This privacy policy describes how Protea Technology Services, LLC (“Protea Tech,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) collects, uses, and protects your personal information when you visit our website or use our services. We are committed to ensuring the privacy and security of your personal information. By using our website or services, you agree to the terms and conditions of this privacy policy.
1. Information We Collect
We collect personal information that you voluntarily provide to us when you use our website, register for an account, fill out a form, or engage with our services. The types of personal information we may collect include:
1.1 Personal Identifiers
- Name, email address, phone number, and postal address
- Company name and job title
- Account credentials (if you create an account)
- Payment information (processed securely through our payment processors)
1.2 Project Information
- Project requirements, goals, and specifications
- Budget and timeline information
- Communication records related to your projects
1.3 Automatically Collected Information
- IP address and location data
- Browser type and version
- Operating system
- Device information
- Pages visited and time spent on our website
- Referral sources
- Other usage data collected through cookies and similar technologies
2. How We Use Your Information
We use the personal information we collect for various purposes, including but not limited to:
2.1 Providing and Improving Our Services
- Delivering the services you have requested
- Processing and fulfilling your orders or contracts
- Responding to your inquiries and providing customer support
- Improving our website, services, and user experience
- Developing new features, products, and services
2.2 Communication and Marketing
- Sending you important updates about our services
- Providing you with newsletters, marketing communications, or promotional materials (with your consent)
- Conducting surveys or collecting feedback
2.3 Legal and Security Purposes
- Complying with legal obligations
- Enforcing our terms of service
- Protecting our rights, privacy, safety, or property
- Detecting, preventing, and addressing fraud, security breaches, or other potentially illegal activities
3. Legal Basis for Processing (GDPR)
For users in the European Economic Area (EEA), we process your personal information based on one or more of the following legal grounds:
- Performance of a Contract: Processing is necessary to fulfill our contractual obligations to you or to take steps at your request before entering into a contract.
- Legitimate Interests: Processing is necessary for our legitimate interests, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms.
- Legal Obligation: Processing is necessary to comply with a legal obligation to which we are subject.
- Consent: You have given us consent to process your personal information for specific purposes.
4. Cookies and Similar Technologies
We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to collect information about your browsing activities on our website. Cookies are small text files that are stored on your device when you visit our website. They help us provide you with a better experience and allow us to improve our website.
4.1 Types of Cookies We Use
- Essential Cookies: These cookies are necessary for the website to function properly and cannot be switched off in our systems.
- Performance Cookies: These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site.
- Functional Cookies: These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalization.
- Targeting Cookies: These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant ads on other sites.
4.2 Managing Cookies
Most web browsers allow you to control cookies through their settings. You can usually find these settings in the “Options” or “Preferences” menu of your browser. However, if you disable certain cookies, you may not be able to use all the features of our website.
5. Data Sharing and Disclosure
We do not sell, trade, or otherwise transfer your personal information to third parties without your consent, except as described in this privacy policy. We may share your information with:
- Service Providers: Third-party vendors, contractors, and service providers who perform services on our behalf, such as web hosting, data analysis, payment processing, and customer service.
- Business Partners: With your consent, we may share your information with our business partners to offer you certain products, services, or promotions.
- Legal Requirements: When required by law, such as to comply with a subpoena, legal proceedings, or similar legal process, or when we believe in good faith that disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, protect your safety or the safety of others, investigate fraud, or respond to a government request.
- Business Transfers: In connection with any merger, sale of company assets, financing, or acquisition of all or a portion of our business by another company.
6. Data Retention
We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this privacy policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law. The criteria used to determine our retention periods include:
- The length of time we have an ongoing relationship with you
- Whether there is a legal obligation to which we are subject
- Whether retention is advisable in light of our legal position (such as in regard to applicable statutes of limitations, litigation, or regulatory investigations)
7. Data Security
We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, accidental loss, destruction, or damage. These measures include:
- Encryption of sensitive information during transmission
- Secure storage of personal data
- Regular security assessments and testing
- Access controls and authentication procedures
- Staff training on data protection and security
While we strive to protect your personal information, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. Therefore, we cannot guarantee absolute security.
8. Your Rights and Choices
Depending on your location, you may have certain rights regarding your personal information. These may include:
8.1 GDPR Rights (for EEA Residents)
- Right to Access: You have the right to request information about the personal data we hold about you.
- Right to Rectification: You have the right to request that we correct any inaccurate or incomplete personal information.
- Right to Erasure: You have the right to request the deletion of your personal data under certain circumstances.
- Right to Restrict Processing: You have the right to request that we restrict the processing of your personal data under certain circumstances.
- Right to Data Portability: You have the right to receive your personal data in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format.
- Right to Object: You have the right to object to the processing of your personal data under certain circumstances.
8.2 CCPA Rights (for California Residents)
- Right to Know: You have the right to request information about the categories and specific pieces of personal information we have collected about you, the categories of sources from which we collected the information, the purposes for collecting the information, and the categories of third parties with whom we share the information.
- Right to Delete: You have the right to request the deletion of your personal information, subject to certain exceptions.
- Right to Opt-Out: You have the right to opt-out of the sale of your personal information (if applicable).
- Right to Non-Discrimination: You have the right not to be discriminated against for exercising your CCPA rights.
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the information provided in the “Contact Us” section below. We may need to verify your identity before responding to your request.
9. International Data Transfers
We may transfer your personal information to countries other than the one in which you reside. When we transfer personal information across borders, we take appropriate safeguards to ensure that your information is protected in accordance with this privacy policy and applicable data protection laws.
For transfers from the EEA to countries not considered adequate by the European Commission, we implement appropriate safeguards, such as standard contractual clauses adopted by the European Commission, to protect your personal information.
10. Children's Privacy
Our website and services are not directed to individuals under the age of 16. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 16. If you are a parent or guardian and you believe that your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us so that we can take appropriate action.
11. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this privacy policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technologies, legal requirements, or other factors. We will notify you of any material changes by posting the updated privacy policy on our website and updating the “Last updated” date at the top of this policy. We encourage you to review this privacy policy periodically to stay informed about how we collect, use, and protect your personal information.
12. Contact Us
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this privacy policy or our privacy practices, please contact us at:
Protea Technology Services, LLC
Email: privacy@proteatech.dev
Address: 350 Tenth Ave, Suite 1000, San Diego, CA 92101, USA
We will respond to your request within a reasonable timeframe and in accordance with applicable data protection laws.