VerveScope Privacy Policy
Effective Date: [2024.11.10]
At VerveScope, we respect your privacy and are committed to protecting the personal information you share with us. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website (sneakcove.com), use our mobile applications, or engage with our services (collectively, the “Services”). By accessing or using our Services, you agree to the terms of this Privacy Policy.
1. Information We Collect
We may collect two types of information about you: personal information (data that identifies you) and non-personal information (data that does not identify you).
A. Personal Information You Provide
We collect personal information when you voluntarily submit it to us, such as:
- Contact details (name, email address, phone number) when you sign up for newsletters, register for events, or submit pitches via “Write for Us.”
- Account information (username, password) if you create a VerveScope account to comment on articles or participate in community features.
- Payment details (credit card information) when you purchase tickets to paid events or make donations (processed via third-party payment processors, not stored directly by VerveScope).
- Content you submit (comments, pitches, story ideas, or personal anecdotes) through our Services.
B. Information Collected Automatically
When you use our Services, we may automatically collect certain information about your device and usage, including:
- Device data (IP address, browser type, operating system, device identifiers, and network information).
- Usage data (pages you visit, articles you read, links you click, time spent on our site, and referring URLs).
- Cookies and similar tracking technologies (see Section 3 for details).
C. Information from Third Parties
We may receive information about you from third parties, such as:
- Social media platforms (if you log in to VerveScope using a social media account, we may collect information from that platform, such as your name and profile photo, in accordance with your social media privacy settings).
- Analytics providers (to help us understand how users interact with our Services).
- Event partners (if you register for an event co-hosted by VerveScope and a third party, we may receive your information from that partner).
2. How We Use Your Information
We use your information for the following purposes:
- To provide and improve our Services (e.g., delivering newsletters, processing event registrations, or customizing content based on your interests).
- To communicate with you (e.g., sending updates about events, responding to your inquiries, or notifying you of editorial updates).
- To enhance user experience (e.g., remembering your preferences, personalizing recommendations, or enabling comment functionality).
- To protect our Services (e.g., detecting fraud, enforcing our Terms of Service, or ensuring the security of our platform).
- To comply with legal obligations (e.g., responding to lawful requests from authorities or resolving disputes, including compliance with Japan’s Act on the Protection of Personal Information).
3. Cookies and Tracking Technologies
We use cookies, web beacons, and similar tracking technologies to collect information about your usage of our Services.
- Cookies: Small text files stored on your device that help us recognize your browser, remember your preferences, and analyze usage patterns. You can disable cookies through your browser settings, but this may limit certain features of our Services.
- Web Beacons: Tiny graphics embedded in our content that track how you interact with our site (e.g., whether you opened a newsletter).
- Third-Party Analytics: We use tools like Google Analytics to collect and analyze usage data. These providers may use cookies and other technologies to track your activity on our site and across other websites, in compliance with applicable data protection laws including those in Japan.
4. How We Share Your Information
We do not sell your personal information to third parties. We may share your information in the following circumstances:
- Service Providers: We engage third-party vendors to assist with our Services (e.g., payment processors, email marketing platforms, or hosting services). These vendors have access to your information only to perform their functions and are obligated to protect it, including compliance with Japan’s data protection requirements.
- Event Partners: If you register for an event co-hosted with a partner, we may share your information with that partner to coordinate the event (you will be notified of such sharing during registration).
- Legal Requirements: We may disclose your information if required by law (e.g., to comply with a subpoena, court order, or request from Japan’s Personal Information Protection Commission) or to protect our rights, property, or safety, or that of others.
- With Your Consent: We may share your information for other purposes if we obtain your explicit consent.
5. Data Retention
We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required by law (including Japan’s Act on the Protection of Personal Information). When your information is no longer needed, we will delete it or anonymize it (so it no longer identifies you) using secure methods.
6. Your Rights and Choices
You have the following rights regarding your personal information, in accordance with applicable laws including Japan’s data protection regulations:
- Access: Request a copy of the personal information we collect about you.
- Correction: Ask us to update or correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
- Deletion: Request that we delete your personal information (subject to legal exceptions, such as when retention is required for compliance).
- Opt-Out: Unsubscribe from newsletters or marketing communications by clicking the “unsubscribe” link in emails or contacting us at privacy@vervescope.com.
- Cookie Preferences: Adjust your browser settings to manage cookies (see Section 3).
To exercise these rights, contact us at privacy@vervescope.com with your request. We may ask for verification (e.g., a copy of a government-issued ID) to protect your information from unauthorized access.
7. Security
We take reasonable measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure, in line with industry standards and Japan’s data protection requirements. These measures include encryption (for data in transit and at rest), secure server storage (hosted in compliance with global security certifications), and access controls (limiting internal access to personal information to authorized staff only). However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security.
8. Third-Party Links
Our Services may contain links to third-party websites (e.g., partner sites, social media platforms). This Privacy Policy does not apply to those sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit, especially if those sites operate in Japan or process data of Japanese users.
9. Children’s Privacy
Our Services are not directed to children under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we learn we have collected information from a child under 13 (including in compliance with Japan’s guidelines for children’s data protection), we will delete it promptly. Contact us at privacy@vervescope.com if you believe we have collected such information.
10. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in laws (including updates to Japan’s Act on the Protection of Personal Information), technology, or our business practices. When we do, we will revise the “Effective Date” at the top of this page and post the updated policy on our website. We will also notify you of material changes via email (if you have provided an email address) or a prominent notice on our homepage. Your continued use of our Services after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the new terms.
11. Contact Us
If you have questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy, or wish to exercise your data rights, please contact us at:
Mailing Address: VerveScope K.K., 5F Marunouchi Trust Tower Main, 2-3-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-6301, Japan
Thank you for trusting VerveScope with your information.