How We Collect and Use Information
We collect the following types of information about you:
Information you provide us directly:
We ask for certain information such as your username, real name, birthdate, address, phone number and e-mail address when you register for a Social Status, Inc. account, or if you correspond with us. We may also retain any messages you send through the Service and may collect information you provide in User Content you post to the Service. We use this information to operate, maintain, and provide to you the features and functionality of the Service. Your username and if you choose to disclose it, your real name, will be published publicly. Once published your username and/or real name may not be able to be removed.
Information we may receive from third parties:
We may receive information about you from third parties. For example, if you access our websites or Service through a third-party connection or log-in, for example, through Facebook Connect, by “following,” “liking,” adding the Social Status, Inc. application, linking your account to the Social Status, Inc., etc., that third party may pass certain information about your use of its service to Social Status, Inc. This information could include, but is not limited to, the user ID associated with your account (for example, your Facebook UID), an access token necessary to access that service, any information that you have permitted the third party to share with us, and any information you have made public in connection with that service. If you allow us access to your friends list, your friends’ user IDs, and your connection to those friends, may be used and stored to make your experience more social, and to allow you to invite your friends to use our Service as well as provide you with updates if and when your friends join Social Status, Inc. You should always review, and if necessary, adjust your privacy settings on third-party websites and services before linking or connecting them to the Social Status, Inc. You may also unlink your third-party account from the Service by adjusting your settings on the third-party service.
Inviting a friend to use Social Status:
Social Status, Inc. may, in its sole discretion, develop a feature that allows you to invite third parties to the Service. If you choose to use our invitation service to invite a third party to the Service through our “Invite friends” feature, you may directly choose a friend to invite through your mobile device’s native contact list – but we do not require that you import your contacts list to the Service, and we do not retain the information contained in your contacts list. You understand that by inviting a friend to Social Status, Inc. through the “Invite friends” feature, you are directly sending a text or email from your personal accounts and that we are not storing your contact list. In addition, you understand and agree that normal carrier charges apply to communications sent from your phone. Since this invitation is coming directly from your email or phone, we do not have access to or control this communication..
Finding your friends on the Service:
Social Status, Inc. may, in its sole discretion, develop a feature that allows you to locate your friends with Social Status, Inc. accounts through a “Find friends” feature. The “Find friends” feature allows you to choose to locate friends either through (i) your contact list, (ii) social media sites (such as Twitter or Facebook) or (iii) through a search of names and usernames on Social Status. If you choose to find your friends through your contact list, then you agree to provide Social Status, Inc. access to your contact list such that we can perform the search necessary to determine whether or not someone associated with the information you provide is using Social Status. If you choose to find your friends through social media sites, then you understand that the information these sites provide to use to conduct this type of search is governed by their privacy policies and your account settings on those sites. If you choose to find your friends through a search of names or usernames, then simply type a name to search and see if that name or username appears on our Service. Note that we do not retain any information contained in your contacts list, or information from social media sites about your contacts, and we do not use such information for any purpose other than to help you find your friends on Social Status, Inc.
Analytics information:
We may directly collect analytics data, or use third-party analytics tools and services, to help us measure traffic and usage trends for the Service. These tools collect information sent by your browser or mobile device, including the pages you visit and other information that assists us in improving the Service. We collect and use this analytics information in aggregate form such that it cannot reasonably be manipulated to identify any particular individual user.
Cookies information:
Full details can be found on our Cookie Policy. When you visit the Service, we may send one or more cookies — a small text file containing a string of alphanumeric characters — to your computer that uniquely identifies your browser and lets Social Status, Inc. help you log in faster and enhance your navigation through the site. A cookie may also convey information to us about how you use the Service (e.g., the pages you view, the links you click and other actions you take on the Service) and allow us or our business partners to track your usage of the Service over time. A persistent cookie remains on your hard drive after you close your browser. Persistent cookies may be used by your browser on subsequent visits to the site. Persistent cookies can be removed by following your web browser’s directions. A session cookie is temporary and disappears after you close your browser. You can reset your web browser to refuse all cookies or to indicate when a cookie is being sent. However, some features of the Service may not function properly if the ability to accept cookies is disabled. Full details can be found on our Cookie Policy.
Log file information:
Log file information is automatically reported by your browser or mobile device each time you access the Service. When you use our Service, our servers automatically record certain log file information. These server logs may include anonymous information such as your web request, Internet Protocol (“IP”) address, browser type, referring / exit pages and URLs, number of clicks and how you interact with links on the Service, domain names, landing pages, pages viewed, and other such information.
Clear gifs/web beacons information:
When you use the Service, we may employ clear gifs (also known as web beacons) which are used to anonymously track the online usage patterns of our Users. In addition, we may also use clear gifs in HTML-based emails sent to our users to track which emails are opened and which links are clicked by recipients. The information allows for more accurate reporting and improvement of the Service.
Device identifiers:
When you access the Service by or through a mobile device (including but not limited to smart-phones or tablets), we may access, collect, monitor and/or remotely store one or more “device identifiers,” such as a universally unique identifier (“UUID”). Device identifiers are small data files or similar data structures stored on or associated with your mobile device, which uniquely identify your mobile device. A device identifier may be data stored in connection with the device hardware, data stored in connection with the device’s operating system or other software, or data sent to the device by Social Status, Inc. A device identifier may convey information to us about how you browse and use the Service. A device identifier may remain persistently on your device, to help you log in faster and enhance your navigation through the Service. Some features of the Service may not function properly if use or availability of device identifiers is impaired or disabled.
Location data:
When you access the Service by or through a mobile device, we may access, collect, monitor and/or remotely store “location data,” which may include GPS coordinates (e.g. latitude and/or longitude) or similar information regarding the location of your mobile device. Location data may convey to us information about how you browse and use the Service. Some features of the Service, particularly location-based services, may not function properly if use or availability of location data is impaired or disabled.
Commercial and marketing communications:
We use the information we collect or receive, such as your email address, to communicate directly with you. We may send you emails containing newsletters, promotions, and special offers. If you do not want to receive such email messages, you will be given the option to opt out or change your preferences. We also use your information to send you Service-related emails (e.g., account verification, purchase and billing confirmations and reminders, changes/updates to features of the Service, technical and security notices). You may not opt out of Service-related emails. You may also be able to be “found” on Social Status, Inc. based on information that you provide (see “Find friends on Social Status, Inc.") above.
Use of certain service type information we collect about you:
We use or may use cookies, log file, device identifiers, location data and clear gifs information to: (a) remember information so that you will not have to re-enter it during your visit or the next time you visit the site; (b) provide custom, personalized content and information; (c) to provide and monitor the effectiveness of our Service; (d) monitor aggregate metrics such as total number of visitors, traffic, and demographic patterns; (e) diagnose or fix technology problems; (f) help you efficiently access your information after you sign in; (g) to provide advertising to your browser or device, and (h) automatically update the Social Status application on your mobile devices.
Sharing of Your Information
We will not rent or sell your information into third parties outside Social Status, Inc. and its group companies (including any parent, subsidiaries and affiliates) without your consent, except as noted below:
How We Store and Protect Your Information
Storage and Processing:
Your information collected through the Service may be stored and processed in the United States or any other country in which Social Status, Inc. or its subsidiaries, affiliates, or service providers maintain facilities which Social Status, Inc. may transfer information that we collect about you, including personal information, to affiliated entities, or to other third parties across borders and from your country or jurisdiction to other countries or jurisdictions around the world. If you are located in the European Union or other regions with laws governing data collection and use that may differ from U.S. law, please note that we may transfer information, including personal information, to a country and jurisdiction that does not have the same data protection laws as your jurisdiction, and you consent to the transfer of information to the U.S. or any other country in which Social Status, Inc. or its parent, subsidiaries, affiliates, or service providers maintain facilities and the use and disclosure of information about you as described in this Privacy Policy.
Keeping your information safe:
Social Status, Inc. cares about the security of your information and uses commercially reasonable safeguards to preserve the integrity and security of all information collected through the Service. To protect your privacy and security, we take reasonable steps (such as requesting a unique password) to verify your identity before granting you access to your account. You are responsible for maintaining the secrecy of your unique password and account information, and for controlling access to your email communications from which Social Status, Inc., at all times. However, which Social Status, Inc. cannot ensure or warrant the security of any information you transmit to which Social Status, Inc. or guarantee that information on the Service may not be accessed, disclosed, altered, or destroyed. Your privacy settings may also be affected by changes to the functionality of third party sites and services that you add to the which Social Status Service, such as social networks which Social Status, Inc. is not responsible for the functionality or security measures of any third party.
Compromise of Information:
In the event that any information under our control is compromised as a result of a breach of security, which Social Status, Inc. will take reasonable steps to investigate the situation and where appropriate, notify those individuals whose information may have been compromised and take other steps, in accordance with any applicable laws and regulations.
Your Choices about Your Information
You control your account information and settings: You may update your account information and email-communication preferences at any time by logging in to your account and changing your profile settings. You can also stop receiving promotional email communications from us by sending an email to hello@socialstatusinc.com.
We make every effort to promptly process all unsubscribe requests. As noted above, you may not opt out of Service-related communications (e.g., account verification, purchase and billing confirmations and reminders, changes/updates to features of the Service, technical and security notices). If you have any questions about reviewing or modifying your account information, you can contact us directly at hello@socialstatusinc.com
Opting out of collection of your information for Tracking/Advertising:
Please refer to your mobile device or browser’s technical information for instructions on how to delete and disable cookies, and other tracking/recording tools. Depending on your type of device, it may not be possible to delete or disable tracking mechanisms on your mobile device. Note that disabling cookies and/or other tracking tools prevents Social Status, Inc. or its business partners from tracking your browser’s activities in relation to the Service, and for use in targeted advertising activities by third parties. However, doing so may disable many of the features available through the Service. If you have any questions about opting out of the collection of cookies and other tracking/recording tools, you can contact us directly at hello@socialstatusinc.com
How long we keep your private profile information:
Following termination of your User account, Social Status, Inc. may retain your private profile information for a commercially reasonable time for backup, archival, or audit purposes. For the avoidance of doubt, any information that you choose to make public on the service may not be removable.
Links to Other Websites and Services
We are not responsible for the practices employed by websites or services linked to or from the Service, including the information or content contained therein. Please remember that when you use a link to go from the Service to another website, our Privacy Policy does not apply to third-party websites or services. Your browsing and interaction on any third-party website or service, including those that have a link or advertisement on our website, are subject to that third party’s own rules and policies. In addition, you agree that we are not responsible, and we do not control over any third-parties that you authorize to access your User Content. If you are using a third-party website or service (like Facebook, Google groups, or an IRC chatroom) and you allow such a third-party access to you User Content you do so at your own risk. This Privacy Policy does not apply to information we collect by other means (including offline) or from other sources other than through the Service.