The Block Privacy Policy
LAST REVISED: April 3, 2019
This Privacy Policy describes how String Machine, LLC and its subsidiaries and affiliates (“The Block,” “String Machine,” “we,” “us,” and/or “our”) handle personal data we collect online (e.g., through our website and mobile application) (collectively, the “Services”). This Privacy Policy explains the types of personal data we collect and process, how we may use and share the data, and the choices that are available to you with respect to our handling of your data.
Information We Collect
Information we collect directly from you
We collect the information you provide directly to us, such as when you open an account, interact with our application, ask to receive emails, or interact with us on social media. The types of personal data we may collect directly from you include:
Contact information, such as your name, email address;
Account information, such as your username and password;
Any other information you choose to provide.
Information about your use of our Services
We collect information about your use of our Services, such as the pages you click on our website, or maps you interact with on our application.
Information we collect from other sources
When you access the Services through a social network, we collect information from the social network in accordance with your settings on the social network. If you interact with us on social media, we will collect information about those interactions. The information we may collect includes your name, picture, and email address. We may also collect information about you from third parties, including mailing list providers and publicly available sources, or friends that refer you to The Block.
Information we collect by automated means
When you visit our sites, we collect certain information automatically. To collect this information, we may use cookies, web beacons, and similar technologies. A “cookie” is a text file that websites send to a visitor‘s computer or other internet-connected device to uniquely identify the visitor’s browser or to store information or settings in the browser. A “web beacon,” also known as a pixel tag or clear GIF, is used to transmit information back to a web server. We may also collect information about your online activities over time and across third-party websites. The information we collect automatically may include: URLs that refer visitors to our websites;
Search terms used to reach our websites;
Details about the devices that are used to access our websites (such as IP address, browser information, device information, and operating system information);
Details about your interaction with our websites (such as the date, time, length of stay, and specific pages accessed during your visits to our websites, and which emails you may have opened); and
Usage information (such as the number and frequency of visitors to our websites).
Some features and functionality in our Apps may require that you provide your location. If you have your location services turned on, whenever you open and use or interact with our Apps (e.g. write a tip or check in to a restaurant) on your mobile device, we collect and use your location data from your mobile device (e.g., latitude and longitude) to tailor the Consumer Services to your current location (i.e. we’ll show you a list of nearby locations, and tips). We will only process your location data with your permission. If you have background location data turned on by granting us permission through your device’s location settings and in your privacy settings, we will, from time to time, obtain your device’s location even if you are not directly interacting with the Apps. Other than in an anonymized, pseudonymized or aggregated form, your location is never shared with others, except with your consent or as permitted under this Privacy Policy.
We may associate this information with your Block account if you have one, the device you use to connect to our Services, or email or social media accounts that you use to engage with The Block.
How We Use Your Information
We may use the information we collect to deliver the products you request, to maintain and customize your account and our interactions with you, and to provide, maintain, and improve our Services. We also use the information we collect to:
Communicate with you about our Services, including to tell you about products and services that may be of interest to you;
Respond to your requests, inquiries, comments, and suggestions;
Facilitate your engagement with the Services, including to enable you to post comments and your personalized maps
Offer contests, sweepstakes, or other promotions;
Conduct or administer surveys and other market research; and
Protect against, identify, investigate, and respond to fraud or other illegal activity.
How We Share Your Information
We may share the information we collect:
With service providers that perform services on our behalf, such as those that provide shipment and payment services, customer service, and marketing support;
With select partners as a part of co-sponsored promotions;
To comply with a legal or regulatory obligation, protect and defend The Block’s rights or property, protect the safety of our customers and website users or the public, and protect against legal liability;
In connection with, or during negotiations of, any merger, sale of company assets, financing, or acquisition of all or a portion of our business by another company;
Between and among The Block’s current and future parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, and other companies under common control and ownership; and
With your consent and at your direction.
When you provide a product review or other user content, that content will be publicly posted. Other users may be able to see your name or other information about you that you post.
If you are in the United States, we may share information about you with select third parties so that they can communicate with you about products or services that may be of interest to you. If you prefer that we not share your information with such third parties, you may opt out by emailing us at info@theblock.com
Your Rights and Choices
Managing or deleting your Block account
You may review, update, or modify your account information, including profile and contact information, at any time by logging into your Block account. You may delete your Block account by emailing info@theblockcom.
Opting out of email marketing
You may unsubscribe from our promotional emails at any time by following the instructions included in those emails. If you opt out of receiving such communications, note that we may continue to send you non-promotional emails (such as order confirmation emails or emails about changes to our legal terms).
Restricting cookies
Most web browsers are set to accept cookies by default. You can usually choose to set your browser to remove or reject browser cookies. Please note that if you choose to remove or reject cookies, this could affect the availability and functionality of our websites.
Children
Our Services are not designed for children and do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If you have reason to believe that a child has provided personal data to us, please contact us, and we will endeavor to delete that information from our databases.
Data Transfers and Privacy Shield
The Block is headquartered in the United States, and we have operations and entities in the United States and other countries. As such, we may transfer your personal data to, or store or access it in, jurisdictions that may not provide equivalent levels of data protection as your home jurisdiction. We will take steps to ensure that your personal data receives an adequate level of protection in the jurisdictions in which we process it.
When we transfer personal data from the European Union or Switzerland to the United States, we comply with the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield Framework and the Swiss - U.S. Privacy Shield Framework as set forth by the U.S. Department of Commerce regarding the collection, use, and retention of personal data transferred from the European Union and Switzerland to the United States, respectively. The Block has certified to the Department of Commerce that it adheres to the Privacy Shield Principles. To learn more about the Privacy Shield program, and to view our certification, please visit https://www.privacyshield.gov/.
In compliance with the Privacy Shield Principles, we are committed to resolving complaints about our processing of your personal data. EU and Swiss individuals with inquiries or complaints regarding our compliance with the Privacy Shield program should first contact us. We have further committed to refer unresolved Privacy Shield complaints to JAMS, an alternative dispute resolution provider located in the United States. If you do not receive timely acknowledgment of your complaint from us, or if we have not addressed your complaint to your satisfaction, please contact or visit https://www.jamsadr.com/file-an-eu-us-privacy-shield-or-safe-harbor-claim for more information or to file a complaint. The services of JAMS are provided at no cost to you.
Under certain conditions, you may be able to invoke binding arbitration to resolve your complaint. The Block is subject to the investigatory and enforcement powers of the Federal Trade Commission.
If we share personal data transferred to the U.S. under the Privacy Shield with a third-party service provider that processes such data on our behalf, then we will be liable for that third party’s processing in violation of the Privacy Shield Principles, unless we can prove that we are not responsible for the event giving rise to the damage.
Links to Other Websites and Third-Party Content
We may provide links to third-party websites, services, and applications, such as Facebook, that are not operated or controlled by The Block. This Privacy Policy does not apply to third-party services, and we cannot take responsibility for the content, privacy policies, or practices of third-party services. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party service before providing any information to or through them.
The Services may include an activity feed, social media buttons and widgets, such as the Facebook "Like" button or the "Share This" button. Your interactions with these features are governed by the privacy policy of the third-party service that provides the feature.
Data Retention
Our retention periods for personal data are based on business needs and legal requirements. We retain personal data for as long as is necessary for the processing purpose(s) for which the data was collected, and any other permissible, related purpose. For example, we may retain certain transaction details and correspondence until the time limit for claims arising from the transaction has expired.
Changes to Our Privacy Policy
We may change this Privacy Policy from time to time. If we do so, we will post the updated policy on our sites and will indicate when the Privacy Policy was last revised. If we make any material changes, we will provide you with additional notice. You should periodically review our current Privacy Policy to stay informed of our personal data practices.
California Privacy Rights
California law permits residents of California to request notice of how their information is shared with third parties for direct marketing purposes or to opt out of such sharing. If you are a California resident and would like a copy of this notice or to opt out, please submit a written request to us by emailing us at info@theblock.com.