Privacy Policy


Privacy Policy

Last updated: August 20, 2024

 

What is this document and why should you read it?

ETAP/Operation Technology, Inc. (“ETAP”) recognizes the importance of protecting the information collected from users through both normal business practices and the operation of this website and takes reasonable steps to maintain the security, integrity, and privacy of any information in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

This Policy is designed to empower you by explaining how we collect, use, and share your personal information. We do this to operate our websites, manage our business, and nurture our relationships with our customers, partners, and suppliers. It also informs you of your rights, giving you control over your personal information. When we use the term “personal information,” we mean any information that relates to an identifiable natural person. A name, address, and contact details are all examples of personal information if they identify you or another person.

If you provide us with personal information about other persons, such as family, friends, or other associates, you must seek their permission, inform them in the first instance, and share a copy of this Policy with them.

If you are a job applicant who has provided your personal information to us for recruitment purposes or an employee, contractor, or other individual who is working or has previously worked under a contracting arrangement with us, we would have previously provided you a copy of our relevant privacy notice or policy. If you do not have a copy, don't hesitate to contact us at legal@etap.com, and we will promptly provide one.

We want to assure you that we are committed to transparency and will only process your personal data in strict accordance with the provisions of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This is our way of respecting your privacy and keeping you informed about how your data is handled.You consent to the practices described herein by submitting your information to ETAP. You can read, print, and save this whole Privacy Policy or click on the links below to see specific information about:

 


 

What is the scope of ETAP Privacy Policy and Data Protection

This privacy policy applies to all personal data processed by full-time and part-time employees when acting on behalf of ETAP, contractors, and partners doing business on behalf of ETAP, as well as all legal entities, all affiliate companies, all operating locations in all countries, and all business processes conducted by ETAP herein referred to as “ETAP.”

 


 

What personal information we collect about you

We collect:

  • personal information when you visit our website. You may share your personal information with us in several ways, such as via our website or otherwise. You might complete the ‘Contact Us’ Form on our website, subscribe to ETAP News, comment on our blog, register for one of our events, use our helpdesk or support, request content, enroll for “My ETAP” or use the email links such as sales@etap.com, info@etap.com, and others to reach us directly.

    ETAP collects the personal data in line with the use purposes explained in a subsequent section, including but not limited to the following:

    • Your name and contact details
    • Online profile data/usage
    • Education and professional information
    • Communication information, including ETAP HelpDesk
    • Purchasing and payment information
    • Registration and participation in ETAP events and activities
    • Subscription preferences
    • Information about the device(s) you use
    • Information about service usage
    • Cookies (see details in the section below)
    • Authentication data
    • Location information
    • Other information you upload or provide to us

    Many of the tools and information available on this website do not require you to provide personal information. To take advantage of certain features, we may ask you to provide personal information, such as your e-mail address, name, home or work address, telephone number, job title, or industry, to transact business and respond to your inquiry. We may also collect demographic information. If you choose to make a purchase or sign up for a paid training or course, we will ask for additional information, such as your credit card number and billing address. In all cases, your decision to provide us with personal information is voluntary, and such information will only be used to help transact your business or respond to your questions.

    To improve our products, services, and website and provide customers with more convenient, relevant experiences, we may use "cookies," "web beacons," and similar devices to track your activities. When you visit our website for the first time, you will be presented with a cookie banner that allows you to accept or decline cookies. The cookies may store or retrieve information on your browser. This information might be about you, your preferences, or your device.

    A cookie is a small amount of data transferred to your browser by a web server and can only be read by the server that gave it to you. It functions as your identification card. It cannot be executed as code or deliver viruses.

    A web beacon is a small transparent gif image embedded in an HTML page or email that tracks when the page or email has been viewed. We may include web beacons in promotional e-mail messages or our newsletters to determine whether messages have been opened and acted upon. This device is similar to a cookie in that it tracks your visit, and the data can only be read by the server that receives the data. It is different than a cookie in that it is not browser-based, may not function as an identification card, and does not store any data on your computer.

    The personal information that you provide to us may include your name, address, e-mail address or other online identifier, physical address, internet protocol address, MAC address, employer, job role and phone number, your login information (where applicable), browser type and version, time zone setting, browser plug-in types and versions, operating system and platform, as well as details of how you navigated our website, what pages you viewed or searched for, page response times, download errors, length of visits to certain pages, page interaction information (such as scrolling, clicks, and mouse-overs), geolocation, sensory data, such as audio information for recorded technical support interactions, and any phone number or email address used to contact our customer service department.

  • personal information that our customers and business partners provide to us. When our customers purchase our products or services or our business partners communicate with us in the regular course of business, the personal information that representatives of our customers and business partners provide to us may include a name, organizational details affiliated with an individual, including their office address, e-mail address, phone number, job-related information (such as job title and department) and well as geographic and technical data (including IP address and/or MAC address) relating to the use of our software and products. This can include personal information utilized within our products and services, i.e., populating details of project teams within an ETAP software solution. You or your employer may also provide us with personal information about you in providing licensing and account information or registering you for events.

  • personal information that we receive from third parties. Where we work with other businesses, they may collect personal information about you, which they will share with us. For example, we may have your name and contact details passed on to us by third parties we work with, such as our prospective customers, partners, suppliers, marketing partners, industry publications, or content syndication partners. We may also receive professional or employment-related information on you in such contexts and inferences drawn from other personal information.

    We may collect information about your interaction with our website and services. For example, we may use website analytics tools to retrieve information from your browser, including the website you came from, the search engine(s) and the keywords used to find our website, the pages viewed within our website, your browser add-ons, and your browser’s screen size. We may also use technologies, such as cookies and Web beacons (described below), to collect information about the pages you view, the links you click, and other actions you take on our website. Additionally, we collect standard information that your browser sends to every website you visit, such as your IP address, browser type, language, access times, and referring website addresses.

    This anonymous data is stored separately from any personal information you may have provided to protect your privacy. The data is used for statistical purposes to improve our website and services.

    When you receive newsletters or promotional e-mails from ETAP, we may use Web beacons, customized links, or similar technologies to determine whether the e-mail has been opened and which links you click to provide more focused e-mail communications or other information.

 


 

What do we use your personal information for?

We will use your personal data and may share your personal data with other parties acting on our behalf for one or more of the following purposes:

  • Help transact your business
  • Register you for a service
  • Respond to your inquiry
  • Conduct a survey
  • Provide Technical Support
  • As or when required by law or government authorities
  • External e-mail service providers
  • External event platforms
  • Data validation service providers

In all cases, your decision to provide us with personal information is voluntary, and such information will only be used to help transact your business or respond to your questions. From time to time, we might exchange, share, and/or cross-reference information, including contact information about you, with our affiliates, enabling them to contact you regarding any products and services that may interest you.

 


 

ETAP’s use of your personal information in our license compliance technology

ETAP takes all legal steps to eliminate piracy of our software products and to protect our intellectual property rights. In this context, ETAP software(s) may utilize various technologies, such as a security mechanism that can detect the installation or use of illegal copies of the software and collect and transmit data about those illegal copies using ETAP License Compliance Software.

If ETAP software(s) are illegally installed or used, data (including limited categories of personal information) of the affiliated user accounts may be collected and processed by ETAP in the course of carrying out its compliance activities. This data is transferred in a pseudonymized format so that, wherever possible, any personal information transferred does not allow for the identification of a person by ETAP personnel via the ETAP License Compliance Software. Our compliance teams will use this information and other information on record to confirm the details of the corporate entity together with a rough geographic region where the infringing incident has occurred.

ETAP uses this functionality to pursue the legitimate interest of protecting its business assets and apprehending parties that violate such rights.

 


 

Confidentiality

ETAP and its affiliated companies do not sell or disclose any personal information obtained from our website visitors without their consent to any unaffiliated third party for purposes unrelated to servicing their requests unless required to do so by law or other regulatory authority.

 


 

Retention of Personal Information

Your personal information will be retained for as long as necessary to carry out the purposes set out in this privacy policy (unless the applicable law requires longer retention). However, we will not retain any of your personal information beyond this period, and the retention of your personal information will be subject to periodic review. We may keep an anonymized form of your personal information, which will no longer refer to you, for statistical purposes without time limits, to the extent that we have a legitimate and lawful interest in doing so.

 


 

Communication Preferences

Many visitors to our website wish to remain apprised of new products, services, and opportunities. In that case, you may request to receive e-mail messages from us by indicating and providing your contact information.

You can stop the delivery of future promotional e-mails from ETAP sites and services by following the instructions in the e-mail you receive or by contacting us at the address below.

 


 

Children’s Privacy

ETAP does not knowingly collect information from children under the age of 13 and does not target its website to children under the age of 13. We encourage parents and guardians to participate in their children’s online activities and interests actively.

 


 

Links to Third-Party Sites

Our website may contain links to websites operated and maintained by third parties, over which we have no control. Privacy policies on such linked sites may be different from our privacy policy. You access such linked sites at your own risk. You should always read the privacy policy of a linked site before disclosing any personal information on such sites.

 


 

Financial Information

Since features exist on this website that enable or will enable visitors to receive services and/or register for events online using their credit/debit card, the financial information collected by ETAP during these transactions is used solely by ETAP or ETAP’s vendors who collect this information for ETAP. This information is not stored on etap.com or shared with outside parties except to finalize the transaction.

 


 

Security

We take precautions to protect the security of the contact information that you share with us. Unfortunately, however, no data transmission over the Internet can be guaranteed to be 100% secure. As a result, while we strive to protect your contact information, we cannot guarantee or warrant the security of any information you transmit to or from our websites, and you do so at your own risk.

By giving us information or allowing it to be collected to the fullest extent permitted by law, you agree that you will not make any claims against us and that ETAP and its affiliated companies will not be held liable for any claims, losses, or damages which may result, directly or indirectly, from a collection of that information, including from misuse, unauthorized access or disclosure and loss or corruption by computer viruses and other sources of harm to the information we collect.

 


 

When we need your consent to use your personal information

While we always want you to be aware of how we use your personal information, this does not necessarily mean that we must ask for your explicit consent before using it. In the day-to-day running of our business, we may use your personal information without asking for your explicit consent because:

  • we need to use your personal information for our legitimate purposes (such as the administration and management of our business and the improvement of our services), and our doing so will not unduly interfere with your privacy rights;
  • we have legitimate purposes or valid reasons; you are aware of our reasons for collecting your personal information, and you have voluntarily provided it to us;
  • we need to comply with our legal obligations; or
  • we are entering into and carrying out our obligations under a contract with you.

If we rely on your consent to process your personal information or, as may be the case, in exceptional circumstances, wish to use your personal information for a different purpose than the one for which it was initially collected, we will contact you to explain how we wish to use your data and obtain your consent to use your personal information for the relevant purposes as required. You are not required to give consent just because we ask for it. If you do give consent, you can change your mind and withdraw it at a later date.

Please refer to the section on How we use your personal information for marketing for further information on our marketing practices in this regard.

 


 

Your obligation to provide your personal information

You are not under a legal obligation to provide us with any of your personal information, but please note that if you elect not to provide us with your personal information, we may be unable to provide our products or services to you.

 


 

Your rights with regard to your personal information

Data protection law provides individuals with certain rights, including the right to: access, rectify, withdraw consent, erase, restrict, transport, and object to the processing of their personal information. Individuals also have the right to lodge a complaint with the relevant information protection authority if they believe that their personal information is not being processed in accordance with the law. Further information about your rights is set forth below:

Right to obtain a copy of your personal information.

You have the right to obtain a copy of the personal information we hold about you. All requests for access to personal information should be made to: legal@etap.com. You may be required to submit proof of your identity.

 

Right to Rectification.

You may request that we rectify any inaccurate and/or complete any missing personal information. If we disagree and believe the information to be accurate and complete, we will advise you and include a notation on the record that you dispute the information’s accuracy. Requests for corrections or supplements to all other personal information should be made to: legal@etap.com. We will respond to your request to correct or supplement your personal information within a reasonable period and, in any event, within any period specified in relevant laws.

 

Right to withdraw consent.

Where we rely on your consent to process your personal information, you may, as permitted by law, withdraw your consent at any time. Such withdrawal will not affect the lawfulness of processing based on your previous consent. Please note that if you withdraw your consent, you may not be able to benefit from certain service features for which the processing of your personal information is essential.

 

Right to object to processing.

You may, as permitted by law, request that we stop processing your personal information.

 

Right to erasure.

You may request that we erase your personal information, and we will comply unless there is a lawful reason for not doing so. Please note that there may be circumstances where we are legally entitled to retain your personal information.

 

Your right to lodge a complaint with the supervisory authority.

We suggest that you contact ETAP at legal@etap.com with any questions or if you have a complaint concerning how we process your personal information. However, you do have the right to contact the relevant supervisory authority in the relevant country directly.

 


 

Your European Union privacy rights

Under the General Data Protection Regulation (Regulation EU 2016/679) (GDPR), you may have certain rights as a data subject if you are an individual protected by the GDPR. To request information about or avail yourself of those rights, please send an email to legal@etap.com with "GDPR Information" in the subject line. In the email, please describe, with specificity, the GDPR right you are requesting assistance with. Please note additional information may be requested before initiating a request and that ETAP reserves the right to charge a fee for certain requests. Upon ETAP’s completion of its review, you will be notified if your request has been granted or denied or if exemptions apply.

 


 

Your California Privacy Rights

Under California Civil Code Section 1798.83 (also known as S.B. 27), if you are a California resident and your business relationship with ETAP is primarily for personal, family, or household purposes, you may request certain data regarding ETAP’s disclosure, if any, of personal information to third parties for the third parties’ direct marketing purposes. To make such a request, please send an email to legal@etap.com with "Request for California Privacy Information" in the subject line. You may make such a request up to once per calendar year. If applicable, we will provide you, by email, with a list of the categories of personal information disclosed to third parties for their direct marketing purposes during the immediately preceding calendar year, along with the third parties' names and addresses. Please note that not all personal information sharing is covered by S.B. 27's requirements.

 


 

When we will send your personal information to other countries

As ETAP is a global company operating in more than 40 countries, personal information collected in one country may be processed in another country, except where prohibited by law. Your personal information may be transferred to and stored in a jurisdiction other than your own. For example, our marketing database and associated systems are accessible by authorized ETAP personnel globally. Where we, or our sub-contractors, use IT systems or software provided by companies based in countries other than the one in which the data was collected, your personal information may be stored on the servers of such companies.

ETAP seeks to ensure appropriate safeguards are in place concerning international transfers of personal information to provide adequate levels of protection for your personal information and to comply with local laws and regulatory requirements. We will take all steps reasonably necessary to ensure that your data is treated securely and in accordance with this Privacy Policy. Transfers within ETAP are addressed by an agreement entered into by all ETAP companies (an intra-group agreement), which contractually obliges each ETAP company to ensure that your personal information receives an adequate and consistent level of protection wherever it is transferred within ETAP.

 


 

Questions or Comments Concerning This Privacy Policy

ETAP takes its website users’ privacy very seriously. If you have any questions or comments concerning this Privacy Policy, we invite you to contact ETAP at the following address:

ETAP/Operation Technology, Inc.
Attn: Legal Department/Privacy Policy/Data Protection

17 Goodyear
Irvine, CA 92618
United States of America

Email: legal@etap.com

 


 

How we keep this privacy policy up to date

ETAP will occasionally update this privacy policy to reflect changes in our services and customer feedback. This may reflect a change in our products or services, our internal procedures, or the law. When we post changes to this Policy, we will revise the “last updated” date at the top and bottom of this Policy. ETAP encourages you to periodically review this Policy to be informed of how ETAP is protecting your information. This version came into effect on August 20, 2024.

 

 

Revised: August 2024

Operation Technology, Inc.
17 Goodyear
Irvine, CA 92618
Fax: (949) 462-0200
info@etap.com