Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy has been compiled to better serve those who are concerned with how their Personally Identifiable Information (PII) is being used online. PII, as described in relevant privacy laws and information security, is information that can be used on its own or with other information to identify, contact, or locate a single person, or to identify an individual in context. Please read our Privacy Policy carefully to get a clear understanding of how we collect, use, protect or otherwise handle your PII in accordance with our website and in our market research practice.

Our Privacy Policy has been prepared to comply with the laws of every jurisdiction in which we aim to do business including those in the UK and the EU [General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)]. If you believe that this Privacy Policy fails to satisfy the privacy law of your country, please let us know.

We adhere to the following GDPR Principles when processing personal data:

• Data is processed fairly and lawfully.
• Data is processed only for specified and lawful purposes.
• Processed data is adequate, relevant, and not excessive.
• Processed data is accurate and, where necessary, kept up to date.
• Data is not kept longer than necessary.
• Data is kept secure and processed in a manner that ensures appropriate security.
• We (OSG) are the controller and ultimately responsible for protecting your data.

What personal information do we collect from the people that visit our blog, website, or app?

When registering on our site, as appropriate, you may be asked to enter your name, email address, mailing address, and phone number to help you with your experience.

When do we collect information?

We collect information from you, as appropriate, when you register on our site, subscribe to a newsletter, respond to a survey, fill out a form, and use live chat.

How do we use your information?

We may use the information we collect from you when you register, sign up for our newsletter, respond to a survey or marketing communication, surf the website, or use certain other site features in the following ways:

• To personalize your experience and to allow us to deliver the type of content and product offerings that interest you.
• To improve our website to better serve you.
• To allow us to better service you in responding to your customer service request.
• To administer a contest, promotion, survey, or other site feature.
• To ask for ratings and reviews of services or products.

CASRO/ESOMAR Practices in Market Research

We at OSG operate under the idea of being “double-blind” in our market research practice, where the respondent will not know who the client is, and the client will not know who the respondent is, to protect their confidentiality.

How do we store your data?

Your data, that you provide us, will be stored on our CRM system to enable us to carry out the necessary steps to provide you with the service/information requested. In some cases, we may get your information from a third party or partner company. This information will only be shared with us if you had provided the third party or partner company with prior consent to do so.

We have put in place appropriate security measures to prevent your personal data from being accidentally lost, used, or accessed in an unauthorized way, altered, or disclosed. In addition, we limit access to your personal data to only those employees, agents, contractors, and other third parties who have a business need to know. They will only process your personal data based on our instructions, and they are subject to a duty of confidentiality.

We have put in place procedures to deal with any suspected personal data breach and will notify you and any applicable regulator of a breach where we are legally required to do so.

Do we share your data?

• We will not sell or rent your data to third parties.
• We may share your data with third parties to fulfill a contract you have in place with us.
• We may pass your data to our third-party service providers, sub-contractors, and other associated organizations for the purpose of carrying out a task in accordance with the contract that we have in place with you. However, when we share your data with third parties, we disclose only the personal information that is necessary to deliver the service and we have a contract in place that requires them to keep your data secure and only for the duration it is required to carry out that specific task.
• Third-party product providers: We work closely with various third-party product providers to bring you a range of quality and reliable products and services designed to meet your needs. When you enquire about or purchase one or more of these products, the relevant third-party product provider will use your details to provide you with information and carry out their obligations based on any contract you have entered with them. In some cases, they will be acting as a data controller of your data and therefore we advise you to read their privacy notice.
• We may also further transfer data if we are under a duty to disclose or share your personal data to comply with any legal obligation or to law enforcement as needed. However, we will take steps with the aim of ensuring that your privacy rights continue to be protected.

How do we protect your information?

• We do not use vulnerability scanning and/or scanning to PCI standards.
• We only provide articles and information. We never ask for credit card numbers.
• We use regular Malware Scanning.

Your personal information is contained behind secured networks and is only accessible by a limited number of persons who have special access rights to such systems and are required to keep the information confidential. In addition, all sensitive/credit card information you supply is encrypted via Secure Socket Layer (SSL) technology.

We implement a variety of security measures when a user enters, submits, or accesses their information to maintain the safety of your personal information.

Do we use “cookies”?

Yes. Cookies are small files that a site or its service provider transfers to your computer’s hard drive through your Web browser (if you allow) that enables the site’s or service provider’s systems to recognize your browser and capture and remember certain information. They are also used to help us understand your preferences based on previous or current site activity, which enables us to provide you with improved services. We also use cookies to help us compile aggregate data about site traffic and site interaction so that we can offer better site experiences and tools in the future.

We use cookies to:

• Understand and save users’ preferences for future visits.
• Keep track of advertisements.
• Compile aggregate data on-site traffic and site interactions to offer better site experiences.
• We may also use trusted third-party services that track such information on our behalf.

You can choose to have your computer warn you each time a cookie is being sent, or you can choose to turn off all cookies. You can do this through your browser settings. Since each browser is a bit different, look at your browser’s Help Menu to learn the correct way to modify your settings.

If you turn cookies off, some of the features that make your site experience more efficient may not function properly.

Third-Party Disclosure

We do not sell, trade, or otherwise transfer to outside parties your Personally Identifiable Information unless we provide users with advance notice. This does not include website hosting partners and other parties who assist us in operating our website, conducting our business, or serving our users, so long as those parties agree to keep this information confidential.

We may also release information when its release is appropriate to comply with the law, enforce our site policies, or protect our or others’ rights, property, or safety. However, non-personally identifiable visitor information may be provided to other parties for marketing, advertising, or other uses.

Downloads & Media Files

Any downloadable documents, files, or media made available on this website are provided to users at their own risk. While all precautions have been taken to ensure only genuine downloads are available, users are advised to verify their authenticity using third-party antivirus software or similar applications. We accept no responsibility for third-party downloads and downloads provided by external third-party websites and advise users to verify their authenticity using third-party antivirus software or similar applications.

Contact & Communication with Us

Users who contact us through this website do so at their own discretion and provide any such personal details requested at their own risk. Your personal information is kept private and stored in a secure server until such time it is no longer required or has no use.

Where we have clearly stated and made you aware of the fact, and where you have given your explicit permission, we may then send you information on our products/services through a mailing list system.

Email Mailing List & Marketing Messages

We operate an email mailing list program, used to inform subscribers about products, services, and/or news we publish. Users can subscribe through an online automated process where they have given their explicit permission. Subscriber personal details are collected, processed, managed, and stored in accordance with the regulations stated in this policy. Subscribers can unsubscribe at any time through an automated online service, or if not available, other means as detailed in the footer of marketing messages sent. The type and content of marketing messages subscribers receive, and if it contains third-party content, is clearly outlined at the point of subscription.

Email marketing messages may contain tracking beacons/tracked clickable links or similar server technologies to track subscriber activity within email marketing messages. Where used, such marketing messages may record a range of subscriber data relating to engagement, geography, demographics, and already stored subscriber data.

External Website Links & Third Parties

Although we only include quality, safe and relevant external links, users are advised to adopt a policy of caution before clicking any external web links mentioned throughout this website, if any.

We cannot guarantee or verify the contents of any externally linked website. Users should therefore note that they click on external links at their own risk, and we cannot be held liable for any damages or implications caused by visiting any external links mentioned.

We do not include or offer third-party products or services on our website.

Social Media

There may be instances where our website features social sharing buttons, which help share web content directly from web pages to the respective social media platforms. You use social sharing buttons at your own discretion and accept that doing so may publish content to your social media profile feed or page. You can find further information about some social media privacy and usage policies in the resources section below.

Google

Google’s advertising requirements can be accessed at Google’s Advertising Principles. They are put in place to provide a positive experience for users.

We have not enabled Google AdSense on our site, but we may do so in the future.

California Online Privacy Protection Act (CalOPPA)

CalOPPA is the first state law in the nation to require commercial websites and online services to post a privacy policy. The law’s reach stretches well beyond California to require any person or company in the United States (and conceivably the world) that operates websites collecting Personally Identifiable Information from California consumers to post a conspicuous privacy policy on its website stating exactly the information being collected and those individuals or companies with whom it is being shared.

According to CalOPPA, we agree to the following:

• Users can visit our site anonymously
• Once this privacy policy is created, we will add a link to it on our home page or as a minimum, on the first significant page after entering our website
• Our Privacy Policy link includes the word ‘Privacy’ and can easily be found on the page specified above

You will be notified of any Privacy Policy changes:

• On our Privacy Policy Page

You can change your personal information:

• By emailing us at [email protected]

How does our site handle Do Not Track signals?

We honor Do Not Track signals and Do Not Track, plant cookies, or use advertising when a Do Not Track (DNT) browser mechanism is in place.

Does our site allow third-party behavioral tracking?

We do not allow third-party behavioral tracking.

COPPA (Children Online Privacy Protection Act)

When it comes to the collection of personal information from children under the age of 13 years, the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) puts parents in control. The United States’ consumer protection agency, Federal Trade Commission (FTC), enforces the COPPA Rule, which spells out what operators of websites and online services must do to protect children’s privacy and safety online.

Our services are not intended for use by children or any individual below the age of 16 years and we do not knowingly or inadvertently collect data relating to children.

Fair Information Practices

The Fair Information Practices Principles form the backbone of privacy law in the United States and the concepts they include have played a significant role in the development of data protection laws around the world. Understanding the Fair Information Practice Principles and how they should be implemented is critical to complying with various privacy laws that protect personal information.

To comply with Fair Information Practices, we will take the following responsive action, should a data breach occur:

• We will notify you via email and in accordance with local law requirements
• We also agree to the Individual Redress Principle which requires that individuals have the right to legally pursue enforceable rights against data collectors and processors who fail to adhere to the law. This principle requires not only those individuals have enforceable rights against data users, but also that individuals have recourse to courts or government agencies to investigate and/or prosecute non-compliance by data processors.

CAN-SPAM Act

The CAN-SPAM Act is a law that sets the rules for commercial email, establishes requirements for commercial messages, gives recipients the right to have emails stopped from being sent to them, and spells out tough penalties for any violations.

We collect your email address to:

• Send information, respond to inquiries, and/or other requests or questions
• Market to our mailing list or continue to send emails to our clients after the original transaction has occurred

To be in accordance with CAN-SPAM, we agree to the following:

• Not use false or misleading subject lines or email addresses.
• Identify the message as an advertisement in some reasonable way.
• Include the physical address of our business or site headquarters.
• Monitor third-party email marketing services for compliance if one is used.
• Honor opt-out/unsubscribe requests within 72 hours during each work week.
• Allow users to unsubscribe by using the link at the bottom of each email.

What are your rights as a data subject?

We understand how important you hold your data and its processing. We adhere to the rights of the data subject within the parameters of Lawful Processing (as defined in the General Data Protection Regulation). These rights include:

• The right to be informed on how personal data is processed.
• The right of access to your personal data: You may request access to your personal data (commonly known as a “data subject access request”). This enables you to receive a copy of the personal data we have on you and to check that we are lawfully processing it.
• The right to rectification: You have the right to request correction of the personal data that we have on you. This enables you to have any incomplete or inaccurate data we have on you corrected, though we may need to verify the accuracy of the new data you provide to us.
• The right to erasure: This enables you to request us to delete or remove personal data where there is no good reason for us to continue to process it. You also have the right to ask us to delete or remove your personal data where you have successfully exercised your right to object to processing, where we may have processed your information unlawfully, or where we are required to erase your personal data to comply with local law. Note, however, that we may not always be able to comply with your request of erasure for specific legal reasons which will be notified to you, if applicable, at the time of your request.
• The right to object to processing: You may object to the processing of your personal data where we are relying on a legitimate interest (or those of a third party) and there is something about your situation which makes you want to object to processing on this ground as you feel it impacts on your fundamental rights and freedoms. You also have the right to object to where we are processing your personal data for direct marketing purposes. In some cases, we may demonstrate that we have compelling legitimate grounds to process your information which overrides your rights and freedoms. This may be to protect the “vital interests” of the data subject (essentially in life and death scenarios). For e.g., we may divulge the blood group of a data subject if the information is needed to save a life.
• The right to restrict processing: This enables you to ask us to suspend the processing of your personal data in the following scenarios: (a) if you want us to establish the data accuracy; (b) where our use of the data is unlawful but you do not want us to erase it; (c) where you need us to hold the data even if we no longer require it as you need it to establish, exercise or defend legal claims; or (d) you have objected to our use of your data but we need to verify whether we have overriding legitimate grounds to use it.
• The right to data portability: You may request the transfer of your personal data to you or to a third party. We will provide to you, or a third party you have chosen, your personal data in a structured, commonly used, machine-readable format. Note that this right only applies to automated information which you initially provided consent for us to use or where we used the information to perform a contract with you.
• Rights in relation to automated decision making and profiling: Under the GDPR, you also have a right not to be subject to decisions based solely on automated data processing (including profiling) if the decision produces legal effects on you or significantly affects you.
• You have the right to withdraw consent at any time where we are relying on consent to process your personal data. However, this will not affect the lawfulness of any processing carried out before you withdraw your consent. If you withdraw your consent, we may not be able to provide certain products or services to you. We will advise you if this is the case at the time you withdraw your consent.

Should you wish to exercise any of these rights, please do so by contacting us at [email protected]. To better safeguard your data, we will also take reasonable steps to verify your identity before granting access or making corrections to your data. Please note that calls may be recorded for training purposes and of protection of our staff and clients.

You will not have to pay a fee to access your personal data (or to exercise any of the other rights). However, we may charge a reasonable fee if your request is clearly unfounded, repetitive, or excessive. Alternatively, we may refuse to comply with your request in such circumstances.

If at any time you would like to unsubscribe from receiving future emails, you can email us at [email protected] and we will promptly remove you from ALL future correspondence.

Data Privacy Officer (DPO)

The designated Data Privacy Officer at Optimal Strategix Group (OSG) is Arvind Vij. He can be contacted at [email protected].

Contact Us

If there are any questions regarding this Privacy Policy, you may contact us at:

Optimal Strategix Group, Inc., 140 Terry Drive Suite 118, Newtown, PA 18940, USA

Last updated: July 6, 2022