Introduction

Please read this Privacy Policy carefully. This Privacy Policy governs the manner in which the TekCert website (“Site”) and/or app (“App”) collects, uses, maintains and discloses personal information. We respect your privacy and do not gather any personal data from you that you do not provide voluntarily. We adhere to the applicable privacy laws and always respect your privacy.

Application

This Privacy Policy applies to the TekCert Site www.tekcert.org and the associated Services(s). It should be read in combination with our TekCert Terms of Use and both documents together control the relationship between you and us.

What is personal information?

Personal information means individually identifiable information about an individual consumer and includes:

1. A first and last name.

2. A home or other physical address, including street name and name of a city or town.

3. An e-mail address.

4. A telephone number.

5. A social security number.

6. Any other identifier that permits the physical or online contacting of a specific individual.

7. Information concerning a user that the Web site or online service collects online from the user and maintains in personally identifiable form in combination with an identifier listed above.

Cookies

TekCert does use cookies and if you do not consent to this you should either contact TekCert or configure your settings to reject cookies. Cookies are small data files that your web browser places on your computer or device. You may change your settings to opt out of cookies but this may prevent TekCert from functioning correctly.

Protection of minors

TekCert is not directed to children under the age of 13 years and we do not intentionally collect, store or in any way use personal information from children younger than 13 years. If you are a parent or legal guardian and think your child under 13 has given us information, please contact us by email at info@tekcert.org. In cases where you have authorized a minor (someone under 18 years of age) to use TekCert, you acknowledge and agree that you are fully responsible for:

· the online conduct of such minor

· controlling the minor's access to and use of TekCert; and

· the consequences of any misuse by the minor.

What personal information do we collect?

We only collect personal information that you provide to us for an exam and certification. We collect the following personal information:

• To provide our services we collect and store your first, middle, last name, email, title, country, photo ID, your photo via webcam. The photo ID and your photo from webcam is taken before your exam to prevent any cheating. We do not store your credit card information and it is only used in conjunction with the secure Authorize.net payment gateway when registering/renewing your exam/cert.

• As a requirement to provide you our exams online, it requires that our exam instructors be able to see you through the webcam (video and audio) while you taking the exam. This helps us make sure there is no cheating. We do not record the video or audio from the webcam while the exam is in session. However if any requirement comes up in the future we will ask the exam taker consent before recording the video and audio for the exam duration.

• We may also collect your personal information if you provide it to us through our web forms, webcam or by email.

How do we collect personal information?

We collect personal identification information in a variety of ways, including, but not limited to when you request our services, send us an email, fill out a web form, webcam or make a payment.

If you choose not to provide personal information

You always have the choice to not provide us with your personal information. However, it may not be possible to make full or proper use of TekCert if your personal information is not provided to us.

How we use personal information

We may collect and use your personal information for the following purposes:

· Providing you with services you request

• Collecting your payment

· To improve customer service: For example, where your contact information helps us to respond to your customer service requests and support your needs more efficiently

· To improve TekCert: For example, we may use feedback you provide to improve the functionality and performance of TekCert

· To send emails with general information about TekCert related special offers and promotions, or other TekCert news and updates.

· Taking exam and getting certification.

· Validate your certification is valid.

We do not share your personal information with any third parties, expect to the extent necessary to assist you in relation to a purpose listed above. We will never sell or rent your personal information.

Non-personal information

We may collect non-personal information about visitors whenever they interact with TekCert. This is mainly in the form of aggregated and anonymous data. This non-personal information may include information on TekCert visitors such as the type of browsers and operating systems used, search terms and search engines used, time spent on various pages and other similar information.

Google Analytics

TekCert may use Google Analytics. Google Analytics is Google’s analytics tool that helps app and website owners to understand how their visitors engage with their properties. Google Analytics may receive and record information from cookies, server logs, and similar technology from your browser or mobile device, including your IP address. This is controlled by Google as a third party and is not under our direct control. Learn more about Analytics cookies and privacy information.

Security

TekCert uses appropriate data collection, storage and processing practices and security measures to protect against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure or destruction of your personal information.

Retention of personal information

Your personal information will be retained for as long as it is needed to provide you with services and to meet the requirements of business record retention requirements.

Sharing your personal information

We do not sell, trade, or rent personal identification information to third parties. We may use third party service providers in association with TekCert, for example Google for analytics and Authorize.net for payment processing. We may share your information with these third parties for those limited purposes provided that you have given us your permission by agreeing to this Privacy Policy. We reserve the right to share your personal information in the future if it becomes necessary to do so in order for us to fulfill a legitimate business purpose but will only do so where the third party concerned has agreed to protect such information with appropriate privacy practices that conforming with applicable privacy laws.

Personal information you disclose when using TekCert

TekCert allows you to communicate with us by means of its online functions. We cannot control your choice to disclose personal information to us when using TekCert.

Employment inquiries

Should you apply for a position with TekCert, your information will be forwarded to the appropriate office and reviewer and may be entered into the firm’s databases.

Links

This Site may contain links to other websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of such third party websites. We encourage users to read the privacy statements of all apps/websites that collect personally identifiable information. This Privacy Policy applies only to information collected on TekCert.

Social Media

If you use the Site in conjunction with your social media accounts (for example Facebook, Instagram) 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 websites.

Your California Privacy Rights

Residents of the State of California, under the California Civil Code, have the right to request from companies conducting business in California a list of all third parties to which the company has disclosed personal information during the preceding year for direct marketing purposes and a disclosure of the shared information. Alternatively, the law provides that if the company has a privacy policy that provides you with an “opt-out” choice for use of your personal information by third parties for marketing purposes, the company may instead provide you with information on how to exercise your disclosure choice options. We are proud to tell you we never share your personal information for any direct marketing opportunities with third parties and therefore do not require an opt-out mechanism.

Cross-border disclosure of your information

The Site is operated in the United States (US). If you are located outside of the US, please be aware that any information you provide to us will be transferred to the US. By using the Site, or providing us with any information, you consent to this transfer.

Your acceptance of these terms

Your use constitutes acceptance. This means that by using TekCert you signify your acceptance of this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree to this Privacy Policy, please do not use TekCert.

Amendments to this Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy may be amended from time to time. If we make material changes to this Privacy Policy and/or in the way we use your personal information, we will notify you of these changes by republishing this policy. We recommend you consult this Privacy Policy regularly. Your continued use of TekCert following the posting of changes to this policy will be deemed your acceptance of those changes.

Accessing, updating or correcting your personal information

You may request access, updates and corrections to any personal information we hold about you and you always have the option to delete your TekCert account if you believe your personal information is incorrect or you no longer wish to share it with us. However note that removing your information from our site will also remove cert verification that's used others to check the validity of your cert.

Users who do not want emails from us

If you do not wish to receive email from us you should not provide your email address and not use TekCert. You can also opt out of any further email by closing your account. Note that we cannot provide you with services if we cannot contact you by email.

Release of Personal Information for legal reasons

We may release your personal information for legal reasons:

• When we believe in good faith that such release is appropriate to comply with the law (for example, pursuant to a statutory demand, subpoena, warrant or court order).

• To protect against fraudulent, abusive or unlawful use of the website.

• To protect our rights or property.

• If we reasonably believe that a situation involving danger of death or injury to any person requires disclosure.

Feedback to us

We have feedback functionality on TekCert that allows you to submit comments, suggestions, or bugs found. We may collect your name and email address in order to follow up with you or thank you for a suggestion.

Contacting us

If you have any questions concerning this Privacy Policy, the practices of TekCert, or your dealings with TekCert, please email us at info@tekcert.org.

Change of Site ownership

In the event of a change in ownership, or a direct merger or acquisition with another entity, we reserve the right to transfer all user information to a separate entity. In this event, we will notify its users when user information is transferred and becomes subject to a different privacy policy.

Improving this Privacy Policy

We welcome your suggestions on how to improve this Privacy Policy. Please email info@tekcert.org if you wish to provide such suggestions.

This document was last updated on 24^th July 2020 and is the most up to date version of our Privacy Policy.