Who is collecting information from me?
WBSResearch hereby referred by WBS.
What personal information will WBS collect from me?
This will depend on how you interact with a WBS web property.
* Visiting a web property
When visiting a web property general information will be collected such as your IP address, system information supplied by your web browser, and which pages were viewed. System information includes your screen size, operating system, language, web browser, and other generic information about your device.
IP address: This is necessary to correctly send the information requested back to you and not another visitor. Plus WBS systems will store IP addresses for a few months in case a breach is discovered. This will aid WBS in discovering the source as well as cooperate with law enforcement. Also IP addresses and system information may be used in blocking efforts for repeat offenders in both automated and manually configured systems.
System information: WBS collects this information to better design its web properties. For example if it is discovered most people are using a certain screen size WBS will be able to respond and provide a better user/visitor experience. WBS collects this information via web logs as well as deploys some third party services: Google Analytics, Quantcast, and Woopra.
Pages viewed: WBS systems will note which pages you viewed so that adjustments may be made to provide for better user/visitor experiences.
* Buying (ordering) from a web property
When buying (ordering) from one of WBS web properties additional information will be requested that you must manually provide. This is common information to complete an online transaction such as your name, physical mailing address, email address, and payment information. Obviously the item(s)/service(s) ordered will be collected too. In addition WBS will logged your IP address and at times your system information.
Name, physical mailing address, email, and payment information: This information is required to process and fulfill the requested transaction. Also WBS uses data like your physical address and some payment information to combat online fraud.
IP address and system information: This is collected to combat online fraud and assist law enforcement in such cases along with aid in possible legal action. Plus such information may be used to block access to WBS systems.
* Signing up for an account
Some WBS web properties offer services that require an online account to receive full benefits. An account may be free of charge, require a subscription (of various lengths), offer paid upgrades, or be a mixture. In all cases a visitor will see the information requested and thus the choice to provide or not provide such data is up to each individual visitor.
It should be noted additional information will be automatically gathered as described in “Visiting a web property“. Also when logging into an online account the “Cookies and Sessions” terms will apply. Finally for accounts that require payment the “Buying (ordering) from a web property” terms will apply.
* Online contact methods
Web forms: This method will require your name, email address, subject, and reason for contact. This information is required to address your concerns and respond appropriately. In addition WBS collects your IP address and basic system information for security and client experience enhancements. At present WBS online web forms do not store information in a data base but rather go straight to email.
Email: If you email WBS directly then your email address, from name, subject, message, and standard information transmitted in the email protocol will be collected and logged by WBS systems.
Other: WBS will alter this section should additional methods of online contact be deployed. (ie: Web property chat boxes)
Cookies and Sessions
Many of WBS systems deploy cookies to allow for a better visitor experience. In some cases the cookies refer to sessions that have been tailored to your requests. While you are free to reject cookies you may find your visit less than desirable.
However cookies are required when logging into WBS systems that require an username and password. Therefore if you reject cookies you won’t be able to interact with those systems. Once you have completed your visit you may safely delete those cookies but you’ll have to log back in on your next visit.
WBS from time-to-time enters into partnership arrangements where it sends traffic to third party web properties using cookie technology. These cookies will be generated by a third party system and not WBS web properties.
It should also be noted that some WBS systems save session data for access, security, and legal reasons. This includes both short and long term storage of such data. In all cases long term session data is only stored when accessing an online account that requires an username and password.
- Access: WBS systems must be able to determine the correct visitor (receiver) to properly serve the requested data.
- Security: WBS must protect a visitor and WBS systems from other visitors and abusers. If WBS systems are unable to correctly track and verify a visitor’s session is the authorized and legitimate receiver of the requested information then digital security and data protection for a visitor is broken. WBS systems may also use such information in tracking repeat account abusers then taking action to protect other visitors and thus keep data security integrity.
- Legal: WBS may log sessions long term to comply with legal requirements and/or use such data to prevent abuse to WBS systems from repeat offenders.
Definitions:
- Short term: Session data stored for under one month which could be as short as a few minutes.
- Long term: Session data stored for over one month.
Can a visitor remove his/her information from WBS systems?
In some cases information may be removed from WBS systems.
Email lists: An individual may unsubscribe from a list at anytime using the provided link.
Shopping systems: An individual may remove some information from the shopping system however invoices and method of payment will be stored to protect WBS against fraud and legal issues.
Web server and emails: Over time most web server logs and emails are purged to save space. However WBS is unable to guarantee specific times.
Backups: WBS maintains backups and will do its best to remove information where possible. However it should be noted that it takes time for backups to cycle and information removed from primary systems will not immediately be reflected on backup systems.
Other: It should be noted WBS is unable to remove information from systems not under its control such as ISP logs to WBS web properties and other third party systems.
How will WBS use the information collected?
This depends on the information provided to WBS. If you simply visit WBS web properties the information gathered by WBS logs will be used in the following manner:
- Where is web traffic coming from?
- What parts of WBS web properties are popular (what visitors viewing)?
- What keywords are being used in search engines to find WBS web properties?
- If possible why are people leaving WBS web properties?
- Other traffic related questions.
- Combating online fraud and abuse to WBS web properties such as SPAM, intrusion attempts, DDOS, etc.
These are standard questions all internet companies ask when reviewing their logs. Your information will be used along with all other visitors, to WBS web properties, to determine traffic patterns.
Information collected during attempted security breaches may be used to locate the violator and if necessary turned over to law enforcement officials for prosecution. In addition, WBS may use such information for lawsuits against violators and/or to protect WBS from lawsuits.
What about information I enter/upload when using WBS services?
WBS reserves the right to review any material at any time, on WBS systems, to ensure a visitor is not violating any laws or terms of services. WBS does reserve the right to remove anything from WBS systems at any time with or without notice. Please review the WBS Terms of Service (TOS). Also failure by WBS to review content on its systems does not remove the right to take action at any time once violations have been discovered.
Who else will have access to the information collected by WBS?
Individuals within WBS and consultants for WBS have access to different levels of information. Only high level officials, server administrators, and database administrators have broad access, which is unavoidable due to the nature of their jobs. In all cases they understand the level of sensitivity and are fully aware of punishment for abusing such privileges.
The information collected will NOT be sold or revealed to third parties, unless ordered by a court of law with legal jurisdiction over such information. However, at times, WBS may use generic information for marketing or other purposes. An example of this generic information would be informing a partner a WBS web property had 50,000 unique hits last month. WBS would not reveal any specific visitor information but collective sums. Nor would any third parties be allowed to browse WBS systems or records other than when third party services are deployed. (ie: Google Analytics is run and maintained by Google thus some Google staff has access to that data). However WBS doesn’t willingly grant access to any specific parties.
Is it possible to choose which information is collected, how it is used and who will see it?
Our visitors do have some control over what information will be collected. This includes personal names, addresses, credit card numbers, usernames, and passwords. However certain information is automatically collected such as IP address, web browser and OS, screen resolution, screen color, time of visit, where user is visiting from and where visitor goes after visiting WBS web properties.
A visitor can control how certain information is used like addresses, credit cards, usernames and passwords. WBS does not pass out usernames, passwords, addresses, or credit card information. It is however up to the visitor to protect his/her username and password. If a visitor provides his/her login information to an unresponsible party and that party causes damage or does harm with the information in the visitor’s account WBS can not be held accountable.The only parties who will see the visitor’s information are authorized personal of WBS, the visitor, and any one else the visitor grants access to his/her account(s). WBS believes in protecting its visitors’ trust and privacy.
How is sensitive information like credit card numbers and addresses protected?
WBS protects sensitive personal information using SSL now TLS technology. WBS encourages visitors to only submit their personal data only after they have verified their browser is in SSL encryption mode. Please remember when viewing a protected URL you should see https instead of http (Note the s). All WBS web properties are configured to only load using https, but WBS still encourages visitors to verify.
In addition WBS deploys the following technologies:
- Credit card encryption/tokens,
- Firewalls,
- SSH2 with key based encryption,
- White lists,
- Fail2Ban,
- Password managers,
- Software updates,
- Purpose build systems (not running extra services),
- and other industry security practices.
WBS fully understands digital security is a journey and not a destination.
How can a visitor update his/her information?
In some cases it is possible to update certain information provided to WBS. This includes shopping systems by logging into one’s account and email announcement systems by using the provided link.
External Vendors
WBS does deploy some third party services that collect their own visitor information. These include bookmarking/sharing services, web analytics (ie: Google Analytics, Quantcast, Woopra), payment systems (ie: Paypal, Stripe), and shipping services (ie: USPS, UPS, Fedex). Those systems are governed by their own privacy policies. However they do NOT have access to WBS servers.
WBS offers products on external systems such as Amazon, eBay, and Etsy. Those platforms are governed by their own privacy policies.
Finally WBS deploys Google ads on some of web properties which will place Google’s DART cookie onto your computer. Google, is a third party vendor, and uses this DART cookie to serve targeted ads that you may find of interest. If you do not wish to have this cookie placed on your computer you may opt out by clicking here.