Privacy Policy

Who we are and what this covers

Mergelo., along with our subsidiaries (we'll refer to ourselves as "Mergelo" or "us" throughout this policy), is committed to being transparent about how we collect and handle information. This Privacy Policy applies to information we collect from you through our website (https://www.mergelo.com/), any other website or mobile app that links to it, and from your interactions with us, such as customer service or other communications (collectively, the "Offerings").

Understanding our policy is important

Please take the time to read this Privacy Policy carefully. It explains how we handle your information. If you don't agree with the terms of this policy, you shouldn't use the Offerings.

Who this Privacy Policy Covers

This Privacy Policy explains how we handle information collected from different groups of people who interact with Mergelo:

Website Visitors: These are individuals who visit our website but aren't using our products as part of a customer agreement.
Prospective Customers and their staff: This refers to individuals from companies who might be interested in our products but haven't signed a customer agreement yet.
Current Customers and Users: This includes people who work at our customer companies and use our products. However, this policy only applies to information we collect about them in relation to using our products and managing their account with Mergelo.

Throughout this policy, we'll refer to all these groups of people as "you".

What this Privacy Policy Doesn't Cover

This policy doesn't apply to any information, content, or materials that our customers or their users upload to our products (referred to as "Customer Data"). This includes any personal information within that data.

For any personal information in the Customer Data, our customers are considered the data controller, and Mergelo acts as a data processor or service provider on their behalf. This aligns with data protection laws. Our specific obligations regarding Customer Data are outlined in the customer agreement, not this Privacy Policy.

If you have questions about how your information is used within our products, we recommend reaching out to the company or organization that provided your information to Mergelo. They can provide more specific details about their data practices.

To provide you with the best experience, we collect, store, and utilize certain information about you (detailed below).

What information you give us directly

We collect various details you provide us through different interactions:

Account creation: Information gathered when you sign up for an account.
Using our Offerings: Data collected during your use of our website, mobile app, or other services.
Contacting us: Information you share through inquiries, requests, or questions submitted via forms, email, or other methods.
Sales and marketing: Details we collect when we contact you for marketing or sales purposes (phone or email).
Surveys & contests: Information you provide when participating in surveys, sweepstakes, or contests.
Customer support: Data collected when you interact with our customer service team (phone, email, chat).
Events: Information you share when attending our conferences or events or interacting with us at other industry events.

Specific examples of information you provide:

Name (first, middle, and last)
Email address
Mailing address
Phone number
Username or online alias
Your company or organization
Job title
Links to your public social media profiles (optional)
Any other details you choose to share with us while using our Offerings
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1 . Information collected through your use of our Offerings

In addition to what you provide directly, we may also collect and store:

Data and outputs you create: This includes any information, results, or reports you generate while using our Offerings.
Search history and usage data: We may track your searches within the Offerings and how you use our features.
For Customers: Technical data (excluding Customer Data): If you're a customer, we may collect technical logs, data, and insights about how you use our products. This is important to clarify that this data does not include the actual information you upload to our products (which is referred to as "Customer Data").

2. Information collected automatically when you use our Offerings

We and some service providers we work with (companies that help us run parts of the platform) automatically collect certain information about your device and how you use our Offerings. This information includes:

Device details: IP address, browser type and language, operating system, your general location (city/state) based on IP address, device identifiers, hardware and software attributes.
Usage data: Referring and exit webpages, platform type, number of clicks, downloads, domain names, pages viewed and their order, time spent on pages, date and time of use, error logs, and similar information.
Cookies and similar tools: We use cookies and similar technologies to track user behavior and usage patterns. Cookies are small data files stored on your browser to recognize you when you return. We use them for analytics, delivering features, understanding user engagement, and improving your experience.

You can adjust your web browser settings to be notified about cookies and choose to accept or reject them. However, some functionalities may be limited if you choose to block cookies. To learn more about managing cookies, follow your browser's instructions or the device manufacturer's instructions for mobile apps.

See the section "Online Analytics and Advertising" for more details about how we use cookies and similar tools.

3. Information we gather from other sources

In some cases, we may collect information about you from other reliable sources. This could include:

Marketing partners
Survey providers
Data enrichment services (companies that add details to existing data)
Social media platforms
Industry events (conferences, trade shows, etc.)
Other legal and transparent sources

We use this information, along with what you provide directly, to:

Understand your potential interests
Offer more relevant experiences within our services
Improve our Offerings, analytics, and advertising

We will always explain why we're collecting this information and how it will be used at the time of collection, and always in accordance with applicable laws.

4. Connecting through social media

If you choose to connect to our Offerings through a social media platform (like Facebook or LinkedIn), you might be allowing us to access some information from your profile on that platform. This could include your name, basic demographics, friend list, and any other information you've set to be public. The specific data we receive depends on your privacy settings on that platform.

It's important to note:

If you don't want us to access this information, don't use social media login to access our Offerings.
Each social media platform has its own privacy policy that explains how they handle your information. You can review their policies and adjust your privacy settings directly with them.

Liking or following us on social media

When you interact with us on social media platforms (like following us on Twitter or liking our page on Facebook), we might collect some information from you, such as your name, email address, and any comments or content you post about us.

How we use your information

We use the information we collect for various business purposes, depending on the specific data and why it was collected. Here are some examples:

Providing our Offerings: Granting you access to and managing your use of our products and services.
Customer service: Responding to your inquiries and providing you with efficient support.
Communication: Sending you updates, news, promotions, or surveys related to our services (with your permission and following applicable laws).
Personalization: Tailoring the content you see within our Offerings to your interests.
Improvement: Using your insights to enhance our products and services.
Security: Maintaining the security of our Offerings and resolving technical issues.
Legal compliance: Following all necessary laws and regulations.
Legitimate interests: Protecting our rights and the rights of others.

Information without personal details (Aggregate/De-Identified Information)

In some cases, we may combine or alter the information we collect from you in a way that removes any personally identifiable details. This creates "Aggregate/De-Identified Information" that cannot be linked back to you or your device.

We can use this type of anonymized information for various purposes, such as research and marketing initiatives. We may also share this anonymized data with third parties like advertisers, partners, and sponsors.

Why we use your information (legal basis)

This Privacy Policy explains how we use your information, but it's also important to understand the legal reasons behind that use. Here's a breakdown of the legal bases we rely on:

Fulfilling our agreement with you: In some cases, we use your information to deliver the services you've requested from us (like providing access to our products).
Legitimate interests: We may also use your information for our legitimate business interests, or the interests of third parties, as long as those interests don't conflict with your fundamental rights and freedoms.
Legal obligations: Sometimes, we need to use your information to comply with laws and regulations, including those in the European Union.
Your consent: In certain situations, we might ask for your explicit consent to process your information in a particular way.
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Understanding how we use analytics and advertising

Website Analytics:

We use third-party analytics tools, like Google Analytics, to collect information about how you use our Offerings. This helps us understand user behavior, improve our services, and prevent fraud. These tools use cookies and similar technologies to gather data.

You can prevent Google Analytics from tracking your activity on our Offerings by installing their opt-out browser add-on link to Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on].

We may also use analytics tools in our emails to track things like open rates and clicks. This allows us to measure the effectiveness of our communication efforts.

Online Advertising:

We partner with some advertising companies to show you relevant ads on our Offerings and other websites you visit. These companies use cookies and similar tracking technologies to collect information about your interests and browsing habits.

Here are some resources where you can learn more about online advertising and how to opt-out of receiving targeted ads:

Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) Consumer Opt-Out link to NAI Consumer Opt-Out
Digital Advertising Alliance (DAA) Consumer Opt-Out link to DAA Consumer Opt-Out
Your Online Choices link to Your Online Choices

Do Not Track (DNT)

DNT is a privacy setting in some web browsers that signals your preference not to be tracked. While we offer multiple opt-out mechanisms listed above, we currently don't recognize or respond to DNT signals directly from your browser.

It's important to note that DNT is different from the Global Privacy Control setting mentioned in the "Privacy Information for California Users" section.

Sharing Your Information: Who Sees What

We understand your privacy is important. Here's a breakdown of when and with whom we share your information:

Trusted Partners (Service Providers): We collaborate with reliable vendors who assist us in operating various aspects of our platform. These companies may access your information to provide specific services like billing, marketing, data analysis, customer support, and security.
Your Employer (Users): If you use our services through your company, we may share your information with them to manage your account, offer support, or fulfill our agreement with your employer.
Our Partners (Respecting Your Choice): We may occasionally partner with other companies to offer products or services that align with your interests. You have the option to opt-out of sharing your information for these purposes using this link: [link].
Testimonials (With Your Permission): We appreciate positive feedback from our customers! With your consent, we might display your name or company name alongside your testimonial on our website.
Protecting Ourselves and Others: In certain situations, we may disclose your information:
- To comply with legal requirements or requests.
- To enforce our agreements with you.
- To safeguard the rights and safety of ourselves, our users, and the public.
Business Transactions: If our company undergoes a merger, acquisition, or other business change, your information may be transferred to the new entity according to applicable laws.
General, Non-Identifying Information: We may share anonymized data about our user base and service usage with partners and others for research or marketing purposes. This information will never be used to identify you personally.
Sharing with Your Consent: We will always obtain your permission before sharing your information in any way not covered by this Privacy Policy.

How Long We Keep Your Information

We won't hold on to your information any longer than we need it for the reasons it was collected. The exact timeframe depends on the purpose of collection and any legal requirements we need to follow.

Following this section, you'll find information about your rights and choices regarding your data.

Your Data Rights and How to Exercise Them

This section explains your rights regarding your personal information under applicable laws (like those in the European Economic Area or California). Here's a breakdown:

What rights you may have (depending on your location):

Access and Copy: You can request to see and get a copy of the information we hold about you.
Correction: If any of your information is inaccurate or outdated, you can ask us to update it.
Deletion: You can request that we delete certain information we have about you.
Restriction: You can limit how we use and share some of your information.
Consent Withdrawal: In some cases, you can withdraw your consent for us to process your information.

How to submit a request:

Contact us: Reach out to us at privacy@mergelo.com or use the form available at this link.
Verification: We may need to verify your identity before processing your request.

Special considerations:

Collected through a Customer: If your information came from one of our customers using our services, you may need to contact them directly to manage your data. We will still assist our customers with such requests according to applicable laws.
Limited exceptions: There might be situations where we can't fulfill all parts of your request, such as if we need to keep your information for legal reasons. We will explain these limitations in our response.
Appealing a decision: If we deny your request, you have the right to appeal our decision (depending on your location). We will explain how to do this in our communication with you.

We will handle all requests according to applicable laws and timelines. We will not discriminate against you for exercising these rights.

Opting Out of Targeted Ads and Data Sharing

We partner with advertising companies to show you relevant ads based on your browsing activity. This may involve sharing certain information about your device and online behavior with these third parties.

Under some laws, this sharing might be considered a "sale" of your personal information or the processing/sharing of data for targeted advertising.

How to Opt Out:

Your Privacy Choices: Click here to opt out of sharing your information for targeted advertising purposes through cookies and similar technologies.
Opt-Out Form: You can also submit a general opt-out request using this form

We respect your browser settings: If you've enabled a privacy setting on your web browser, like "Do Not Sell My Information" or a Global Privacy Control, we recognize and honor that preference according to applicable laws.

Staying Informed (Marketing Communications):

We may send you updates about our services or interesting offers from trusted partners, but only if allowed by law and with your consent. You can easily opt out of these communications at any time:

Contact Us: Reach out to us using the information in the "Contact Information" section.
Unsubscribe Link: Click the "Unsubscribe" link at the bottom of our marketing emails.

Please note: We may still send you important transactional emails, like order confirmations or policy updates, even if you opt out of marketing messages.

Exploring the Web (Third-Party Links and Features):

Our platform may contain links to other websites. While we strive to partner with reputable companies, we have no control over their privacy practices. Once you leave our website, you're subject to the privacy policies of those third-party sites. We recommend reviewing their policies before using their services.

Protecting Children's Privacy

Our services are designed for a general audience and are not directed towards children under the age of 13. We take children's privacy very seriously. Here's what you can expect:

We don't knowingly collect information from children under 13. If we learn that we've accidentally collected personal information from a child under 13, we will promptly delete it.
EU Residents: We comply with stricter data protection regulations for children in the European Union. This means we won't process data from an EU resident under 16 without verifiable parental consent. If we discover such information has been collected, we will delete it as soon as possible.

If you have any concerns about your child's information, please don't hesitate to contact us using the information in the "Contact Information" section.

Information Storage and Transfer (International Users)

We store and process your information in the United States, alongside some of our trusted service providers. It's also possible your information may be transferred to other countries with data protection laws different from your own.

However, wherever your information goes, we ensure it's handled according to strict legal requirements for international data transfers. This means we take steps to protect your privacy rights and the security of your information.

Data Privacy Framework (for EU and Swiss Users)

Mergelo complies with the EU-U.S. and Swiss-U.S. Data Privacy Frameworks (DPFs). These DPFs are established by the U.S. Department of Commerce to ensure companies handle personal data from the EU and Switzerland securely.

Mergelo has certified with the Department of Commerce that we meet the DPF's strict data protection standards for handling this type of information. This means we take strong measures to safeguard your privacy.

What about onward transfers of your data?

Even if we transfer your data to third-party service providers, we remain responsible for its protection under the DPF, unless a violation occurs beyond our control.

In case of any conflict:

If there's a discrepancy between this Privacy Policy and the DPF principles, the DPF principles take precedence.

Learn more:

For more information about the DPF program and to view our certification, please visit: https://www.dataprivacyframework.gov/

Resolving Your Privacy Concerns (EU and Swiss Users)

Mergelo takes your privacy seriously. If you have any questions or concerns about how we handle your personal information, here's how you can address them:

Email: privacy@mergelo.com

Mail: Privacy Department, Mergelo, Inc., 30 S 15th Street, Ste 1550, PMB 15987, Philadelphia, PA 19102-4826

Independent Dispute Resolution: If we can't resolve your concern directly, you can escalate it to an independent dispute resolution service provided by BBB National Programs. This service is free of charge for you. Visit https://bbbprograms.org/programs/all-programs/dpf-consumers/ProcessForConsumers for more information and to file a complaint.

U.S. Federal Trade Commission: Mergelo is subject to oversight by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

Binding Arbitration (Limited Cases): In some rare cases, you may have the right to binding arbitration for unresolved claims. See https://www.dataprivacyframework.gov/s/article/G-Arbitration-Procedures-dpf?tabset-35584=2 for details (available on the Data Privacy Framework website).

Security of Your Information

We take the security of your information seriously. We use a combination of technical and organizational measures to protect your data from unauthorized access, misuse, loss, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These measures are designed to be strong, but it's important to remember that no online transmission is completely risk-free.

We cannot guarantee the absolute security of your information, but we are committed to using commercially reasonable security practices to protect it.

California Resident Privacy Rights (CCPA)

The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) grants you specific rights regarding your personal information. Here's a breakdown of what this means for you:

Understanding How We Use Your Data: We've outlined the categories of personal information we collect and how we use it throughout this Privacy Policy.
Sharing Your Information: We may disclose or share your information with certain third-party partners under specific circumstances:
- Business Purposes: Sharing information with service providers to help us operate our platform (e.g., billing, marketing, data analysis).
- Cross-Context Behavioral Advertising: This refers to situations where third parties use your information to target advertising across different websites you visit. We may disclose information for this purpose, but only with your consent.
- Selling Personal Information (as defined by CCPA): We do not sell your personal information for monetary gain in a way that would be considered a "sale" under the CCPA.
Online Advertising and Identifiers: Our use of third-party advertising services may involve sharing certain online identifiers (like cookies, IP addresses, or device information) to target relevant ads. This may be considered a disclosure under CCPA.

California Resident Rights (CCPA Continued)

Exercising Your Rights:

As mentioned earlier in the "Your Rights and Your Choices" section, the CCPA grants you certain rights regarding your personal information. You can use the methods described there to submit your requests.

Financial Incentives: We will clearly disclose any future offers of financial incentives in exchange for your personal information.

Opting Out of Sharing and Selling:

Online Analytics and Advertising: You can opt out of sharing your information for these purposes using our "Your Privacy Choices"
Offline Disclosures: For information about opting out of offline disclosures, you can submit a request using the form located here.

Children's Privacy:

We do not sell or share the personal information of users under 16 years old in a way that would be considered a "sale" under CCPA.

Global Privacy Control:

We respect your privacy choices made through Global Privacy Control settings. These preferences will only apply to the specific device or browser you used to set them. For more information on using Global Privacy Control, visit https://globalprivacycontrol.org/.

Sensitive Information:

The CCPA allows you to limit the use of certain sensitive personal information. We currently don't use or disclose sensitive information for purposes you can't opt out of under CCPA.

Retention of Your Information:

See the "Retention of Your Information" section for details on how long we keep your data.

Shine the Light Disclosure:

California residents can request information about how we disclose certain personal information for third-party direct marketing. These requests can be made once a year and are free of charge. Submit your request by email to privacy@mergelo.com

Changes to Our Privacy Policy:

We may update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in laws, our practices, or technology. We will make the revised policy available on our platform, so please review it periodically. The "Effective Date" at the beginning of this document shows the last time it was updated. We will also provide you with appropriate notice of any significant changes according to legal requirements. By continuing to use our services, you acknowledge you've read and understood the latest version of this Privacy Policy.

privacy@mergelo.com

California