QualSights Privacy Policy

Effective Date: August 8, 2024
Last Updated: August 8, 2024

Welcome, and thank you for visiting QualSights.com and/or one of our mobile applications. This website, and the service and applications, are operated by Georama Inc. d/b/a QualSights (“QualSights”), a Delaware (USA) corporation based in Chicago, IL (USA).

QualSights is committed to protecting the privacy and security of your information. This Privacy Policy is intended to provide you with information regarding how we collect, use and disclose information both on the Sites and in other offline situations. For an overview of our approach to privacy, please see Section 1 (“Our Privacy Principles”), below.

This Privacy Policy applies to: our home page (www.qualsights.com) and all related websites; to all web-based features and mobile applications that are a part of our platform (hereafter “Applications”); and to all data and/or information collected via our websites or the Applications. For the purposes of this Privacy Policy, we refer to the websites and the Applications collectively as the “Site” or “Sites”, as applicable.

Contact us: Our contact information is set forth in Section 16 of this Privacy Policy, below.

Dispute Resolution/Binding Arbitration: This Privacy Policy provides for third-party dispute resolution by VeraSafe, and this Privacy Policy also contains a binding arbitration provision. Please see Section 14, below, for details.

US and EU/Swiss/UK Data Protection Framework Programs

QualSights complies with the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework (EU-U.S. DPF) and the UK Extension to the EU-U.S. DPF, and the Swiss-U.S. Data Privacy Framework (Swiss-U.S. DPF), as set forth by the U.S. Department of Commerce. QualSights has certified to the U.S. Department of Commerce that it adheres to the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework Principles (EU-U.S. DPF Principles) with regard to the processing of Personal Information received from the European Union and the United Kingdom in reliance on the EU-U.S. DPF and the UK Extension to the EU-U.S. DPF. QualSights has certified to the U.S. Department of Commerce that it adheres to the Swiss-U.S. Data Privacy Framework Principles (Swiss-U.S. DPF Principles) with regard to the processing of Personal Information received from Switzerland in reliance on the Swiss-U.S. DPF. If there is any conflict between the terms in this Privacy Policy and the EU-U.S. DPF Principles and/or the Swiss-U.S. DPF Principles, the Principles shall govern. To learn more about the Data Privacy Framework (DPF) program, and to view our certification, please visit https://www.dataprivacyframework.gov/.

For more details, please see Sections 13 and 14 below. In addition, QualSights and the Sites are fully subject to the investigatory and enforcement power of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

Navigation

  1. Our Privacy Principles
  2. How our Service Works
  3. Information We Collect
  4. Sources of Personal Information
  5. Use of Your Information
  6. Disclosure of Your Information (Who May Have Access?)
  7. Legal Basis of Processing
  8. Children's Privacy
  9. Cookies and Other Online Interactions
  10. Your Choices and Rights
  11. Security and Retention
  12. Linked Third-Party Sites
  13. International Transfers
  14. Dispute Resolution; Binding Arbitration
  15. Modifications to the Privacy Policy
  16. Contact Us

1. OUR PRIVACY PRINCIPLES

Respect for data privacy and security is a core value of QualSights, and that is why we strive to be transparent in this Privacy Policy about: (a) how our service works; (b) how we collect, use, and disclose your Personal Information (which we define as information that can identify, relate to, describe, or be associated with you); and (c) our jurisdiction-specific privacy principles and practices. We strive to meet the requirements of applicable laws (both US and non-US).

  • To understand how our service works, please see Section 2 (“How Our Service Works”), below.
  • To understand your rights with regard to privacy and data, please review Section 10 (“Your Choices and Rights”) below, and the other provisions herein.
  • To understand our jurisdiction-specific privacy principles, please see Sections 10 (“Your Choices and Rights”) and 13 (“International Transfers”) below.

As described in more detail below, this Privacy Policy only applies when we act as a Data Controller (or similar term under applicable law, such as covered business) or equivalent role under applicable law. Please read this Privacy Policy carefully. We want you to understand what kinds of information we may collect from you when you use the Sites, how we use such information, and whether and to whom we disclose such information. And to be clear, the terms “you”, “yours” and related terms, as used herein, refer to the individual who is accessing or using the Sites and thereby agreeing to the terms herein, either individually or on behalf of an organization or company.

Using the Sites is voluntary, and by accessing or using the Sites, you acknowledge that you have read and agree to the terms of this Privacy Policy and our Terms of Service (see: https://www.qualsights.com/terms-of-service).

2. HOW OUR SERVICE WORKS

QualSights provides a unique digital platform which allows our customers (which are generally businesses, hereafter “Customers”) to engage individuals (each a “Research Participant”) to participate in consumer preference research studies. All participation by Research Participants is entirely voluntary.

In general, research studies allow our Customers to observe and interact with Research Participants in a variety of real-world environments (via cell phones, laptops, or other devices) to generate data that will allow those Customers to understand how consumers shop for, use, consume, and/or experience products, services and related items (e.g., services, packaged goods, marketing materials).

Here’s how it works: Our platform incorporates several features which allow our Customers to design, initiate and engage in live or recorded interview sessions, focus groups and/or other kinds of research studies (collectively, “Research Studies”) with Research Participants. Research Studies can take place in remote locations (e.g., outside, or in homes, stores, offices) using a variety of possible devices (e.g., smartphones, cameras, laptops) in a variety of research formats (e.g., live or recorded individual video/photo/audio interview sessions, focus groups, surveys, live or recorded in-person fieldwork, etc.).

Our platform (and Research Studies) can be fully configured by our Customers. As such, Research Studies may include some or all of the following: live audio, video or text sharing; recordings of audio, photographs and/or videos; the collection of survey responses and other written comments/responses; the collection of metrics relating to product usage (e.g., if consumption measurement technologies or devices (e.g., QualSights’ proprietary scales, coasters) are used in connection with a project); and other kinds of research data. All data which are collected during Research Studies are referred to herein as “Research Data”. QualSights’ platform then allows Customers and QualSights to process raw Research Data using a variety of technologies to generate highly focused insights into Research Participants’ reactions and preferences. Examples of such processing technologies include machine transcription of verbal responses, machine identification of keywords & topics, aggregation/organization of data, and sentiment analysis.

2.a QualSights Is Usually a Data Processor/Service Provider

For the vast majority of Research Studies, QualSights serves as a data processor (or similar term under applicable law, such as ‘service provider’). This is because our Customers choose which Personal Information to collect and process, and how that Personal Information is processed. And, as such, our Customers usually function as data controllers (or similar term under applicable law, such as covered business).

Important:
If you are a Customer of QualSights (not a Research Participant), you should understand that you may be a data controller and that you must be in compliance with the requirements of applicable privacy laws.

If you are a Research Participant who is engaged by a Customer of QualSights, you should understand that all of the Research Data generated by or through our platform will be available to and controlled by that Customer; and if you have any concerns or questions regarding your privacy rights and/or the use of your Personal Information, you should contact the Customer directly.

2.b Occasionally, QualSights Is a Data Controller

In certain circumstances and as further described in this Privacy Policy, QualSights may enter into engagements directly with Research Participants for Research Studies (conducted by QualSights) that are intended to reveal broad consumer or market insights which may be disclosed by QualSights to one or more of QualSights’ Customers, over time. We refer to these studies as “Direct Engagements.” For Direct Engagements and certain situations when we collect or receive Personal Information about you in the manner described in this Privacy Policy, QualSights acts as a Data Controller.

3. INFORMATION WE COLLECT

This section describes the categories of Personal Information that we may collect, or have collected in the prior 12 months, for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy. The term “Personal Information” generally refers to any information that can be linked to an identified or identifiable person. The term Personal Information also covers certain categories of "sensitive" or "special" Personal Information that often receive additional protections and/or are subject to additional restrictions under applicable laws. In this Privacy Policy, we refer to this information as “Sensitive Personal Information.”

Information We Collect from You
When you use the Sites, several types of information may be collecting from you, including: Device Information (3.a.); and Personal Information (3.b.).

3.a. Device Information

We may automatically collect Device Information regarding use of or access to the Sites, such as:

  • The type of device you use to access the Sites;
  • The date and time you access the Sites;
  • The type of web browser you use to access the Sites;
  • The sections within the Sites that you access;
  • The Internet Protocol (“IP”) address (a number that is automatically assigned to a computer when the Internet is used);
  • The user language;
  • The operating system;
  • The presence/absence of "flash” plug-ins;
  • The screen resolution; and
  • The connection type that you use to access the Sites.

In addition, we may collect location information through the use of technology when you use our Sites, such as data associated with your IP address or other online or device identifier. If you do not want us to collect and use this information, you may be able to disable the location features on your device. Check your device manufacturer settings for information on how to do so.

This information (collectively, “Device Information”) does not, by itself, personally identify users. We use this Device Information to monitor the effectiveness of the Sites, to help personalize your experience, and to consider potential improvements to the Sites. Device Information may be collected through cookies or similar technologies. For more detailed information on cookies, please refer to Section 9 below.

3.a. Personal Information

If you access and/or use any of the Sites, and/or if you initiate and/or participate in Research Studies, you may be required to disclose certain Personal Information as further described below.

The categories and specific types of Personal Information that QualSights may collect about you include:

  • Direct identifiers and contact information, including your name, address, phone number, or email address, business contact information, or other similar identifiers.
  • Demographic information, including race, ethnicity, gender, age, location, and user data obtained through surveys or questionnaires.
  • Identifiers of our Research Participants, Customers, third-party partners and collaborators, and their employees, with whom we may interact.
  • Account registration information, such as your email address and password and user profile data provided when you create or update your account.
  • Government identifiers, such as government identifiers, driver’s license and other government identification documents (which may contain document numbers, birth date, gender and photo).
  • Recorded and/or sensory data, such as audio recordings, photographs, screen captures, video recordings (including faces), and other data obtained from mobile applications and/or wearable or other sensors used by Research Participants.
  • Product usage data collected through sensors when you participate in certain studies.
  • Written comments and sample usage metrics obtained from our Research Participants.
  • Payment or banking information, including bank account or credit card number, name on credit card or bank account, expiration date, security code, and billing address.
  • Product survey response information.
  • Non-precise Geolocation Data.
  • Information you submit when you contact us for support.
  • Sensitive (Special) Personal Information (where permitted and in accordance with applicable law). Of the information listed herein, passwords, biometric data, and/or data revealing racial or ethnic origin also qualify as Sensitive (special) Personal Information.

The provision of the Personal Information, including Sensitive Personal Information, listed above is voluntary. In certain instances, you will not be able to fully access our Sites without the requested Personal Information.

The following information may also be Personal Information, depending on how it is used and linked with other information:

  • Email communications information: If you receive an email from us, we may use certain tools to capture data related to when you open our message or click on any links or banners it contains.
  • Website or Application interaction information: These data may include how you interact with links you can click on, information that you type into online forms or information about your device or browser.
  • Information about how you interact with our Services. This includes data such as access dates and times, app features or pages viewed, app crashes and other system activity, type of browser and third party sites or services used before interacting with our services.
  • System information: Browser type, operating system, IP address, domain name, click-activity, referring website, and/or a date/time stamp for visitors.

3.c No Biometric Information.

As noted above, in the course of Research Studies, QualSights and/or Customers may collect a variety of kinds of information and data (Research Data), including photographs, videos and voice recordings. Though QualSights does not collect any biometric identifiers directly from Research Participants or Consumers, our Service Providers may collect limited biometric identifiers for the purpose of verifying your identity or as otherwise permitted with your consent. Any biometric identifiers processed by such Service Provider acting on our behalf will be permanently deleted when the initial purpose for which it was collected or obtained has been satisfied or within three years after your last interaction with QualSights, whichever occurs first, unless otherwise required by law.

4. SOURCES OF PERSONAL INFORMATION

We collect your Personal Information in the following ways, pursuant to applicable law:

  • Directly From You, when you use our Sites or services, register for an account or create a profile, contact us, respond to a survey, sign up to receive emails, text messages, and/or postal mailings.
  • Through Our Use of Cookies and Other Automatic Data Collection Technologies, when you visit our Sites, open or click on emails we send you, or interact with our advertisements. We or third parties we work with automatically collect certain information using technologies such as cookies, web beacons, clear GIF, pixels, internet tags, web server logs, and other data collection tools. For more information, please see the “Cookies and other Online Interactions” section below. We may also collect data automatically about your use of products through the use of sensors when you participate in certain studies.
  • From Our Third Party Partners, including from our Customers third parties that we have partnered with to provide you the services that you have requested from us.
  • Other Sources, including data analytics providers or publicly available sources.

5. USE OF YOUR INFORMATION

5.a Personal Information

We use Personal Information and Sensitive Personal Information for the following business purposes (“Processing Purposes”) associated with our general business operations.

  • To facilitate and complete specific Research Studies, and to provide related services to Customers.
  • For everyday business purposes, such as account management, contract administration, Site management, corporate governance, and legal and regulatory reporting obligations.
  • To assist you in using and accessing our services and Sites. This means that we may use your Personal Information to respond to your questions, operate the services and Sites, perform our obligations to you, and perform other actions based on your consent.
  • To respond and address feedback you provide us or if you contact us for support.
  • To send you marketing communications that promote QualSights products, programs or services and/or those of our partners (with your consent, where required), and to determine the types of marketing communications to send.
  • To analyze your needs and help improve, develop, and evaluate the services, and to develop new products and services.
  • To comply with laws and regulations and legal processes.
  • To monitor compliance with our policies, procedures and applicable terms of service, for fraud prevention, to detect and address illegal activities and/or to protect QualSights and its employees, users and property.
  • For Customer and Research Participant relationship management and administration.
  • For additional research purposes for each applicable customer, to allow the customer to study broad product trends and research results (across multiple projects, if applicable) and design additional research projects.
  • Where permitted, to create de-identified data sets. Such information is generally not considered Personal Information and can be used for various purposes, such as statistical and research analysis, in accordance with applicable law.
  • We may use Device Information to monitor the effectiveness and improve the functionality of the Sites, to help personalize your experience and to consider potential improvements to the Sites. This information may also be used for statistical and research purposes and administrative purposes including, without limitation, to troubleshoot and resolve problems with the Sites. We may rely on third-party partners to collect and analyze the Device Information. Device Information may also be collected through cookies or similar technologies. For more detailed information on cookies, please refer to Section 9 below.

5.b Use of Your Sensitive Personal Information

With regard to Sensitive Personal Information, we only use your Sensitive Personal Information to operate our service, to provide you and Customers with the requested services, and to administer your account.

6. DISCLOSURE OF YOUR INFORMATION (WHO MAY HAVE ACCESS?)

In addition to the specific situations discussed elsewhere in this Privacy Policy, we may disclose, or have disclosed in the prior 12 months, the Personal Information listed above for the following business purposes, as permitted by applicable law:

QualSights’ Customers:

  • QualSights may disclose the Personal Information of Research Participants to applicable Customers in providing the services.

Service Providers:

  • QualSights may disclose your Personal Information or make it accessible to certain companies engaged to perform services on our behalf (“Service Providers”). Service Providers’ access to data is strictly limited to the purpose of providing such services to QualSights.

Other Third Party Vendors:

  • We may also disclose Personal Information to Third Party Vendors, such as our external auditors, attorneys, accountants, and similar professionals based on our legitimate interest in the operation of our business and our obligations to comply with applicable laws and regulations. These Third Party Vendors may use your Personal Information to provide services to us and to comply with their legal, regulatory and/or fiduciary obligations.

Business and Research Partners:

  • We may partner with other companies to provide products or services on a joint or “co-branded” basis. You should be aware that, in such cases, in addition to this Privacy Policy, the relevant partner’s privacy policy may also apply.

Legal Obligations and to Authorities:

  • We may disclose your Personal Information to satisfy applicable laws or regulations, and in response to legal processes or enforceable government or law enforcement requests.
  • We may also disclose your Personal Information if disclosure is reasonably necessary to monitor compliance with our policies and applicable terms of service, to detect, prevent, or otherwise address fraud, security or technical issues, or to protect against the rights, property or safety of QualSights, our customers, our users or the public, as required or permitted by law.

Disclosure to Subsequent Owner or Operator:

  • We may transfer your Personal Information to a successor entity upon a merger, consolidation or other corporate reorganization, to a purchaser of all or a portion of our assets, or pursuant to a financing arrangement. The Personal Information we have about you may be transferred to parties to the transaction based on our legitimate interest in preparing for and completing the transaction.

Other Disclosures with Your Consent:

  • We may disclose Personal Information to companies, organizations or individuals outside of QualSights, for purposes not specified elsewhere in this Privacy Policy, but only when we have your express written consent to do so.

Social Media Platforms and Networks:

  • Some of our Sites have features such as plugins, widgets, or other tools made available by social media platforms and networks that may result in information being collected or disclosed between us and these platforms and networks. Their use of your information is not governed by this Privacy Policy.

De-identified or Aggregate Information:

  • We may aggregate and anonymize information you provide to us, or which we collect as described in this Privacy Policy, in such a way as to ensure it will no longer be identifiable to you. This aggregated/anonymized data may be used for statistical, analytic, and administrative purposes, including analyzing our website traffic and trends, tailoring our services, or conducting product analysis. We may use or disclose anonymized or aggregated data at our discretion, in accordance with applicable laws.

We process your information for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, based on the following legal grounds:

  • With Your Consent: In certain instances, we ask for your consent to process your Personal Information for specific purposes. Provision of your consent is voluntary, and you have the right to withdraw your consent at any time.
  • When Pursuing Legitimate Interests: We process your Personal Information for our legitimate interests and those of third parties, while applying appropriate safeguards that protect your privacy, and as further described in this Privacy Policy (and we use such data in ways that are not overridden by the interests or fundamental rights and freedoms of the affected individuals).
  • To Perform a Contract With You: We will process your Personal Information when processing of your Personal Information is necessary for the execution or performance of a contract with you.
  • When We Have Legal Obligations: We will process your Personal Information when we have a legal obligation to do so, for example, if we are responding to a legal process or an enforceable government request, including law enforcement.

In some cases, your provision of Personal Information may be required by a statutory or contractual obligation.

8. CHILDREN’S PRIVACY

The Sites are not directed toward individuals under age 18; we do not knowingly collect information from anyone under age 18 (a “Minor”). Minors are not permitted to use the Sites, and we request that Minors not submit any Personal Information through the services. If you believe your Minor (child) has impermissibly submitted Personal Information, please contact us to request that such information be removed. Once we are aware of information impermissibly entered by a Minor, we will exercise commercially reasonable efforts to remove such information from our systems.

The only exception to the preceding statements may arise if a parent voluntarily consents to the participation of a Minor (child) in a research study (in writing) and submits the information to the Sites rather than permitting the Minor to do so. In no event may a Minor create an account, use the Sites on an individual basis or submit Personal Information to the Sites.

9. COOKIES AND OTHER ONLINE INTERACTIONS

QualSights may, from time to time, use cookies (small text files placed on your computer or device, which help our Site or Applications function better) in connection with our Sites; and we may analyze the information derived from these cookies for the same purposes as set forth elsewhere in this Privacy Policy. You may be able to limit the use of cookies on your computer or mobile device in general by modifying the settings of your web browser (e.g., Microsoft Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, etc.). This section describes how we use cookies and how you can manage cookies that are not required to operate our Sites and mobile applications

The information collected by these tracking technologies may include (a) your internet protocol (IP) address, unique device identifiers, location, browser type, and Internet service provider information; (b) information about when and how you access and use our Sites, such as the domains you visit, what features you used and for how long, the website that referred you to us, and date/time stamps associated with your usage; (c) information about the device you use to access the Sites or services, such as device type, device ID, and device/browser settings; and (d) location of the device used to access the Sites or services derived from GPS or WiFi use.

We differentiate between cookies that are essential for the technical features of the services and optional analytics and advertising cookies.

Cookie Type Description
Essential and Functional Cookies These are cookies that the Sites need in order to function, and that enable you to move around and use the Sites and features. Without these essential cookies, the Sites will not perform as smoothly for you as we would like them to and we may not be able to provide the Sites or certain features you request. Examples of where these cookies are used include: to determine when you are signed in; to determine when your account has been inactive; and for other troubleshooting and security purposes.
Analytics Cookies Analytics cookies allow us to understand more about how many visitors we have to our Sites, how many times they visit us and how many times a user viewed specific pages within our Sites. Although analytics cookies allow us to gather specific information about the pages that you visit and whether you have visited our Sites multiple times, we cannot use them to find out details such as your name or address. We use Google Analytics and other analytics cookies. For more information about Google Analytics, please refer to "How Google Uses Information From Sites or Apps that Use Our Services", which can be found at www.google.com/policies/privacy/partners/, or any other URL Google may provide from time to time.
Advertising Cookies Depending on your location and in certain circumstances, QualSights may work with third-party online or mobile advertising providers that use cookies to help us manage our online and mobile advertising. We (or an advertising provider acting on our behalf) may place these cookies on your computer or device to display our ads on these providers’ platforms or to collect information about how users are using ads on these provider’s platforms. The information collected from these cookies may also allow us to analyze the effectiveness of our advertising.
Social Media Cookies Depending on your location and in certain circumstances, QualSights may work with third-party social media services (e.g., LinkedIn) support sign-in functions and/or other social media-related functions (such as LinkedIn follow features).

Depending on your location and applicable laws, we may give you the option of adjusting your preferences with regard to the categories of cookies we use. When this option is available, you can configure your personal settings on our Cookies Banner under “Settings” or via other options that may be available on the relevant Sites. If you use a different device to access the same Sites, you may need to manage your settings for each separate device you use.

You can change your Internet browsers’ preferences (whether computer or mobile device) to disable or delete non-necessary cookies, although that may affect certain functions on the Sites. To learn how to manage your cookies, please follow the instructions from your specific browser. If you wish to opt out of any cookies on our Sites, and need additional assistance, please contact us using the contact information at the end of this Privacy Policy.

10. YOUR CHOICES AND RIGHTS

Depending on where you live, you may have certain rights with respect to your Personal Information. Your rights will vary depending on where you are located. Specifically, you may have the following rights:

  • Correction (Rectification): You have the right to request that we correct or supplement any inaccurate or incomplete Personal Information we process about you. Depending on the purposes of the processing, you may have the right to have incomplete Personal Information completed, including by means of providing a supplementary statement.
  • Deletion (Right to be Forgotten): You have the right to request that we delete your Personal Information. If required by law, we will grant your request to delete information. However, when we delete Personal Information it will be removed from our active database, but it may remain in archives where it is not practical or possible to delete it. In addition, we may keep your Personal Information as needed to comply with our legal obligations, resolve disputes, and/or enforce any of our agreements.
  • Access: You have the right to request access to the Personal Information we hold about you, along with other information such as the purposes of the processing, the recipients or categories of recipients to whom the Personal Information has been or will be disclosed, the sources of the Personal Information, retention, and transfers of Personal Information.
  • Data Portability: In certain circumstances, you have the right to request that we provide the Personal Information which you provided to us in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format; and you have the right to transmit such Personal Information to another entity.
  • Consent Withdrawal: Where our processing is based on your consent, you have the right to withdraw such consent at any time; however, you may not be able to use the Sites or feature for which you are withdrawing your consent. Withdrawing your consent will not affect the lawfulness of the processing we conducted prior to your withdrawal.
  • Opt-Out of Targeted Advertising, or the “Sale” or “Sharing” of Personal Information: Subject to certain exceptions, you may have the right to opt-out of the "sale"/”sharing” of your Personal Information. Making Personal Information (such as online/device identifiers, browsing activity, or geolocation) available to social media platforms and ad networks to deliver interest-based ads to you may be a “sharing” under applicable law (in this context “sharing” means cross contextual behavioral advertising). To opt-out of the “sharing” of your Personal Information as just described, please use the “Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information” button at the bottom of our Sites.
  • Restriction of Processing: You have the right to request that we restrict the processing of your Personal Information in certain cases. Where applicable, the respective Personal Information will be marked accordingly and may only be processed by us for certain purposes.
  • Objection to Processing: In certain circumstances, you have the right to object to our processing of your Personal Information.
  • Automated Processing: Under certain circumstances, you have the right to object to a significant decision based solely on automated processing (i.e., without human intervention) unless that decision is required or authorized by law. We do not engage in automated decision-making without human intervention.
  • Right of Non-Discrimination/Retaliation: We do not discriminate against individuals who exercise any of their rights described in this Privacy Policy, nor do we retaliate against individuals who exercise these rights.
  • Right to Opt-Out of our Use of your Sensitive Personal Information (in certain instances and if permissible under applicable law): We do not currently use or disclose Sensitive Personal Information for purposes other than those which cannot be limited under applicable law.
  • Commercially Recognized Opt-Out Signal (Global Privacy Controls, Do Not Track): QualSights generally recognizes commercially recognized opt-out preference signals (e.g., Global Privacy Controls, Do Not Track). Recognition of this signal applies only to the specific device and/or browser that communicates the signal and does not apply to other devices/browsers you use to access our Sites.
  • Promotional Emails: You may choose to provide us with your email address for the purpose of allowing us to send free newsletters, surveys, offers, and other promotional materials to you, as well as targeted offers from third parties. You can stop receiving promotional emails by following the unsubscribe instructions in emails that you receive. If you decide not to receive promotional emails, we may still send you service-related communications.
  • Promotional Mailings: If at any time you do not want to receive offers and/or circulars from us, you can remove yourself from our mailing lists by emailing us (our contact information is below) with “NO SNAIL MAIL” in the subject line, along with your name, address and zip code. Please note that our mailings are prepared in advance of their being sent. Although we will remove your name from our mailing list after receiving your request, you may still receive mailings from us that had been initiated prior to your name being removed.
  • Promotional Text Messages: If you receive a text message from us that contains promotional information you can opt-out of receiving future text messages by replying “STOP.”

Please note that many of the above rights are subject to exceptions and limitations. Your rights and our responses will vary based on the circumstances of the request. If you choose to assert any of these rights under applicable laws, we will respond within the time period prescribed by applicable law. In some cases, we may limit or deny your requests to access or delete your information. This may occur because the law permits or requires us to do so, or if we are unable to adequately verify your identity. If we are not able to provide the requested information or make the change you requested, you will be provided with the reasons for such decisions. Under local law, you may be entitled to lodge a complaint with your local data-protection authority. QualSights may require use of your Personal Information to provide access to the Sites. Therefore, when you exercise your deletion right, in particular, you may lose access to certain aspects of the Sites that require your Personal Information.

Depending on where you are located, a person authorized to act on your behalf may make a verifiable request related to your Personal Information. If you designate an authorized person to submit requests to exercise certain privacy rights on your behalf, we will require verification that you provided the authorized agent permission to make a request on your behalf. After you make your request, we will use the information we have about you to verify your identity (and if applicable, your authorized agent’s identity). Our verification process may include a request for additional information to confirm your identity or your authorized agent’s identity (such as your name, email address and date of birth) or to obtain proof that you have given your authorized agent permission to act on your behalf. If our verification process is successful, we will respond to your request within the time and in the manner required by applicable law. If we cannot validate the identity of you and/or your authorized agent or obtain proof that you have given your authorized agent permission to act on your behalf, we will attempt to contact you to inform you.

If you designate an authorized agent to submit requests to exercise certain privacy rights on your behalf, we will require verification that you provided the authorized agent permission to make a request on your behalf. You must provide us with a copy of the signed permission you have given to the authorized agent to submit the request on your behalf and verify your own identity directly with us. If you are an authorized agent submitting a request on behalf of an individual, you must attach a copy of a completed authorized agent designation form indicating that you have authorization to act on the individual’s behalf.

In any circumstances, your request must: (i) provide sufficient information that allows us to reasonably verify that you are the person about whom we collected Personal Information or an authorized representative of that person; and (ii) describe the request with sufficient detail that allows us to properly understand, evaluate, and respond to it. We will only use Personal Information provided in a verifiable consumer request to verify the requestor’s identity or authority to make the request.

Your rights and our responses will vary based on your state or country of residency. Please note that you may be located in a jurisdiction where we are not obligated to fulfill a request. In such a case, your request may not be fulfilled. However, to the extent permitted by applicable law, we may reject requests that are unreasonably repetitive, unduly burdensome, risk the privacy of others, or would be very impractical to honor. Depending on where you are located, you may have the right to lodge a complaint with the relevant supervisory authority.

Because we can only access a Customer’s data with that Customer’s direct authorization, if we receive a direct request for information or assistance from a Research Participant relating to data collected by a Customer, we will refer the request to the Customer that such individual specifies in their request (or the Research Participant can identify the research project, and we will refer the request accordingly).

Please understand that, in this context, QualSights will not be able to respond directly to a Research Participant’s request without the prior consent of our Customer.

To submit a request to exercise any such rights (if they apply to you), please use the contact information provided for in the “Contact Us” section of this Privacy Policy. QualSights provides two mechanisms that allow you to submit requests to exercise these rights. You can submit such requests by (1) emailing us at privacy@qualsights.com; or (2) contacting us by mail (see Section 16, “Contact Us”, below).

11. SECURITY AND RETENTION

We strive to maintain the security of your information by using appropriate measures designed to protect our systems. However, we cannot guarantee the security of any information that is disclosed online.

How long we retain your Personal Information depends on the context in which, and purposes for which, we collected it. We generally retain Personal Information for as long as necessary for achieving the purposes for which it was collected or processed, unless a different retention period is required by applicable law.

12. LINKED THIRD-PARTY SITES

We are not responsible for the privacy practices and/or security practices employed by our Customers or other any third-party website or service, including but not limited to any such sites or services that may be linked to or referred to in any way on the Sites.

We may provide links to other third-party websites through the Sites solely as a convenience to you. However, such linking does not mean, and should not be interpreted to mean, that QualSights endorses, is affiliated with or makes any representations concerning such third-party websites. QualSights neither reviews, controls, nor is responsible for these third-party sites or any content therein. By using such links, you will leave the Sites. Please note that any Personal Information that you provide to such third parties will be governed by their privacy policies, and we have no control over or responsibility for their privacy practices. If you decide to access any of the third-party sites linked to the Sites, you do so entirely at your own risk. QualSights shall not be liable for any consequences arising from use of any third-party websites to which the Sites link. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party website or application for details about what information is collected and how it is used and/or disclosed prior to providing any Personal Information.

13. INTERNATIONAL TRANSFERS

QualSights is based in Chicago, IL, USA; we have significant operations in India; and we serve Customers and research participants who are located throughout the world. Please be aware that your Personal Information may be transferred to, and be processed in, countries other than the country in which you are a resident. These countries may have data protection laws that are different to the laws of your country.

Further, please understand that elements of our service platform (including servers) are located in the United States, Europe and Asia, and our third-party service providers (including cloud service providers and partners) operate around the world. This means that, when we collect Personal Information, we or our Customers may process it in foreign jurisdictions. However, we will handle your Personal Information in accordance with this Privacy Policy regardless of where your Personal Information is stored or processed. When we transfer Personal Information from the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom (UK) and Switzerland to other countries, including to the United States, we use a variety of legal means to help ensure the data is appropriately protected. We comply with certain legal frameworks relating to the cross-border transfer of Personal Information by implementing appropriate contractual or other measures, including but not limited to, the European Union or United Kingdom Standard Contractual Clauses, where required. Where permitted by applicable law, you may request a copy of such contractual clauses by contacting us using the information set out below in the “Contact Us” section.

While QualSights does not rely exclusively on the DPF Program certifications as a basis for international data transfers, we do, as noted above, endeavor to comply with DPF Program requirements regarding the collection, use and retention of Personal Information in the United States from European Union member countries and the UK and Switzerland, respectively ("European Personal Information"), as described in our DPF Program certifications. QualSights has certified its commitment to subject to the DPF Program requirements for all such European Personal Information received from the EU and the UK and Switzerland.

Onward Transfer: We shall remain responsible for the European Personal Information that we disclose under the Onward Transfer Principle to third parties for processing on our behalf, as described in Sections 5 and 6 of this policy.

If you have an inquiry regarding our privacy practices in relation to our DPF Program certifications, we encourage you to contact us using the information set out below in the “Contact Us” section. You may also file a complaint free of charge with your local data protection authority and we will work with them to resolve your complaint. In certain circumstances, the DPF Program frameworks also provide the right to invoke binding arbitration to resolve complaints not resolved by other means. Please see Section 14 of this policy for dispute resolution information.

In addition, QualSights and the Sites are fully subject to the investigatory and enforcement power of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

14. DISPUTE RESOLUTION; BINDING ARBITRATION

Concerns or Disputes Relating to DPF Principles: In compliance with the EU-U.S. DPF and the UK Extension to the EU-U.S. DPF and the Swiss-U.S. DPF, QualSights commits to refer unresolved complaints concerning our handling of Personal Information received in reliance on the EU-U.S. DPF and the UK Extension to the EU-U.S. DPF and the Swiss-U.S. DPF to VeraSafe, an alternative dispute resolution provider based in the United States. If you do not receive timely acknowledgment of your DPF Principles-related complaint from us, or if we have not addressed your DPF Principles-related complaint to your satisfaction, please visit VeraSafe (via this link) for more information or to file a complaint. The services of VeraSafe are provided at no cost to you.

Other Claims or Complaints: Upon receipt of any claim or complaint (hereafter a “Claim”) based on any matter addressed by or arising under this Privacy Policy, the Sites or QualSights’ services or privacy practices, QualSights will (if necessary) investigate and respond to the Claim within a reasonable time period. QualSights will attempt to resolve any Claim, in good faith, to the satisfaction of the individual submitting the Claim.

Binding Arbitration: If the procedures set forth above do not resolve a Claim, then, to expedite resolution and control the cost of any Claim related to the terms of this Privacy Policy, the Sites and/or QualSights’ services and/or privacy practices (each a "Dispute" and collectively, “Disputes”), you agree that any Dispute brought by either you or QualSights (individually, a “Party” and collectively, the “Parties”) shall be finally and exclusively resolved by binding arbitration. YOU UNDERSTAND THAT WITHOUT THIS PROVISION, YOU WOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO SUE IN COURT AND HAVE A JURY TRIAL. The arbitration shall be commenced and conducted under the Commercial Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association ("AAA") and, where appropriate, the AAA’s Supplementary Procedures for Consumer Related Disputes ("AAA Consumer Rules"), both of which are available at the AAA website www.adr.org.

Your arbitration fees and your share of arbitrator compensation shall be governed by the AAA Consumer Rules and, where appropriate, limited by the AAA Consumer Rules. The arbitration may be conducted in person, through the submission of documents, by phone, or online. The arbitrator will make a decision in writing, but need not provide a statement of reasons unless requested by either Party. The arbitrator must follow applicable law, and any award may be challenged if the arbitrator fails to do so.

Except where otherwise required by the applicable AAA rules or applicable law, the arbitration will take place in Cook County, Illinois, USA. Except as otherwise provided herein, the Parties may litigate in court to compel arbitration, stay proceedings pending arbitration, or to confirm, modify, vacate, or enter judgment on the award entered by the arbitrator.

If for any reason, a Dispute proceeds in court rather than arbitration, the Dispute shall be commenced or prosecuted in the state and federal courts located in Cook County, Illinois, USA, and the Parties hereby consent to, and waive all defenses of lack of, personal jurisdiction, and forum non conveniens with respect to venue and jurisdiction in such state and federal courts.

In no event shall any Dispute brought by either Party related in any way to the Sites or services be commenced more than three (3) years after the cause of action arose.

If any portion of this Section 14 is found to be illegal or unenforceable, then neither Party will elect to arbitrate any Dispute falling within that portion of this provision found to be illegal or unenforceable and such Dispute shall be decided by a court of competent jurisdiction within the courts listed for jurisdiction above, and the Parties agree to submit to the personal jurisdiction of that court.

Further, the Parties each agree that any arbitration shall be limited to the Dispute between the Parties individually. To the full extent permitted by law, (a) no arbitration shall be joined with any other proceeding; (b) there is no right or authority for any Dispute to be arbitrated on a class-action basis or to utilize class action procedures; and (c) there is no right or authority for any Dispute to be brought in a purported representative capacity on behalf of the general public or any other persons.

15. MODIFICATIONS TO OUR PRIVACY POLICY

From time to time, we may update and post revisions to this Privacy Policy. Any changes will be effective immediately upon the posting of the revised Privacy Policy. We encourage you to review this page periodically for the latest information on our privacy practices. This Privacy Policy was updated as of the effective date listed above.

16. CONTACT US

If you have concerns or questions about our Privacy Policy, or your Personal Information, please contact us at privacy@qualsights.com.

Attn: Privacy Officer
QualSights
2045 W. Grand Ave.,
Ste B, PMB 75887,
Chicago, Illinois 60612

Privacy Rights: If you wish to exercise any individual rights you may have, please submit your privacy requests by emailing us at privacy@qualsights.com.

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