Your privacy is critically important to us. At Social Assurity we have a few fundamental principles:

We don’t ask you for personal information unless we truly need it to deliver the results you expect from us.

We don’t share your personal information with anyone except to comply with the law, prepare your selected deliverables, or protect our rights.

We don’t store personal information on our servers unless required for the on-going operation of one of our services.

Below is our privacy policy which incorporates these goals:

If you have questions about deleting or correcting your personal data please contact us.

Social Assurity LLC (“Social Assurity”) operates SocialAssurity.com and socialmediaforcollegeadmissions.com. It is Social Assurity’s policy to respect your privacy regarding any information we may collect while operating our websites.

Website Visitors

Like most website operators, Social Assurity collects non-personally-identifying information of the sort that web browsers and servers typically make available, such as the browser type, language preference, referring site, and the date and time of each visitor request. Social Assurity’s purpose in collecting non-personally identifying information is to better understand how Social Assurity’s visitors use its website. From time to time, Social Assurity may release non-personally-identifying information in the aggregate, e.g., by publishing a report on trends in the usage of its website.

Social Assurity also collects potentially personally-identifying information like Internet Protocol (IP) addresses for logged in users, email addresses for our newsletter, eCourses and for users leaving comments on Squarespace blogs. Social Assurity only discloses logged in user and commenter IP addresses under the same circumstances that it uses and discloses personally-identifying information as described below, except that blog commenter IP addresses are visible and disclosed to the administrators of the blog where the comment was left.

Gathering of Personally-Identifying Information

Certain visitors to Social Assurity’s websites choose to interact with Social Assurity in ways that require Social Assurity to gather personally-identifying information. The amount and type of information that Social Assurity gathers depends on the nature of the interaction. In each case, Social Assurity collects such information only insofar as is necessary or appropriate to fulfill the purpose of the visitor’s interaction with Social Assurity. Social Assurity does not disclose personally-identifying information other than as described below. And visitors can always refuse to supply personally-identifying information, with the caveat that it may prevent them from engaging in certain website-related activities.

Protection of Certain Personally-Identifying Information

Social Assurity discloses potentially personally-identifying and personally-identifying information only to those of its employees, contractors and affiliated organizations that (i) need to know that information in order to process it on Social Assurity’s behalf or to provide services available at Social Assurity’s website, and (ii) that have agreed not to disclose it to others. Some of those employees, contractors and affiliated organizations may be located outside of your home country; by using Social Assurity’s websites, you consent to the transfer of such information to them. Social Assurity will not rent or sell potentially personally-identifying and personally-identifying information to anyone. Other than to its employees, contractors and affiliated organizations, as described above, Social Assurity discloses potentially personally-identifying and personally-identifying information only in response to a subpoena, court order or other governmental request, or when Social Assurity believes in good faith that disclosure is reasonably necessary to protect the property or rights of Social Assurity, third parties or the public at large. If you have supplied your email address, Social Assurity may occasionally send you an email to tell you about new features, solicit your feedback, or just keep you up to date with what’s going on with Social Assurity and our products.

Business Transfers

If Social Assurity, or substantially all of its assets, were acquired, or in the unlikely event that Social Assurity goes out of business or enters bankruptcy, user information would be one of the assets that is transferred or acquired by a third party. You acknowledge that such transfers may occur, and that any acquirer of Social Assurity may continue to use your personal information as set forth in this policy.

Cookies and Ads

On both Social Assurity-owned and operated sites and unaffiliated sites, Social Assurity displays interest-based advertising using information you make available to us when you interact with our sites, content, or services. Interest-based ads, also sometimes referred to as personalized or targeted ads, are displayed to you based on information from activities such as visiting our site or visiting sites that contain Social Assurity content or ads. In providing interest-based ads, we follow the Self-Regulatory Principles for Online Behavioral Advertising developed by the Digital Advertising Alliance (a coalition of marketing, online advertising, and consumer advocacy organizations).

Like other online ad networks, we use cookies, web beacons (also known as action tags or single-pixel gifs), and other technologies (collectively, “cookies”). Cookies enable us to learn about what ads you see, what ads you click, and other actions you take on our sites and other sites. This allows us to provide you with more useful and relevant ads. For example, if we know what ads you are shown we can be careful not to show you the same ones repeatedly. We do not associate your interaction with unaffiliated sites with your identity in providing you with interest-based ads.

We do not provide any personal information to advertisers or to third party sites that display our interest-based ads. However, advertisers and other third-parties (including the ad networks, ad-serving companies, and other service providers they may use) may assume that users who interact with or click on a personalized ad or content are part of the group that the ad or content is directed towards (for example, parents with college-aged children). Also, some third-parties may provide us information about you (such as the sites where you have been shown ads or demographic information) from offline and online sources that we may use to provide you more relevant and useful advertising.

Advertisers or ad companies working on their behalf sometimes use technology to serve the ads that appear on our sites directly to your browser. They automatically receive your IP address when this happens. They may also use cookies to measure the effectiveness of their ads and to personalize ad content. We do not have access to or control over cookies or other features that advertisers and third party sites may use, and the information practices of these advertisers and third party websites are not covered by our Privacy Notice or this Interest-Based Ads page. Please contact them directly for more information about their privacy practices.

You can also generally opt-out of receiving personalized ads from third party advertisers and ad networks who are members of the Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) or who follow the Digital Advertising Alliance’s Self-Regulatory Principles for Online Behavioral Advertising by visiting the opt-out pages on the NAI website and DAA website.

Data Processing Addendum

This Data Processing Addendum forms part of, and is subject to the provisions of, the Terms of Use. Capitalized terms that are not defined in this Data Processing Addendum have the meanings set forth in the Terms of Service.

1.     Additional Definitions.

The following definitions apply solely to this Data Processing Addendum:

a. the terms “controller”, “data subject”, “personal data”, “process,” “processing” and “processor” have the meanings given to these terms in EU Data Protection Law.

b. “Breach” means a breach of the Security Measures resulting in access to Social Assurity’s equipment or facilities storing Your Controlled Data and the accidental or unlawful destruction, loss, alteration, unauthorized disclosure of, or access to, Your Controlled Data transmitted, stored or processed by Social Assurity on your behalf and instructions through the Services.

c. “Content” means your User Content and any content provided to us from your End Users, including without limitation text, photos, images, audio, video, code, and any other materials.

d. “EU Data Protection Law” means any data protection or data privacy law or regulation of Switzerland or any European Economic Area (“EEA”) country applicable to Your Controlled Data, including, as applicable, the GDPR and the e-Privacy Directive 2002/58/EC.

e. “GDPR” means the EU General Data Protection Regulation 2016/679.

f. “Security Measures” means the technical and organizational security measures set out here.

g. “Sub-Processor” means an entity engaged by Social Assurity to process Your Controlled Data.

h. “Your Controlled Data” means the personal data in the Content Social Assurity processes on your behalf and instructions as part of the Services, but only to the extent that you are subject to EU Data Protection Law in respect of such personal data. Your Controlled Data does not include personal data when controlled by us, including without limitation data we collect (including IP address, device/browser details and web pages visited prior to coming to Your Site) with respect to your End Users’ interactions with Your Site through their browser and technologies like cookies.

2.     Applicability.

This Data Processing Addendum only applies to you if you or your End Users are data subjects located within the EEA or Switzerland and only applies in respect of Your Controlled Data. You agree that Social Assurity is not responsible for personal data that you have elected to process through Third Party Services or outside of the Services, including the systems of any other third-party cloud services, offline or on-premises storage.

3.     Details of Data Processing.

3.1 Subject Matter. The subject matter of the data processing under this Data Processing Addendum is Your Controlled Data.

3.2 Duration. As between you and us, the duration of the data processing under this Data Processing Addendum is determined by you.  

3.3 Purpose. The purpose of the data processing under this Data Processing Addendum is the provision of the Services initiated by you from time to time.

3.4 Nature of the Processing. The Services as described in the Agreement and initiated by you from time to time.

3.5 Type of Personal Data. Your Controlled Data relating to you, your End Users or other individuals whose personal data is included in Content which is processed as part of the Services in accordance with instructions given through your Account.

3.6 Categories of Data Subjects. You, Your End Users and any other individuals whose personal data is included in Content.

4.    Processing Roles and Activities.

4.1 Social Assurity as Processor and You as Controller. You are the controller and Social Assurity is the processor of Your Controlled Data.

4.2 Social Assurity as Controller. Social Assurity may also be an independent controller for some personal data relating to you or your End Users. Please see our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service for details about this personal data which we control. We decide how to use and process that personal data independently and use it for our own purposes. When we process personal data as a controller, you acknowledge and confirm that the Agreement does not create a joint-controller relationship between you and us. If we provide you with personal data controlled by us, such as in any access to data regarding your End Users’ interactions with Your Site, you receive that as an independent data controller and are responsible for compliance with EU Data Protection Law in that regard.

4.3 Description of Processing Activities. We will process Your Controlled Data for the purpose of providing you with the Services, as may be used, configured or modified from within your Account (the “Purpose”). For example, depending on how you use the Services, we may process Your Controlled Data in order to: (a) enable you to integrate content or features from a social media platform on Your Site; or (b) email your End Users on your behalf.

4.4 Compliance with Laws. You will ensure that your instructions comply with all laws, regulations and rules applicable in relation to Your Controlled Data and that Your Controlled Data is collected lawfully by you or on your behalf and provided to us by you in accordance with such laws, rules and regulations. You will also ensure that the processing of Your Controlled Data in accordance with your instructions will not cause or result in us or you breaching any laws, rules or regulations (including EU Data Protection Law). You are responsible for reviewing the information available from us relating to data security pursuant to the Agreement and making an independent determination as to whether the Services meet your requirements and legal obligations as well as your obligations under this Data Processing Addendum. Social Assurity will not access or use Your Controlled Data except as provided in the Agreement, as necessary to maintain or provide the Services or as necessary to comply with the law or binding order of a governmental, law enforcement or regulatory body.

5.     Our Processing Responsibilities.

5.1 How We Process. We will process Your Controlled Data for the Purpose and in accordance with the Agreement or instructions you give us through your Account. You agree that the Agreement and the instructions given through your Account are your complete and final documented instructions to us in relation to your Controlled Data. Additional instructions outside the scope of this Data Processing Addendum require prior written agreement between you and us, including agreement on any additional fees payable by you to us for carrying out such instructions. We will promptly inform you if, in our opinion, your instructions infringe applicable EU Data Protection Law, or if we are unable to comply with your instructions. We will notify you when applicable laws prevent us from complying with your instructions, except if such disclosure is prohibited by applicable law on important grounds of public interest, such as a prohibition under law to preserve the confidentiality of a law enforcement investigation or request.

5.2 Notification of Breach. We will provide you notice without undue delay after becoming aware of and confirming the occurrence of a Breach for which notification to you is required under applicable EU Data Protection Laws. We will, to assist you in complying with your notification obligations under Articles 33 and 34 of the GDPR, provide you with such information about the Breach as we are reasonably able to disclose to you, taking into account the nature of the Services, the information available to us and any restrictions on disclosing the information such as for confidentiality. Our obligation to report or respond to a Breach under this Section is not and will not be construed as an acknowledgement by Social Assurity of any fault or liability of Social Assurity with respect to the Breach. Despite the foregoing, Social Assurity’s obligations under this Section do not apply to incidents that are caused by you, any activity on your Account and/or Third-Party Services.

5.3 Notification of Inquiry or Complaint. We will provide you notice, if permitted by applicable law, upon receiving an inquiry or complaint from an End User, or other individual whose personal data is included in your Content, or a binding demand (such as a court order or subpoena) from a government, law enforcement, regulatory or other body in respect of Your Controlled Data that we process on your behalf and instructions.

5.4 Reasonable Assistance with Compliance. We will, to the extent that you cannot reasonably do so through the Services, your Account or otherwise, provide reasonable assistance to you in respect of your fulfillment of your obligation as controller to respond to requests by data subjects under Chapter 3 of the GDPR, taking into account the nature of the Services and information available to us. You will be responsible for our reasonable costs arising from our provision of such assistance.

5.5 Security Measures. We will maintain the Security Measures. We may change these Security Measures but will not do so in a way that adversely affects the security of Your Controlled Data. We will take steps to ensure that any natural person acting under our authority who has access to Your Controlled Data does not process it except on our instructions, unless such person is required to do so under applicable law, and that personnel authorized by us to process Your Controlled Data have committed themselves to relevant confidentiality obligations or are under an appropriate statutory obligation of confidentiality.

5.6 Sub-Processors. You agree that we can share Your Controlled Data with Sub-Processors in order to provide you the Services. We will impose contractual obligations on our Sub-Processors, and contractually obligate our Sub-Processors to impose contractual obligations on any further sub-contractors which they engage to process Your Controlled Data, which provide the same level of data protection for Your Controlled Data in all material respects as  the contractual obligations imposed in this Data Processing Addendum, to the extent applicable to the nature of the Services provided by such Sub-Processor. A list of our current Sub-Processors is available upon request by sending an email to info@socialassurity.com. Provided that your objection is reasonable and related to data protection concerns, you may object to any Sub-Processor by sending an email to info@socialassurity.com. If you object to any Sub-Processor and your objection is reasonable and related to data protection concerns, we will use commercially reasonable efforts to make available to you a means of avoiding the processing of Your Controlled Data by the objected-to Sub-Processor. If we are unable to make available such suggested change within a reasonable period of time, we will notify you and if you still object to our use of such Sub-Processor, you may cancel or terminate your Account or, if possible, the portions of the Services that involve use of such Sub-Processor. Except as set forth in this Section 5.6, if you object to any Sub-Processors, you may not use or access the Services. You consent to our use of Sub-Processors as described in this Section 5.6. Except as set forth in this Section 5.6 or as you may otherwise authorize, we will not permit any Sub-Processor to access Your Controlled Data. Social Assurity will remain responsible for its compliance with the obligations of this Data Processing Addendum and for any acts or omissions of any Sub-Processor or their further sub-contractors that process Your Controlled Data and cause Social Assurity to breach any of Social Assurity’s obligations under this Data Processing Addendum, solely to the extent that Social Assurity would be liable under the Agreement if the act or omission was Social Assurity’s own.

5.7 Social Assurity Audits. Social Assurity may (but is not obliged to) use external or internal auditors to verify the adequacy of our Security Measures.

5.8 Customer Audits and Information Requests. You agree to exercise any right you may have to conduct an audit or inspection by instructing Social Assurity to carry out the audit described in Section 5.7.

You agree that you may be required to agree to a non-disclosure agreement with Social Assurity before we share any such report or outcome from such audit with you and that we may redact any such reports as we consider appropriate. If Social Assurity does not follow such instruction or if it is legally mandatory for you to demonstrate compliance with EU Data Protection Law by means other than reviewing a report from such an audit, you may only request a change in the following way:

a. First, submit a request for additional information in writing to Social Assurity, specifying all details required to enable Social Assurity to review this request effectively, including without limitation the information being requested, what form you need to obtain it in and the underlying legal requirement for the request (the “Request”). You agree that the Request will be limited to information regarding our Security Measures.

b. Within a reasonable time after we have received and reviewed the Request, you and we will discuss and work in good faith towards agreeing on a plan to determine the details of how the Request can be addressed. You and we agree to use the least intrusive means for Social Assurity to verify Social Assurity’s compliance with the Security Measures in order to address the Request, taking into account applicable legal requirements, information available to or that may be provided to you, the urgency of the matter and the need for Social Assurity to maintain uninterrupted business operations and the security of its facilities and protect itself and its customers from risk and to prevent disclosure of information that could jeopardize the confidentiality of Social Assurity or our users’ information.

You will pay our costs in considering and addressing any Request. Any information and documentation provided by Social Assurity or its auditors pursuant to this Section 5.8 will be provided at your cost. If we decline to follow any instruction requested by you regarding audits or inspections, you may cancel any affected Paid Services.

5.9 Questions. Upon your reasonable requests to us for information regarding our compliance with the obligations set forth in this Data Processing Addendum, we shall, where such information is not otherwise available to you, provide you with written responses, provided that you agree not to exercise this right more than one (1) time per calendar year (unless it is necessary for you to do so to comply with EU Data Protection Law). The information to be made available by Social Assurity under this Section 5.9 is limited to solely that information necessary, taking into account the nature of the Services and the information available to Social Assurity, to assist you in complying with your obligations under the GDPR in respect of data protection impact assessments and prior consultation. You agree that you may be required to agree to a non-disclosure agreement with Social Assurity before we share any such information with you.  

5.10 Requests. You can delete or access a copy of some of Your Controlled Data through your Account. For any of Your Controlled Data which may not be deleted or accessed through your Account, upon your  written request, we will, with respect to any of Your Controlled Data in our or our Sub-Processor’s possession that we can associate with a data subject, subject to the limitations described in the Agreement and unless prohibited by applicable law or the order of a governmental, law enforcement or regulatory body: (a) return such data and copies of such data to you provided that you make such request within no more than ninety (90) days after the cancellation of the applicable Paid Services; or (b) delete, and request that our Sub-Processors delete, such data (excluding in the case of (a) or (b) any of such data which is archived on back-up systems, which we shall securely isolate and protect from any further processing, except to the extent required by applicable law). Otherwise, we will delete Your Controlled Data in accordance with our data retention policy. This Section 5.10 does not apply to personal data held by Third Party Services.

6.     Data Transfers.

You authorize us to transfer Your Controlled Data away from the country in which such data was originally collected. In particular, you authorize us to transfer Your Controlled Data to the US. We will transfer Your Controlled Data to outside the EEA using the Swiss-U.S. and EU-U.S. Privacy Shield Frameworks or another lawful data transfer mechanism that is recognized under EU Data Protection Law as providing an adequate level of protection for such data transfers.

7.     Liability.

The liability of each party under this Data Processing Addendum is subject to the exclusions and limitations of liability set out in the Agreement. You agree that any regulatory penalties or claims by data subjects or others incurred by Social Assurity in relation to Your Controlled Data that arise as a result of, or in connection with, your failure to comply with your obligations under this Data Processing Addendum or EU Data Protection Law shall reduce Social Assurity’s maximum aggregate liability to you under the Agreement in the same amount as the fine and/or liability incurred by us as a result.

8.    Conflict.

In the event of a conflict between this Data Processing Addendum and the Terms of Service, this Data Processing Addendum will control.

9.     Miscellaneous.

You are responsible for any costs and expenses arising from Social Assurity’s compliance with your instructions or requests pursuant to the Agreement (including this Data Processing Addendum) which fall outside the standard functionality made available by Social Assurity generally through the Services.

Privacy Policy Changes

Although most changes are likely to be minor, Social Assurity may change its Privacy Policy from time to time, and in Social Assurity’s sole discretion. Social Assurity encourages visitors to frequently check this page for any changes to its Privacy Policy. Your continued use of this site after any change in this Privacy Policy will constitute your acceptance of such change.