Privacy Policy

Revised:  January 10, 2010

Your privacy is very important to us.  We have prepared this Privacy Policy to explain how we collect, use protect, and disclose information and data when you use the Bizzy Web site ("Site") or Bizzy services ("Services").  This Privacy Policy also explains your choices for managing your information preferences, including opting out of certain uses of your Personal Information.  This Privacy Policy applies whether you are a “Business” or a “Customer” or anytime you visit the Site or use the Services.  “Businesses” are individuals or businesses who use the Site and the Services to communicate with Customers.  “Customers” are customers of Businesses who visit the Site to receive communications from Businesses and otherwise use the Services. By using the Site or Services you consent to this Privacy Policy.  

Managing Your Information Preferences

You can always review, correct, update, or change your Personal Information.  You can opt out of receiving certain emails by changing the relevant settings in your Bizzy profile or account.  If you have questions or concerns regarding this Privacy Policy, please e-mail us at privacy@bizzy-inc.com.

Information We Collect

Personal Information

We collect information that personally identifies you, such as your name, address, mobile telephone number, username, e-mail, and other personally identifiable information that you choose to provide us with or that you choose to include in your Bizzy profile or account ("Personal Information").  We collect Personal Information only if you choose to share it with us or, as described below, if you have authorized a Business to provide us with your Personal Information.  You may be asked to provide us with Personal Information when you register with the Site or use any of our Services, and at other times.  The decision to provide this information is optional.  However, if you choose not to provide the requested information, you may not be able to use certain features of the Site or Services.  If you are a Customer and you have shared your Personal Information with a Business outside of Bizzy (such as by giving your name or e-mail to a Business when you were in a store), the Business may share your Personal Information with us in order to connect with you on Bizzy.  Such Businesses will not have access to additional Personal Information until you approve your connection with such Businesses on Bizzy and then they will only have access the information you have chosen to make available to Businesses according to your preference settings.

Usage Data and Site Activity 

We automatically collect information regarding the actions you take on Bizzy, such as connecting with a Business, liking a Business, and recommending a Business, as well as all of your entries and submissions on the Site, such as your comments, your messages, your recommendations, which Businesses you like and other similar information.  We also automatically collect anonymous usage information that does not identify an individual Customer.  For example, each time you use the Site we automatically collect the type of Web browser you use, your operating system, your Internet Service Provider, your IP address, the pages you view, and the time and duration of your visits to the Site.  We use this information to help us understand how people use the Site and Services, and to enhance the services we offer.  We may use, and disclose to third parties, certain usage data regarding the Site and Services.  However, in such cases, your usage data is aggregated with the usage data of other Customers and does not identify you individually.

Cookies and Web Beacons

We use cookies (a small text file placed on your computer to identify your computer and browser).  We also use Web beacons (an electronic file placed on a Web site that monitors usage).  We use cookies and Web beacons to improve the experience of the Site and Services, such as pre-populating your username for easier login.  We do not use cookies or Web beacons to collect Personal Information.  Most Web browsers are initially set up to accept cookies.  You can reset your Web browser to refuse all cookies or to indicate when a cookie is being sent.  However, certain features of the Site or Services may not work if you delete or disable cookies.  Some of our Service Providers, such as providers of maps and other location information, may use their own cookies and Web beacons in connection with the services they perform on our behalf.

How We Use Information and When We May Share and Disclose Information Generally

We use Personal Information for internal purposes only, such as to provide you with the Site and Services, to improve the Site and Services, to notify you of new products or Services, and to otherwise communicate with you about Bizzy.  We may use your Personal Information and other relevant information about your use of the Site to help you connect with Businesses, including making suggestions to you and other Customers about Businesses that you may be interested in connecting with.  We may also use your Personal Information to provide more relevant search results from the search functions of the Site and the Services.  We will not disclose Personal Information to third parties, including for their direct marketing purposes, without your consent, except as explained in this Privacy Policy.

Profile Information You Make Available to Others

By using the Site or the Services you may make certain of your Personal Information available to others.  For example, if your user name contains your real name, and you post a comment on the Site, other Customers may see your name, the city you live in and other information from your profile that you choose to make available to others.  You can control the information in your profile that you wish to make available to other Customers in the account settings portion of the Site.  The information you choose to make available, may be accessed by Businesses and Customers who use the Site and may be accessed by commercial search engines such as Google, Yahoo! and Bing to the extent that such engines are permitted to access the Site.

When you invite a friend or a Business to join Bizzy.  When you ask us to invite a friend or a Business to join Bizzy, we will send them messages on your behalf using your name and other Personal Information you wish to disclose.

Disclosures to Businesses

When Customers sign up with a Business or accept an invitation from a Business on Bizzy, certain Personal Information may be shared with that Business.  If you are a Customer, you can control what Personal Information of yours will be shared with a Business.  You may change your preferences for sharing your Personal Information in the account settings portion of the Site. If you change your preferences to reduce the information to be shared with Businesses that you connect with, such Businesses will no longer have access to such information via the Site or the Services.  In order to participate in Bizzy, Businesses are required to take certain affirmative steps to protect the personal information you choose to share with them and to comply with all applicable privacy laws and regulations.  However, Bizzy does not control these Businesses and is not responsible for their actions, including their compliance with privacy laws and regulations.  We encourage you to connect only with Businesses that you know and trust.

Service Providers

From time to time, we may establish a business relationship with other businesses whom we believe trustworthy and who have confirmed that their privacy practices are consistent with ours ("Service Providers").  For example, we may contract with Service Providers to provide certain services, such as hosting and maintenance, data storage and management, and marketing and promotions.  We only provide our Service Providers with the information necessary for them to perform these services on our behalf.  Each Service Provider must agree to use reasonable security procedures and practices, appropriate to the nature of the information involved, in order to protect your Personal Information from unauthorized access, use or disclosure.  Service Providers are prohibited from using Personal Information other than as specified by Bizzy.

Advertising

We may work with third-party advertisers, search providers and ad networks ("Advertisers").  These companies may collect and use information about your use of the Site or Services in order to provide advertisements about goods and services that may be of interest to you.  Advertisements may be shown via the Site, the Services, or third-party Web sites.  These companies may place or recognize a unique cookie on your computer or use other technologies such as Web beacons.  Our Privacy Policy does not cover any use of information that an Ad Network may collect from you.  

Other Transfers

We may share Personal Information and Usage Data with businesses controlling, controlled by, or under common control with Bizzy.  If Bizzy is merged, acquired, or sold, or in the event of a transfer of some or all of our assets, we may disclose or transfer Personal Information and Usage Data in connection with such transaction.  You will have the opportunity to opt out of any such transfer if, in our discretion, the new entity plans to handle your information in a way that differs materially from this Privacy Policy.

Compliance with Laws and Law Enforcement

Bizzy cooperates with government and law enforcement officials and private parties to enforce and comply with the law.  We may disclose Personal Information and any other information about you to government or law enforcement officials or private parties if, in our discretion, we believe it is necessary or appropriate in order to respond to legal requests (including court orders and subpoenas), to protect the safety, property or rights of Bizzy or of any third party, to prevent or stop any illegal, unethical, or legally actionable activity, or to comply with the law.

To offer joint services. We may provide services jointly with other companies. In some cases, in order to facilitate such services, it may be necessary to share your Personal Information with such other companies.  Before we do so, we will identify the partner, present the joint service provider’s privacy policy to you before you use that service, and obtain your permission to share your Personal Information. 

The Content of Your Messages is Private

Other than your public postings and as may occur incidentally to the provision of technical support, Bizzy will not deliberately read the content of the messages that you send or receive to or from others using any of our Services (such as the Bizzy e-mail service) without your consent or as explained in this Privacy Policy.  In some circumstances, law enforcement officials or private parties may be legally entitled to obtain access to your communications.  Bizzy will comply with court orders and other legal demands for disclosure if, in our discretion, we believe we are required to do so.

Be Careful When You Share Information with Others

Please be aware that whenever you share information on a publicly available profile page, any Business page, or any other public forum on the Site, that information may be accessed by others.  In addition, please remember that when you share information in any other communications with third parties (such as the Bizzy e-mail service), that information may be passed along or made public by others.  This means that anyone with access to such information can potentially use it for any purpose, including sending unsolicited communications.

Security

Bizzy recognizes the importance of safeguarding the confidentiality of your Personal Information.  Accordingly, we employ reasonable measures designed to protect your information from unauthorized access.  However, no data transmission over the Internet or other network can be guaranteed to be 100% secure.  As a result, while we strive to protect information transmitted on or through the Site or Services, we cannot and do not guarantee the security of any information you transmit on or through the Site or Services, and you do so at your own risk.

Links To Other Web sites

Our Site and Services may contain links to other Web sites, or allow others to send you such links.  A link to a third party's Web site does not mean that we endorse it or that we are affiliated with it.  We do not exercise control over third-party Web sites.  You access such third-party Web sites or content at your own risk.  You should always read the privacy policy of a third-party Web site before providing any information to the Web site.

Children's Privacy

We do not knowingly collect Personal Information from children under the age of 13.  If we become aware that we have inadvertently received Personal Information from a child under the age of 13, we will delete such information from our records.  In addition, we recommend that minors 13 years of age or older ask their parents for permission before sending any information about themselves to anyone over the Internet.

Processing in the United States  

Please be aware that your Personal Information and communications may be transferred to and maintained on servers or databases located outside your state, province, or country.  If you are located outside of the United States, please be advised that we process and store all information in the United States.  The laws in the United States may not be as protective of your privacy as those in your location.  By using our Site or Services, you agree that the collection, use, transfer, and disclosure of your Personal Information and communications will be governed by the applicable laws in the United States.

Privacy Policy Changes

From time to time, we may change this Privacy Policy.  If we decide to change this Privacy Policy, we will inform you by posting the revised Privacy Policy on the Site.  Those changes will go into effect on the Revision Date shown in the revised Privacy Policy.  Your continued use of our Site or Services constitutes your consent to the revised Privacy Policy.