Privacy Policy

Last Updated on November 17, 2017.

There are many different ways that you can use our Site (please see our Terms of Use for the definition of “Site”, “you” and “we”, “us”, “our”, or “RateMyVAR”). You can search for and share information about technology products, services, and vendors, communicate with others, or create new content such as recommendations and reviews. When you use our Site, for example by creating an account for the Site, you also share information with us.

We want you to understand how we use the information you share with us and how you can protect your privacy in using our Site. Before submitting your personal information to our Site, please read this Privacy Policy carefully. By accessing and using our Site, you are accepting the practices described herein.

This Privacy Policy explains:

What information we collect from you and why we collect it.

In General.

We receive and store any information you enter on our Site or give us in any other way. This may include information that can identify you (“personal information”), including your first and last name, telephone number, postal and email addresses, user name, and password. Additionally, if you connect to our Site through LinkedIn, we will receive information from your LinkedIn account as further described below. We may also request information about your usage of technology products and services and your preferences in choosing technology products and services. You can choose not to provide information to us, but, in general, some information about you is required in order for you to enjoy the benefits of being a registered member of our Site. For example, only registered members are able to post technology reviews, participate in discussion forums, email content to themselves and others, access members-only newsletters and technology research content, and enter surveys or promotions. In addition, some information is also required in order for you to ask us a question or initiate other transactions on our site.

Information about Others.

You may have the opportunity to provide contact information for other people through our Site. You should obtain the consent of other individuals prior to providing RateMyVAR with their personal information.

Information from LinkedIn.

If you connect to our Site through your LinkedIn account, we will receive:

  1. your LinkedIn profile information and will automatically populate your profile on our Site with your company name, industry, company size, and skills from your LinkedIn profile, however, you can request that this information not be shown publicly on our Site (though please be aware that no security measures are perfect or impenetrable and we cannot and do not guarantee that this information will not be viewed by unauthorized persons);
  2. access to your LinkedIn connections to show you reviews written by your connections, however, we will not access your connections’ contact information nor send messages to your connections.

You can add an email address in your account for our Site that differs from the email address(es) in your LinkedIn account. You also can turn off or adjust the frequency of notifications you receive from us through your LinkedIn account.

We will never post anything to your LinkedIn account on your behalf without your permission.

Information from Other Sources.

We also may periodically obtain both personal and non-personal information about you from affiliated entities, business partners, and other independent third-party sources and add it to other information about you. For example, if you visit our Site by “clicking-through” from a site operated by one of our business partners, and you have registered with that partner, then information about you that you have provided to that partner may be shared with us, such as contact information and demographic information. As another example, if you access third-party services, such as social media services, through our Site or before coming to our Site, we may collect information such as your user name, password, and other information made available to us through those services in order to improve and personalize your use of our Site.

Automatic Information.

We automatically collect some information about your computer when you visit the Site. For example, we will collect session data, including the time at which you visited our Site, your IP address, web browser software, referring website, information collected through cookies, web beacons, and other tracking technologies. We also will collect information about your online activity, such as content viewed, pages visited, and keywords searched or used. One of our goals in collecting this automatic information is to help us understand the interests of our users and customize your user experience, including through behavioral advertising, on the Site and/or other sites you may visit.

Cookies and Other Web Technologies.

The technologies we use for this automatic information collection may include:

  1. Cookies (or browser cookies). A cookie is a small file placed on the hard drive of your computer. You may refuse to accept browser cookies by activating the appropriate setting on your browser. However, if you select this setting you may be unable to access certain parts of our Site. Unless you have adjusted your browser setting so that it will refuse cookies, our system will issue cookies when you direct your browser to our Site.
  2. Flash Cookies. Certain features of our Site may use local stored objects (or Flash cookies) to collect and store information about your preferences and navigation to, from, and on our Site. Flash cookies are not managed by the same browser settings as are used for browser cookies. For information about managing your privacy and security settings for Flash cookies, please review “Your choices with respect to the collection and use of your information” below.
  3. Web Beacons. Pages of our Site and our emails may contain small electronic files known as web beacons (also referred to as clear gifs. pixel tags and single-pixel gifs) that permit us, for example, to count users who have visited those pages or opened an email and for other related website statistics (for example, recording the popularity of certain website content and verifying system and server integrity).

We do not collect personal information automatically, but we may tie this information to personal information about you that we collect from other sources or you provide to us.

RateMyVAR and its affiliated websites use these technologies for the following general purposes:

  1. To help us recognize your browser as a previous visitor and save and remember any preferences that may have been set while your browser was visiting our Site. For example, if you register on our Site, we may use cookies to remember your registration information, so you do not need to log into our Site each time you visit. We also may record your password in a cookie, if you checked the box entitled “Save this password for automatic sign-in.” Please note that member IDs, passwords, and any other account-related data included in such cookies are encrypted for security purposes.
  2. To help us customize the content and website experience provided to you on our Site and on other websites across the Internet. For example, when you access a web page on our Site, a cookie is automatically set by us, our service providers, or our partners to recognize your browser as you navigate on the Internet and to present you with information based on your apparent interests. This information may relate to our Site and the information provided on it and/or to products and services offered by our partners or the providers of products and services listed on our Site.
  3. To help measure and research the effectiveness of website features and offerings, advertisements, and email communications. For example, we work with third-party service providers to collect data about your use of the Site and the pages you visit for purposes of conversion tracking and serving ads targeted to your interests as you visit other websites across the Internet and to determine which emails you open and act upon.

You can opt out of some or all of the foregoing uses, including interest-based advertising, through the Do Not Track functionality in your web browser. The Help portion of the toolbar on most browsers should tell you how to prevent your browser from accepting new cookies, how to have the browser notify you when you receive a new cookie, or how to disable most types of cookies. Please note that if you refuse to accept cookies, you may not be able to access some of the tools offered on our Site.

Third-party use of cookies and other tracking technologies.

Some content or applications, including advertisements, on the Site are served by third parties, including advertisers, ad networks and servers, content providers, application providers, and providers of products and services listed on the Site. These third parties may use cookies, alone or in conjunction with web beacons or other tracking technologies, to collect information about you when you use our Site. The information they collect may be associated with your personal information or they may collect information, including personal information, about your online activities over time and across different websites and other online services. They may use this information to provide you with interest-based (behavioral) advertising or other targeted content.

We do not control these third parties’ tracking technologies or how they may be used. If you have any questions about an advertisement or other targeted content, you should contact the responsible provider directly. For information about how you can opt out of receiving targeted advertising from many third-party providers, please visit the DAA’s aboutads.info website: http//www/aboutads.info/choices/. For information about how you can opt out of RateMyVAR’s collection and use of your information, please review “Your choices with respect to the collection and use of your information” below.

How we use your information.

RateMyVAR uses the information we collect about you for the following general purposes: for registration and to manage your account, including to facilitate your access to and use of our Site; to communicate with you in general, including to provide information about RateMyVAR and invitations from the RateMyVAR community; to enable us to publish your reviews, forum posts, and other content to the RateMyVAR community; to respond to your questions and comments; to measure interest in and improve our products, services, and Site; to notify you about special offers and products or services available from us or our partners, or from the providers of products and services listed on our Site, that may be of interest to you; to otherwise customize your experience with RateMyVAR; to solicit information from you, including through surveys; to resolve disputes or troubleshoot problems; to prevent potentially prohibited or illegal activities; to enforce our Terms of Use; and as otherwise described to you at the point of collection.

Please review “Your choices with respect to the collection and use of your information” below.

With whom we share your information.

RateMyVAR may share your information with the following entities:

  1. Third-party vendors who provide services or functions on our behalf, which may include business analytics, customer service, marketing, distribution of surveys or promotion programs, payment processing, and fraud prevention. We may also authorize third-party vendors to collect information on our behalf, including as necessary to operate features of our Site. Third-party vendors have access to and may collect information only as needed to perform their functions and are not permitted to share or use the information for any other purpose.
  2. Business partners with whom we may offer products or services in conjunction. You can tell when a third party is involved in a product or service you have requested because their name will appear either with ours or separately. If you choose to access these optional services, we may share information about you, including your personal information, with those partners. Please note that we do not control the privacy practices of these third-party business partners.
  3. Business partners and the public with whom we may share aggregated, non-personally identifiable information. This is information that is recorded about a user or activity on our Site, such as the automatic information described above, which no longer reflects or references an individually identifiable user. We may share this aggregated, non-personally identifiable information with our business partners to provide their own services to others, such as behavioral advertising or business analytics services. We also may share this aggregated, non-personally identifiable information publicly to show, for example, trends in technology products and services purchases or rankings amongst providers of such products and services based on aggregated reviews and comments.
  4. Social Media Services. You can choose to access certain third-party social media websites and services through our site (such as LinkedIn and Twitter). When you do so, you are sharing information with those sites, and the information you share will be governed by their privacy policies. You may also be able to modify your privacy settings with these third-party social media web sites.

With whom we also may share your information.

RateMyVAR also may share your information as follows:

  1. In response to subpoenas, court orders, or other legal process; to establish or exercise our legal rights; to defend against legal claims; or as otherwise required by law. In such cases, we reserve the right to raise or waive any legal objection or right available to us.
  2. When we believe it is necessary to investigate, prevent, or take action regarding illegal or suspected illegal activities; to protect and defend the rights, property, or safety of RateMyVAR, our customers, or others; and in connection with our Terms of Use and other agreements.
  3. In connection with a corporate transaction, such as a divestiture, investment, merger, consolidation, or asset sale, or in the unlikely event of bankruptcy.
  4. If you choose to create a profile on the Site, certain information in your profile will be publicly viewable and identifiable via your name. You will have the ability to view your profile as members of the public will see it. Additionally, if you choose to participate in our member-to-member communications programs, other RateMyVAR members may contact you by using RateMyVAR as an intermediary; however, RateMyVAR will not display your email address in any public manner. All RateMyVAR members have the option to turn off the member-to-member communication features at any time. Other than as set out above, you will be notified when personal information about you will be shared with third parties, and you will have an opportunity to choose not to have us share such information. We also may share aggregate or anonymous information with third parties, including partners and investors. This information does not contain any personal information and is used to develop content and services we hope you will find of interest.

How you can access your information.

We take reasonable steps to ensure that your information is relevant to its intended use, accurate, and complete. You will be able to access and update your contact information by visiting the Member Profile page on the Site. You can close your RateMyVAR account by contacting us at the email address listed below. We will send you an email to confirm your request. Please note that after you close an account, you will not be able to sign in or access any of your personal information. However, you can open a new account at any time. Please also note that we may retain certain information associated with your account in our archives, including for analytical purposes as well as for recordkeeping integrity.

Your choices with respect to the collection and use of your information.

As discussed above, you can choose not to provide us with any information, although it may be needed to take advantage of certain features offered on the Site.

You also can add or update information and close your account as described above.

As a registered RateMyVAR member, you will be able to modify your choices at any time on the Member Profile page. Whether registered as a RateMyVAR member or not, you also will be given the opportunity to unsubscribe from promotional messages in any such email we send as further detailed below. Please note that we reserve the right to send you other communications, including service announcements, administrative messages, and surveys relating to your RateMyVAR account, without offering you the opportunity to opt out of receiving them.

Tracking Technologies and Advertising. You can set your browser to refuse all or some browser cookies, or to alert you when cookies are being sent. To learn how you can manage your Flash cookie settings, visit the Flash player settings page on Adobe’s website. If you disable or refuse cookies, please note that some parts of this site may then be inaccessible or not function properly.

Disclosure of Your Information for Third-Party Advertising. If you do not want us to share your personal information with unaffiliated or non-agent third parties, including the providers of products and services listed on our Site, for promotional purposes, you can opt-out on the Member Profile page. You can also always opt-out by sending us an email stating your request to mark@nerdhives.com. Additionally, for information about opting out of certain third-party advertising with those third parties, please review “Third-party use of cookies and other technologies” above.

Email Communications and Promotional Offers from RateMyVAR. If you do not wish to have your email address or other contact information used by us to promote our own or third parties’ products or services, you can opt-out as described in any such email we send or at any other time on the Member Profile page. You can also always opt-out by sending us an email stating your request to mark@nerdhives.com.

How we protect your information.

We want you to feel confident about using our Site and services, and we are committed to protecting the information we collect. While no website can guarantee security, we are implementing appropriate administrative, technical, and physical security procedures to help protect the personal information you provide to us. For example, only authorized employees are permitted to access personal information, and they only may do so for permitted business functions. In addition, we use encryption when transmitting your personal information between your system and ours, and we, together with our partners, employ firewalls and intrusion detection systems to help prevent unauthorized persons from gaining access to your information.

Children’s privacy.

The Site is a general audience site and does not offer services directed to children under 13 years of age. No one under age 13 may provide any information to or on the Site. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you are under 13, do not use or provide any information on this Site or on or through any of its features, do not register on this Site, use any of the interactive or comment features of this Site, or provide any information about yourself to us, including your name, address, telephone number, email address, or any screen name or user name you may use. Should an individual whom we know to be a child under age 13 send personal information to us or should we learn that we have collected or received personal information from a child under 13 without verification of parental consent, we will delete or destroy such information as soon as reasonably possible. If you believe we might have any information from or about a child under 13, please contact us as directed below under “How you can contact us”.

Visiting our Site from outside the United States.

If you are visiting our Site from outside the United States, please be aware that your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States where our servers are located and our central database is operated. The data protection and other laws of the United States and other countries might not be as comprehensive as those in your country, but please be assured that RateMyVAR does take steps pursuant to laws in the United States to ensure that your privacy is protected. By visiting our Site or using our services, you understand that your information may be transferred to our facilities and those third parties with whom we share it as described in this Privacy Policy.

Your California privacy rights.

California Civil Code Section 1798.83 permits California residents to request certain information regarding our disclosure of personal information to third parties for their direct marketing purposes. To make such a request, please email mark@nerdhives.com.

Changes to this Privacy Policy.

RateMyVAR may update this Privacy Policy in the future. We will notify our members about material changes to this Privacy Policy by either sending a notice to the email address you provided to us and/or by placing a prominent notice on the Site.

How you can contact us.

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us at: mark@nerdhives.com.