Privacy Policy

Welcome and thank you for your interest in Fab Lab Connect, (“FLC “) and the Services provided through it, as described in the FLC Terms and Conditions (“Terms”). This Privacy Policy is incorporated into and is a part of the Terms. Capitalized terms used, but not defined in this Privacy Policy have the meanings given to them elsewhere in the Terms. Please read this Privacy Policy carefully, as it describes what information we gather from you, and how we may use and disclose that information. By registering a User Account and/or by accessing or using this Website, you expressly consent to the information handling practices described in this Privacy Policy.

The Information FLC Collects:

1. User-Provided Information: You may provide to FLC what is generally called “personally identifiable” information (such as your name, email address, postal mailing address, home/mobile telephone number, etc.) when using this Website, such as when you register, when you submit Entries and/or when you provide information in order to receive any Prizes.
2. “Cookies” Information: When you use this Website, we may send one or more cookies – small text files containing a string of alphanumeric characters – to your computer. FLC may use both session cookies and persistent cookies. A session cookie disappears after you close your browser. A persistent cookie remains after you close your browser and may be used by your browser on subsequent visits to this Website. Persistent cookies can be removed. Please review your web browser “Help” file to learn the proper way to modify your cookie settings. Please note that if you delete, or choose not to accept, cookies from this Website, you may not be able to utilize the features of this Website to their fullest potential.
3. “Flash Cookies” Information: Flash and other browser plugin applications use technology similar to cookies to enable the storage and recall of settings, preferences and usage data, and other information. Because they are stored in separate software applications, these types of cookies are not managed through your web browser’s cookie management interface. FLC may employ such techniques, including Adobe Flash Cookies (also called “Local Shared Objects”) to track information related to your interaction with features of this Website through which Flash-based content is provided. You can access various Flash Cookie management tools and configure certain privacy and security settings for your Flash Player from Adobe’s web site directly.
4. “Automatically Collected” Information: When you use this Website or open one of our HTML emails, we may automatically record certain information from your web browser by using different types of technology, including “clear gifs” or “web beacons.” This “automatically collected” information may include Internet Protocol Address (“IP Address”) or other device address or ID, web browser and/or device type, the web pages or sites that you visit just before or just after this Website, the pages you view on this Website, and the dates and times that you visit this Website.
5. Linked Website Information: When you link an account you may have on a third party service (such as your third party social networking site) to your Account on this Website, FLC may store the access credentials you provide, and will have access to and may collect any information you may have stored in connection with that account that you have configured that service to make available, including personally identifiable information and friends lists. By linking your accounts in this manner, you are authorizing FLC as your agent to access and use your account on the third party service in connection with your use of this Website.
6. Third Party Web Beacons: We may also implement third party content, such as advertising, on this Website that uses “clear gifs,” “web beacons,” or other similar techniques, which allow the third party content provider to read and write cookies (including Flash Cookies) to your browser, or implement similar tracking mechanisms, in connection with your viewing of that third party content displayed on this Website. This information is collected directly by the third party, and FLC does not participate in that data transmission. Information collected by third parties in this manner is subject to that third party’s own data collection, use, and disclosure policies.
7. Information from Other Sources: We may also obtain information, including personally identifiable information, from third parties and sources other than this Website, such as advertisers, or other Users who import your email address from their address book. We may also, at your direction, receive information from third party service that provide a mechanism to expose information you have provided to such third party through the use of an application program interface (API), such as Facebook Connect and the Google API. If we combine or associate information from other sources with personally identifiable information that we collect through this Website, we will treat the combined information as personally identifiable information in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

The Way FLC Uses Information:

1. FLC uses the information you provide or that we collect to operate, maintain, enhance, and provide all of the features and services found on this Website. We will use your email address to contact you with respect to Entries, Prizes and otherwise in connection with Competitions, for any administrative and customer service purposes, to address intellectual property infringement, rights of privacy, or defamation issues, or regarding Postings.
2. FLC uses all of the information that you provide or that we collect to understand and analyze the usage trends and preferences of our Users, to improve the way this Website works and looks, and to create new features and functionality.
3. FLC may use “automatically collected” information and “cookies” information to: (a) personalize our services, such as remembering your information so that you will not have to re-enter it during your visit or the next time you visit this Website; (b) provide customized third party content, and information; (c) monitor and analyze the operation and effectiveness of this Website and related activities; (d) monitor aggregate site usage metrics such as total number of visitors and pages viewed; and (e) track your status in any Competitions or other activities.
4. FLC may use your email address or other personally identifiable information to send you i) messages about this Website or communications from other Users, ii) promotional messages related to this Website and the activities of third parties we work with, and iii) messages on behalf of other Users who think you may be interested in this Website. You will have the ability to opt-out of receiving any such communications, either through links provided in the messages, or by updating your Account settings through this Website.

When FLC Discloses Information:

We are not in the business of selling your information. We do, however, disclose your personally identifiable information in a variety of circumstances in connection with developing and maintaining this Website and operating or supporting the operation of Competitions. For example:

1. By its nature, this Website enables Users to communicate in a variety of ways. This also applies to information you choose to make available through features that connect to third party services, if applicable. Once you make your personally identifiable information available, it may be collected and used by the recipients without restriction. We urge Users to exercise common sense, prudence and good judgment about what personal information to make available to others through this Website.
2. FLC may disclose your personally identifiable information to the Competition Host and/or Competitors, as applicable, to enable your participation in and the operation of Competitions.
3. FLC works with third party service providers to provide general website hosting, specialized Content hosting (e.g. the hosting of video Content), maintenance, and other services. These third parties may have access to or process your personally identifiable information as a result of performing the services they were engaged to perform.
4. FLC may also disclose your information if required to do so by law or in the good-faith belief that such action is necessary or useful to comply with applicable laws, to respond to a court order, judicial or other government subpoena or warrant, or to otherwise assist or cooperate with law enforcement activity or other similar activities in connection with internal or coordinated fraud detection and prevention, and the protection or enforcement of third party rights.
5. FLC works to promote a safe and reliable service for all Users. We reserve the right to disclose your information that we believe, in good faith, is appropriate or necessary to take precautions against liability; to protect FLC and others from fraudulent, abusive, predatory, or unlawful uses or activity; to investigate and defend ourselves against any third party claims or allegations; to protect the security or integrity of this Website; or to protect or vindicate the rights, property, or personal safety of FLC, our Users, or others.

Your Choices:

You may, of course, decline to share certain personally identifiable information with FLC, in which case FLC may not be able to provide you with some of the features and functionality found on this Website. Please note that we may retain all information you submit for a variety of purposes, including backups and archiving, prevention of fraud and abuse, and analytics.

To protect your privacy and security, we take reasonable steps to verify your identity before granting you account access or making corrections to your information. YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTAINING THE SECRECY OF YOUR UNIQUE PASSWORD AND ACCOUNT INFORMATION AT ALL TIMES.

We may now or in the future make certain tools and features for configuring your privacy settings available to you through this Website, but any such features and settings we may provide do not guarantee the anonymity or confidentiality of any information, including personally identifiable information and Postings you provide or submit to this Website.

Third Party Websites:

This Website contains links to Websites and services provided by third parties. Any personally identifiable information you provide on third party sites or services is provided directly to that third party and is subject to that third party’s policies, if any, governing privacy and security. We are not responsible for the content or privacy and security practices and policies of third party sites or services to which links are displayed on this Website. We encourage you to learn about third parties’ privacy and security policies before providing them with personally identifiable information.

Our Commitment to Children’s Privacy:

Protecting the privacy of children is especially important. For that reason, FLC does not knowingly collect or maintain personally identifiable information from persons under 13 years-of-age, and no part of this Website is directed to persons under 18. IF YOU ARE UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE, THEN PLEASE DO NOT USE OR ACCESS THIS WEBSITE AT ANY TIME OR IN ANY MANNER. If FLC learns that personally identifiable information of persons less than 13-years-of-age has been collected on this Website without verifiable parental consent, then FLC will take the appropriate steps to delete this information. If you are a parent or guardian and discover that your child under the age of 13 has obtained a User Account on this Website, then you may alert FLC at [email protected] and request that FLC delete that child’s personally identifiable information from its systems.

Our Commitment to Data Security:

FLC uses a variety of physical, managerial, and technical safeguards designed to improve the security of our systems and your personally identifiable information. We cannot, however, ensure or warrant the security of any information you transmit to FLC, nor can we guarantee that such information may not be accessed, disclosed, altered, or destroyed by breach of any of our physical, technical, or managerial safeguards. You transfer your information to FLC at your own risk.

If FLC learns of a security systems breach, then we will attempt to notify you electronically so that you can take appropriate protective steps. Depending on where you live, you may have a legal right to receive notice of a security breach in writing. If you’d like to receive such a notice please notify us at  [email protected]

International Visitors:

Your information may be stored and processed in any country in which FLC and its affiliates maintain facilities. In this regard, or for purposes of sharing or disclosing data in accordance with this Privacy Policy, FLC reserves the right to transfer, store, and process your information outside of your country. Your acceptance of the Terms includes your consent to any such transfer, storage, and processing of your information outside of your country.

In the Event of Merger or Sale:

In the event that all or a portion of FLC or its assets are acquired by or merged with a third party entity, we reserve the right, in any of these circumstances, to transfer or assign the information that we have collected from Users in connection with such merger, acquisition, sale, or other change of control.

Changes and Updates to this Privacy Policy:

Please revisit this page periodically to stay aware of any changes to this Privacy Policy, which may be revised at FLC‘s sole discretion, as provided in the Terms. Note that our amended Privacy Policy will become effective on a going forward basis as set forth in the Terms, except that (i) unless you agree otherwise, we will use your personally identifiable information in the manner described in the Privacy Policy in effect when we received that information and (ii) if you do not agree with any changes to the Privacy Policy, you must terminate your participation and cease use of this Website. Your continued use of this Website after revised Privacy Policy has become effective indicates that you have read, understood and agreed to the current version of the Privacy Policy.

FLC Contact Information:

Please contact FLC with any questions or comments about this Privacy Policy, your personally identifiable information, our use and disclosure practices, or your consent choices by email: [email protected]