investigations. We use your data (including your communications) for security purposes or to prevent or investigate possible fraud or other violations of this Agreement and/or attempts to harm Members, Visitors, or others.

Service Providers. We may use others to help us maintain the Community Ecosystem, including the Websites. They would have access to your information as reasonably necessary to perform these tasks on our behalf and are obligated not to disclose or use it for other purposes.

Legal Disclosures. We may need to share your data when we believe it is required by law or to help protect the rights and safety of you, us or others. It is possible that we will need to disclose information about you when required by law, subpoena, or other legal process or if we have a good faith belief that disclosure is reasonably necessary to (1) investigate, prevent or take action regarding suspected or actual illegal activities or to assist government enforcement agencies; (2) enforce our agreements with you; (3) investigate and defend ourselves against any third-party claims or allegations; (4) protect the security or integrity of the Community Ecosystem; or (5) exercise or protect the rights and safety of the Community, the Community Ecosystem, Members, Community personnel (if any), or others. We attempt to notify Members about legal demands for their personal data when appropriate in our judgment, unless prohibited by law or court order or when the request is an emergency. We may dispute such demands when we believe, in our discretion, that the requests are overbroad, vague or lack proper authority, but we do not promise to challenge every demand.

Your Choices & Obligations

Data Retention. We keep most of your personal data for as long as your account is open. We generally retain your personal data for as long as you keep your account open. This includes data you or others provided to us and data generated or inferred from your use of the Community Ecosystem.

Rights to Access and Control Your Personal Data. You can access or delete your personal data, BUT you cannot delete or overwrite Intellectual Property that you have contributed to the Community Ecosystem except to the extent that you are making modifications to it in contemplation of a Work to be produced by the Cooperative.

Account Closure. We may keep some of your data even after you would close your account. If you choose to discontinue your Membership and close your account, your personal data will generally stop being visible to others within the Community Ecosystem within 72 hours. We generally delete closed account information within 7 days of account closure, except as noted below. We retain your personal data even after you have closed your account if reasonably necessary to comply with our legal obligations (including law enforcement requests), meet regulatory requirements, resolve disputes, maintain security, prevent fraud and abuse (e.g., if we have restricted or disabled your account for breach of the Member Code of Conduct, Exhibit A), enforce this Agreement, or fulfill your request to “unsubscribe” from further messages from us. We will retain de-personalized information after your account has been closed. Information you have shared with others will remain visible after you close your account or delete the information from your own profile (if any) within the Community Ecosystem, and we do not control data that other Members have copied out of the Community Ecosystem.

Security. We monitor for and try to prevent security breaches. Please use the security features available within the Community Ecosystem. We implement security safeguards designed to protect your data, such as HTTPS. We regularly monitor our systems for possible vulnerabilities and attacks. However, we cannot warrant the security of any information that you send us. There is no guarantee that data may not be accessed, disclosed, altered, or destroyed by breach of any of our physical, technical, or managerial safeguards.

Cross-Border Data Transfers. We may store and use your data outside your country. We may process data both inside and outside of the United States and rely on legally provided mechanisms to lawfully transfer data across borders. Countries where we process data may have laws which are different from, and potentially not as protective as, the laws of your own country. Additional information will from time to time be provided to you, which is made a part of this Policy.

Lawful Bases for Processing. We have lawful bases to collect, use and share data about you. You have choices about our use of your data. At any time, you can withdraw consent you have provided by going to settings that are made available on or within the Community Ecosystem. We will only collect and process personal data about you where we have lawful bases. Lawful bases include consent (where you have given consent), or where processing is necessary for the performance of this Contract with you and “legitimate interests.” Where we rely on your consent to process personal data, you have the right to withdraw or decline your consent at any time. Where we rely on “legitimate interests,” you have the right to object. If you have any questions about the lawful bases upon which we collect and use your personal data, you may contact our Data Protection Officer, whose identity and contact information will be provided to you.

Direct Marketing | Do Not Track Signals. We currently do not share personal data with third parties for their direct marketing purposes without your permission.

Contact Information. You can contact us or use other options to resolve any complaint. If you have questions or complaints regarding this policy, please contact us. You can also reach us by email, which is provided in our acknowledgment of your signature on this Contract. Residents in the Designated Countries and other regions may also have the right to contact our Data Protection Officer.