Effective: October 6, 2015
This Cookie Policy (the ”Policy”) describes how Vision Critical Communications Inc. (“Vision Critical”, “us” or “we”) uses cookies and similar technologies to collect and store information when you visit this website (the “Site”). For additional information on our privacy practices, please visit our privacy policy.
Should you have any questions regarding this Policy, you can contact our Privacy Officer by email at privacyofficer@visioncritical.com, or by mail at:
200 Granville Street, Mezzanine Floor
Vancouver, BC V6C 1S4
Attention: Privacy Officer
You may also call us at any of our numbers listed at www.visioncritical.com/contact-us/.
What are Cookies?
When you visit the Site, Vision Critical or a third party may send you a cookie. Cookies are small text files that may be placed in your browser directory on your computer or mobile device. When a website is accessed, a cookie that is placed on a device will send information to the party that has placed the cookie. Cookies are extremely common and used on most websites. Each cookie will typically contain the name of the domain from which the cookie has come, the “lifetime” of the cookie, and a value (usually a unique number). For a more thorough explanation of what cookies are and how they operate, please visit www.aboutcookies.org or www.allaboutcookies.org.
Why are Cookies useful?
In general, the purpose of cookies is to improve the performance of the Site and your experience while visiting the Site. Cookies help make your visits easier by recognizing you upon return and providing a customized experience. Cookies also allow us to do useful things; for example, cookies allow us to find out whether you have visited the Site previously. Cookies help us make the Site work more efficiently, enable extra functionality, and provide us with additional information about your visit. Cookies also allow us to track overall Site usage and determine areas that users prefer.
First Party and Third Party Cookies
Our Site may place first party cookies and allow third parties to place cookies on your device. The difference between a first party cookie and a third party cookie relates to the control of the party who serves the cookie. First party cookies are cookies that are specific to the website that created them. Their use enables us to operate an efficient service and to track the patterns of behavior of visitors to the Site. Third party cookies, on the other hand, are placed on your device by a third party (i.e., not by Vision Critical). While we may allow third parties access to the Site to place these cookies on users’ devices, for example by embedding functionality such as Social Media widgets, we do not retain control over the information supplied by the cookies, nor do we retain access to that data. Some third party cookies have the ability to track your browsing activity across sites, such as ad networks which are intended to deliver relevant, targeted ads to you including ads for Vision Critical products and services delivered on external websites. This information is controlled wholly by those third parties in accordance with their respective privacy policies. We do not share your personal information with the third parties for their own use.
Session and Persistent Cookies
Our Site may place session and persistent cookies on your device. Whereas the difference between a first party and third party cookie relates to the party controlling the initial placement of the cookie on your device, the difference between a session and a persistent cookie relates to the length of time the cookie lasts. Session cookies are cookies that typically last for as long as you are using your browser, also known as a browser session. When you end your browser session, the cookie expires. Persistent cookies, as the name implies, are persistent and will last after you close your browser. This allows for quicker and often more convenient access to our Site among other functionality.
Sparq Cookies
Vision Critical’s Sparq platform sets a number of cookies in order to function properly and to facilitate au-thentication, remember preferences, and maintain sessions. Vision Critical clients who use the Sparq platform, their community members, and Vision Critical’s own Market Community members will receive these cookies when interacting with the platform. Generally, users and community members may not opt-out of these cookies directly, and we recommend that they do not delete or block these cookies to ensure a proper user experience. Most of these cookies are proprietary, although a small number are generated by third parties including Google Analytics and Dynatrace. These third party Sparq cookies help Vision Critical measure how users and panelists interact with the platform, and do not store any personal information.
Linking of Cookie data with other data
Information gathered through usage of a cookie is not generally linked to any direct personal identifiers (e.g., your name or e-mail address). Once you submit personal data on our sites however (e.g., by signing up to receive information from us, become a customer, etc.), we may link such personal data with cookies or other data that are associated with your visit(s) to our Site. This linkage allows us to create a ‘profile’ of your preferences so that we may tailor Site content, offers, and promotions to your interests.
Google Analytics & Visitors from the European Union (EU)
This Site uses Google Analytics, a popular website analytics service of Google Inc. (“Google”) which sets its own cookies. The information generated by these cookies regarding the use of this Site will usually be transferred to a Google server in the US and stored there. IP anonymization has been activated on this Site with the effect that your IP address will be shortened by Google within the territory of member states of the EU or in another signatory state to the Agreement on the European Economic Area before such transfer occurs. Only in exceptional circumstances will the full IP address be transferred to a Google server in the US and shortened there. Google uses this information on behalf of the Site in order to analyze the use of the Site, to compile reports on Site activities, and to provide further services in connection with the Site. The IP address transmitted by your browser within the context of Google Analytics will not be combined with other Google data.
Marketo
This Site uses Marketo, a marketing automation platform to help us understand your use of the Site and to tailor the Site and resulting communications to your interests. Marketo technology uses cookies and web beacons to create a ‘profile’ of your browsing activity and email interaction as outlined elsewhere in this Policy. While Marketo is a third party, the service they provide us allows us to use their functionality in a first party context, and we directly control the setting of Marketo cookies as well as the data they collect via our Site. For more information about Marketo, please visit http://www.marketo.com/.
Kissmetrics
This Site uses Kissmetrics, a website analytics service which uses cookies to track your interaction with the Site. More information can be found in the Kissmetrics privacy policy located at https://www.kissmetrics.com/privacy.
Disabling, Deleting, or Opting Out of Cookies
If you do not want to have cookies placed on your device by third parties, many of them offer ways to opt-out.
You may prevent the collection of your data by Google Analytics by downloading and installing the Browser Plugin located here: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout
To opt-out of Kissmetrics tracking, please visit https://www.kissmetrics.com/user-privacy.
Information on opting-out of ad networks can be found at www.aboutads.info. If you are in the European Union, please visit www.youronlinechoices.eu.
In addition, most web browsers allow you to view and control most cookies through browser settings. You may refuse the use of cookies by selecting the appropriate settings on your browser to decline cookies. You may also delete existing cookies through your browser. Information on deleting/controlling cookies for specific browsers can be found at www.aboutcookies.org or www.allaboutcookies.org. Please note that if you delete cookies, or visit from another browser or device, you may need to set your preferences again including opt-out preferences. If you disable cookies, you may not be able to use the full functionality of the Site. In particular, you may have limited access to some areas or be transitioned to a different experience.
Similar Technologies
There are other technologies that perform a similar function to cookies. These include web beacons and clear gifs, local shared objects (also known as “LSOs” or “Flash cookies”), and digital fingerprints. These technologies may be used in conjunction with cookies to help us generate additional functionality and data:
Do Not Track Signal
Some browsers allow you to send a ‘Do Not Track’ request when you visit a website. Aside from the cookie related settings listed above, this Site does not process Do Not Track signals sent by your browser.
Changes to This Policy
We may change the information contained in this Policy at any time at our sole discretion so please review it periodically.