MicrobeBio® Privacy Policy
MicrobeBio® Company values the privacy of individuals who visit our website which is operated throughout the US by MicrobeBio® or its subsidiaries and adheres to the privacy standards which have been adopted by the countries in which MicrobeBio® companies operate. This statement sets forth the important information which individuals who visit these sites need to know about how MicrobeBio® companies collect and use personal information from website visitors.
In this Privacy Policy, “MicrobeBio®” refers to MicrobeBio® Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates, including the business unit of MicrobeBio® that operates the website on which this Privacy Policy is found.
Please read this policy carefully. By visiting a MicrobeBio® web site and using the services provided on that site, you are indicating your agreement to MicrobeBio®’s use of your personal information as set out in this Policy.
This Policy is intended to be in compliance with the applicable privacy laws and regulations of each country in which MicrobeBio® operates and from which personally identifiable information is collected. To the extent the laws of a country may prohibit MicrobeBio® from using and sharing personal information in a way described in this Policy, the Policy and MicrobeBio®’s practices shall be deemed modified to be consistent with such local laws.
What Does This Policy Cover?
This Privacy Policy applies to MicrobeBio® websites and information collected by and through those websites. It does not apply to any other MicrobeBio® services or dealings with users or customers and does not apply to third-party sites which may be linked to the MicrobeBio® site.
Collection of Information
MicrobeBio® websites collect personally identifiable information only from individuals who voluntarily choose to provide the information through the website. (In this Policy the foregoing information is referred to as “Personal Information.”) That Personal Information may be collected in several different ways:
- Some sites may permit users to request a “user i.d.” and password which can be used on future visits to the site. Visitors to the site may be asked to supply their name, geographic location and some information about their business or occupation or other reason for interest in the site. In addition, some sites permit users to supply an e-mail address to sign up for MicrobeBio®newsletters. Other sites may include feedback or comment forms whereby users can submit questions or comments to MicrobeBio®. (In this Policy, the foregoing information is referred to as “User Information.”)
- Some sites may permit users to enter into transactions with MicrobeBio® or to take advantage of services provided by MicrobeBio® to its customers through that site or through its offices around the world. On such sites, users will be required to provide detailed information necessary to enable MicrobeBio® to process the transaction and to provide the goods or services requested by the visitor. Visitors may be requested to provide financial information, including credit card or bank information, in connection with such transactions. Visitors may also be asked to provide information about licenses which they hold in order to determine whether MicrobeBio® can lawfully sell the products requested by the visitor. (In this Policy, the foregoing information is referred to as “Transactional Information.”)
- Some MicrobeBio® websites may provide chat rooms or discussion forums where users may register and post messages or comments. Participation in such discussion areas is entirely voluntary. No information which a user posts in such an area is private, inasmuch as it will be accessible to other users of the same area. Thus, any Personal Information which a user chooses to post in such an area will not be subject to this Privacy Policy.
- From time-to-time our site may request additional information from users by means of surveys or contests. Participation in these surveys or contests is completely voluntary and the user therefore has a choice whether or not to disclose whatever additional information may be requested. Information requested through surveys and contests may include additional demographic information. (In this Policy, the foregoing information is referred to as “Survey Information.”)
In addition to the foregoing Personal Information, each site automatically logs information about a visitor from the browser used to access the site (e.g., Internet Explorer, Netscape, etc.). This includes information about the I.P. address of the visitor, the pages in the site which are visited from that address and the website which the user visited just prior to the MicrobeBio® site. (In this Policy, the foregoing information is referred to as “Visit Information.”) While some jurisdictions consider IP addresses to be personal information, none of this Visit Information is used by MicrobeBio® for direct or indirect identification of the individual user who is accessing the MicrobeBio® site. Visit Information will be used by MicrobeBio® to diagnose problems with its web servers, to administer, design and construct its websites, to track visitor movements on the websites and gather broad demographic information for aggregate use only.
Cookies
A cookie is a small data file that websites commonly write to the site visitor’s hard drive when a site is visited. A cookie file contains information that can identify a return visitor each time he or she visits our site. The data is encrypted for added security. MicrobeBio®’s websites may use cookies as a way to measure activity and traffic patterns on the site in order to continually improve the visitor’s experience. Cookies also provide visitors the convenience of not having to log in a password more than once on a MicrobeBio® site, thereby saving the visitor time while on our site.
A browser can be set to warn the users before accepting cookies. Users can choose to refuse cookies by turning them off in the browser. Users do not need to have cookies turned on to visit our website, but will need them to use certain customizable features of our website such as automatically displaying local weather and crop forecasts, accessing certain areas of our website, and transacting business on our website.
While we take all reasonable steps to protect the privacy of our website visitors, we cannot promise that the current limitations of our online applications programming will address every browser setting or honor every personal browser preference. In particular, we have not implemented the necessary program changes to honor “Do Not Track” or “DNT” browser signals. As our online applications programming is refined, we will take all reasonable steps to honor such requests in the future. Please return to this privacy policy for further updates on this topic.
Further, our online service providers or business partners may implement technologies that allow for the collection of personally identifiable information over time and across websites. We recommend that you review each privacy policy posted on the websites that you visit to better understand privacy practices on those websites.
MicrobeBio®’s Use of Your Personal Information
Your Personal Information may be used to communicate with you about your use of our sites, to let you know about changes to our services or our site or to provide services to you or to improve our understanding of what visitors want and need to see on the sites. In particular:
- User Information may be used by MicrobeBio® primarily to enhance the usability and friendliness of the MicrobeBio® websites and to ensure that the information which is provided is timely and relevant and meets the needs of our visitors. MicrobeBio® may also use the information which visitors voluntarily furnish through these sites to provide information and promotional material to persons who have visited the MicrobeBio® sites and to process specific requests for information which visitors may make. (See “Opting In / Opting Out” below if you do not wish to receive such materials from MicrobeBio®.)
- Transactional Information will be used by MicrobeBio® to process and complete the transaction for goods or services requested by the visitor.
- Survey Information will be used in a manner similar to User Information but will be used primarily in aggregate form to provide MicrobeBio® with information on customer needs, product design, market demand, etc.
Also, you should know that your Personal Information, as well as Visit Information collected at a MicrobeBio® site, may be used by MicrobeBio® security personnel if deemed necessary to protect MicrobeBio® from a threat or other perceived security risk and such information may be shared with law enforcement authorities if appropriate.
Sharing and Disclosure of Your Information
MicrobeBio® may share Personal Information with others for a number of purposes:
- We may provide contact information to our trade partners, advertisers and other interested parties so that they may contact you directly to furnish you information about their products and services. (As used in this Policy, “Trade Partners” means businesses not owned or operated by MicrobeBio® but which provide compatible goods or services which may be desired by or potentially useful for visitors to the MicrobeBio® websites.) (See “Opting In / Opting Out” below if you do not wish to receive such materials from Trade Partners.)
- We will provide aggregated data about products and services purchased, visitor interests, demographics and other information collected from our web site to our Trade Partners, advertisers and other interested parties so that they can learn what products and services are most popular to our customers. Aggregated data will be in anonymous group statistical form and not associated with any individual person.
- We may use a credit card processing company to bill website visitors for products and services which they request.
- We may partner with other parties to provide specific services. When the user signs up for these services, we will share names or other contact information that is necessary for the third parties to provide these services. These parties will not be allowed to use personally identifiable information except for the purpose of providing these services.
- We also may share Personal Information about visitors to our websites among its corporate affiliates and subsidiary companies for purposes related to the business of those affiliates and subsidiaries.
- MicrobeBio® may also share Personal Information about website visitors with third parties under the following circumstances:
- When you consent to disclosure;
- To comply with law, court orders, subpoena or legal process;
- To enforce or apply MicrobeBio®’s agreements or protect MicrobeBio® and its rights,
- By operation of law, when such Personal Information is transferred as a part of sale of assets including the assets represented by this site; or
- In the event that MicrobeBio®, or substantially all of its assets, are acquired outside of the ordinary course of business, and such Personal Information may be one of the transferred assets.
Transfers of Information
Because MicrobeBio® operates from its headquarters in the United States of America and through subsidiary companies located in many countries around the globe, and because its web servers which host its websites are located at numerous locations inside and outside the United States, it is possible that Personal Information about visitors may be transferred from one country to another. Such transfers will only occur in compliance with the applicable local law relevant to the source of the information.
When you furnish Personal Information to MicrobeBio® through our website, you are also giving your consent to a cross-border transfer of that information.
Children and Privacy
MicrobeBio® does not knowingly collect information from or about children age 13 and under without the consent of a parent or legal guardian.
Opting In / Opting Out
Upon registering at any MicrobeBio® website which collects Personal Information, visitors will be given an opportunity to determine whether they wish to receive promotional materials from MicrobeBio® or from Trade Partners. The manner and method in which a MicrobeBio® site permits users to opt out of receiving such materials will be described on the individual site collecting that Personal Information. If the user would like to “opt out” at a later time, he may do so by following the instructions on the site where the original request was made or the instructions contained in the e-mail messages delivering such materials to him.
Likewise, you may withdraw your consent to the collection or use of your Personal Information at any time by sending an email message to email.webguru@soilactivator.com identifying yourself and describing the Personal Information which you believe has been collected through this site.
Correction/Updating of Personal Information
Each site which collects Personal Information will provide users with instructions regarding correcting or updating that Personal Information. Some sites may maintain a user account section where visitors can make corrections themselves; others may provide an email link or contact information to request us to make those changes; generally, user requests for an update of Personal Information will be honored within a reasonable time after we receive a request. However, no changes to personal information will be permitted where the change would result in incorrect information or would alter a transaction with us already completed.
Retention of Personal Information
MicrobeBio® will periodically delete Personal Information collected from visitors to its websites if it is no longer needed for any purpose for which the information may be used or disclosed under the terms of this Policy.
Security
MicrobeBio® takes precautions to protect users’ information. Our safeguards include technical means and policies and procedures that our staff is trained to follow. In any event in which a MicrobeBio® web site is hosted by a third party, these safeguards shall also apply. If as a registered user you receive a password, you should keep it confidential because it is the key to access to the information held by MicrobeBio® about you. If you leave your computer’s internet browser running and someone else uses your computer, they will be able to access your account; thus, if your computer is not physically secure remember to shut down your browser before you leave it.
We try to reduce the likelihood of accidental disclosures and unintended access and modification of account information, but it is impossible to eliminate this possibility completely. When users submit sensitive information via the website, their information is protected both on-line and off-line.
When an enrollment or order form asks users to enter sensitive information (such as credit card number) that information is encrypted and is protected with the Secure Socket Layer (SSL) technology.
While MicrobeBio® uses SSL encryption to protect sensitive information online, it also takes steps to protect user-information off-line. All of our users’ information, not just the sensitive information mentioned above, is restricted in our offices. MicrobeBio® employees are kept up-to-date on our security and privacy practices. Any time new policies are added, our employees are notified and/or reminded about the importance we place on privacy, and what they can do to ensure our customers’ information is protected.
Protecting Your Own Privacy
Please keep in mind that whenever you voluntarily disclose personal information online – for example on message boards, through email, or in chat areas – that information can be collected and used by others. Ultimately, you are solely responsible for maintaining the secrecy of your passwords and/or any account information.
Changes to Policy
If MicrobeBio® decides to change its privacy policies and practices, we will post those changes to our Privacy Policy on our web site in advance of the changes taking effect, so our users are always aware of what information we collect, how we use it, and under what circumstances, if any, we disclose it. If at any point we decide to use personally identifiable information in a manner different from that stated at the time it was collected, we will notify users. Users will have a choice as to whether or not we use their information in this different manner. We will continue to be able to use information in accordance with the Privacy Policy under which the information was collected.
Contacting MicrobeBio®
Each MicrobeBio® website provides a Contact Us section to facilitate feedback from site visitors. Please use this facility to notify us if you have any questions, concerns or complaints about the manner in which your personal information has been collected or handled by MicrobeBio®, or contact MicrobeBio®’s offices in your country.
Policy Last Updated May 2014