This Privacy Policy (“Privacy Policy”) describes how BackThread LLC and its subsidiaries and affiliates (“BackThread,” “us,” “we,” or “our”) may collect, use, and share your personal information in connection with backthread.ai and any other websites we operate that link to this Privacy Policy (collectively, the “Site”), and our related services, events, social media pages, and email and other electronic communications (collectively, and together with the Site, the “Platform”), and the choices you have with respect to your personal information.
This Privacy Policy does not apply to personal information that we may store or maintain on behalf of any of our business customers who use our solutions, where applicable. For more information about the privacy practices of one of our customers, please refer to their privacy policy or notice.
We reserve the right, at any time, to modify this Privacy Policy. If we modify how we collect, use, or share personal information, we will post the updated Privacy Policy on this page. In some cases, we may notify you about an update by sending you an email, posting a notice about the update on the Platform, or other means as may be required by applicable law. In all cases, your continued use of the Platform following posting or other notification of changes constitutes your acknowledgement of such changes. Please review this Privacy Policy periodically to keep up to date on our most current policies and practices.
Collection of Personal Information
Personal Information You Provide to Us. We collect and process personal information when you provide it to us, including, for example:
- Contact information, such as your first and last name, email address, phone number, postal address, or social media handle.
- Professional information, such as company name, location, and email, and other details we may collect about your company.
- Account information, such as your login credentials, name, email address or phone number, and details about your use of the Platform.
- Order history, such as records of services you have purchased from us.
- Transaction and billing data, such as payment amounts and payment methods used to complete transactions, and other relevant information about the financial institutions you use to conduct business.
- Payment information, such as bank account number, credit or debit card number, or financial account details used for payments. All payment processing services connected with your use of the Platform are provided to you by third-party payment processors. BackThread does not access or keep information related to credit cards, banking information, or other sensitive financial information.
- Survey responses, such as the information you provide in response to our surveys, questionnaires, or contests.
- Communications, such as communications that we exchange, including when you contact us with questions, feedback, or otherwise.
- Marketing preferences, such as your preferences for receiving marketing and promotional communications, and details about how you engage with our communications.
- Other information that we may collect which is not specifically listed here, which we will use as described in this Privacy Policy or as otherwise disclosed at the time of collection.
Personal Information Collected Automatically. When you visit or interact with the Platform, information about you or your device may be automatically collected or logged by us and our service providers or advertising partners, including:
- Online activity information, such as the website you visited before browsing to the Site, pages or screens you viewed, how long you spent on a page or screen, navigation paths between pages or screens, information about your activity on a page or screen, access times, and duration of access.
- Device information, such as your computer or mobile device operating system type and version number, wireless carrier, manufacturer and model, browser type, screen resolution, IP address, unique identifiers, and general location information such as city, state, or geographic area.
Like many online services, we use cookies and similar technologies to facilitate automatic data collection. Depending on how you interact with the Platform, these technologies may include:
- Cookies, which are text files that websites store on a visitor’s device to uniquely identify the visitor’s browser or to store information or settings in the browser for the purpose of helping you navigate between pages efficiently, remembering your preferences, enabling functionality, helping us understand user activity and patterns, and facilitating online advertising.
- Flash cookies, or locally-stored objects, which are used on websites for purposes similar to cookies but allow storage of a larger amount of data.
- Web beacons, also known as pixel tags or clear GIFs, which are typically used to demonstrate that a webpage or email was accessed or opened, or that certain content was viewed or clicked, typically to compile statistics about usage of websites and the success of email or marketing campaigns.
- Local storage, which is used to save data on a visitor’s device. We may use data from local storage to, for example, turn on web navigation, store multimedia preferences, customize what we show you based on your past interactions with our Platform, remember your preferences, or measure ad effectiveness.
- Session-replay technologies, which are third-party software programs that we may use on the Site to record a video replay of users’ interactions with the Site. This type of video replay may include, for example, users’ clicks, mouse movements, scrolls, typing, and other activity taken during the session. Such replays may be used for research and development purposes, such as to help us troubleshoot problems with the Site, understand how users interact with and use the Site, or identify areas for improvement.
- Chat technologies, which are chat features that may be added to the Platform that you can use to communicate with us or in some cases a digital “chatbot” that will help respond to your inquiries. If you visit an area of the Platform that includes chat technology, the service provider involved with providing that service may access and use the identifiers and online data information described above, and monitor and record your chats, for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy. When you use these features, where available, please note that you may be communicating with a digital agent and not a human.
Personal Information Obtained from Third Parties. BackThread may receive personal information from third parties, such as our service providers, advertising partners, data analytics partners, operating systems and platforms, social media platforms, event sponsors, publicly available sources, or data providers. We may merge or combine such personal information with the personal information we collect from you directly or automatically.
Referrals. Users of the Platform may have the opportunity to refer colleagues or other contacts to us and share their contact information. Please do not provide us with someone’s contact information unless you have their permission to do so.
Use of Personal Information
BackThread’s primary purpose in collecting personal information is to provide the services that you request. We also use personal information for the purposes set forth below and as otherwise described in this Privacy Policy or at the time of collection.
To Provide the Platform. We use personal information to provide our Platform and operate our business. For example, we use personal information to:
- process your transactions, including granting access to our Platform;
- establish, manage, monitor, and maintain your account;
- improve and personalize your experience on or with the Platform;
- verify your identity or determine your eligibility for offers and promotions;
- communicate with you, including providing notices about your account or transaction (e.g., confirmations, invoices, technical notices, updates, and security alerts) and responding to any of your requests, feedback, or questions;
- provide any contests, surveys, sweepstakes, or other promotions you participate in;
- provide maintenance and support; and
- fulfill any other purpose for which you provide personal information.
Research and Development. We use personal information for research and development purposes, including to study and improve the Platform and our business, and to develop new features, functionality, and services. As part of these activities, we create diagnostic and usage-related information and data from the use, performance and operation of the Platform that may include, but is not limited to, usage patterns, traffic logs, and user engagement with the Platform. We make personal information into anonymous data by removing information that makes the data personally identifiable to you. We may use this anonymous data and share it with third parties for our lawful business purposes.
No Training of AI Models on Your Content. We do not use your content to train artificial intelligence models. This includes User Content, prompts, queries, database contents, and files made available to or through the Platform. We may use aggregated, de-identified usage metrics and metadata, such as usage patterns, performance data, and traffic logs, to operate, secure, and improve the Platform.
Direct Marketing. We may send you BackThread-related or other direct marketing communications as permitted by law, including materials, updates, information, special offers, and promotional material from us and our business partners. You may opt-out of our marketing communications as described in the “Your Choices” section below.
Interest-Based Advertising. We may work with third-party advertising companies and social media companies to help us advertise our business and to display ads for our services. These companies may use cookies and similar technologies to collect information about you (including the online activity information and device information described above) over time across our Site and other websites, or your interaction with our emails, and use that information to serve ads that they think will interest you. In addition, some of these companies may use hashed customer lists that we share with them to deliver ads to you and to similar users on their platforms. You can learn more about your choices for limiting interest-based advertising in the “Your Choices” section below.
Compliance, Fraud Prevention, and Safety. We may use personal information and disclose it to law enforcement, government authorities, and private parties as we believe necessary or appropriate to: (a) maintain the safety, security, and integrity of the Platform, business, databases, and other technology assets; (b) protect our, your, or others’ rights, privacy, safety or property (including by making and defending legal claims); (c) audit our internal processes for compliance with legal and contractual requirements and internal policies; (d) enforce the terms and conditions that govern the Platform; and (e) prevent, identify, investigate, and deter fraudulent, harmful, unauthorized, unethical or illegal activity, including cyberattacks and identity theft. We will also use personal information as we believe necessary or appropriate to comply with applicable laws, lawful requests, and legal process, such as to respond to subpoenas or requests from government authorities.
With Your Consent. We will disclose your personal information in accordance with your prior direction or, in some cases, we may specifically ask you for your consent to collect, use, or share your personal information, such as when required by law.
Disclosure of Personal Information
In addition to the specific situations discussed elsewhere in this Privacy Policy or at the point of collection, BackThread may disclose your personal information with the following entities or persons:
- Related Companies. We may disclose your personal information to companies that are affiliated with us (that is, that control, are controlled by, or are under common control with us), such as affiliates and subsidiaries.
- Service Providers. We may disclose your personal information to third parties who perform services on our behalf that are necessary for the orderly operation of our business. For example, we work with service providers that help us perform website hosting, maintenance services, database management, analytics, payment processing, fraud protection, marketing, customer relationship management, finances, and other purposes.
- Your Company. We may disclose your personal information to the company associated with your BackThread account, such as when we share reports or other feedback relating to the services we provide to them.
- Advertising Partners. We may disclose personal information to third parties who we partner with for advertising campaigns or that collect information about your activity on the Platform for the purposes described in the “Interest-Based Advertising” section above.
- Business Partners. We may also disclose your personal information to other partners in order to provide you with content and other features through the Platform. In some instances, we may share personal information with companies that we partner with to help offer or provide our products or services, such as if we work with reseller partners or other parties involved in the provision of the products and services you receive from us.
- Professional Advisors. We may disclose your personal information to our professional advisors, such as lawyers, bankers, auditors or insurers, where necessary in the course of the professional services that they render to us.
- Law Enforcement, Government Authorities, and Private Parties. Under certain circumstances, we may be required to disclose personal information to law enforcement, government authorities, and other parties if required to do so by law or in response to valid requests by public authorities (e.g., a court or a government agency). We may also disclose personal information in the good faith belief that such action is necessary to comply with a legal obligation or for the purposes described above in the section titled “Compliance, Fraud Prevention, and Safety.”
- Business Transaction Participants. We may disclose personal information to third parties in connection with any business transaction (or potential transaction) involving a merger, acquisition, sale of shares or assets, financing, consolidation, reorganization, divestiture, or dissolution of all or a portion of our business (including in connection with a bankruptcy or similar proceedings).
Your Choices
You can make the following choices regarding your personal information:
Review and Request Changes to Your Account. We rely on you to update and correct the personal information contained in your account. Note that we may keep historical information in our backup files as permitted by law. If the Platform does not permit you to update or correct certain personal information, please submit a request to us using the contact information listed in the “Contact Us” section of this Privacy Policy.
Marketing Emails. You may opt-out of marketing-related emails by clicking the “unsubscribe” link at the bottom of the email or by contacting us as described below. You may still receive service-related communications, such as those about your account, to fulfill orders for services you have requested, or deliver notifications directly to you through the Platform.
Cookies. Most browsers let you remove and/or stop accepting cookies from the websites you visit. To do this, follow the instructions in your browser’s settings. Many browsers accept cookies by default until you change your settings. If you do not accept cookies, however, you may not be able to use all functionality of the Platform and they may not work properly. For more information about cookies, including how to see what cookies have been set on your browser and how to manage and delete them, visit www.allaboutcookies.org.
Analytics. We may use Google Analytics to help us analyze how our website properties are being accessed and used. You can learn more about Google Analytics cookies here and about how Google protects your data here. To opt-out of Google Analytics, you can download and install the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on, available here.
Advertising Choices. You can limit the use of your information for interest-based advertising by blocking third-party cookies in your browser settings, using browser plug-ins/extensions, or using your mobile device settings to limit the use of the advertising ID associated with your mobile device. You can also opt out of interest-based ads from companies participating in the following industry opt-out programs by visiting the linked websites: the Network Advertising Initiative (networkadvertising.org), and the Digital Advertising Alliance (optout.aboutads.info). Some of the companies we work with may offer their own opt-out mechanisms.
Many of the opt-out preferences described in this section must be set on each device or browser for which you want them to apply. Please note that some of the advertising companies we work with may not participate in the opt-out mechanisms described above, so even after opting-out, you may still receive interest-based advertisements from other companies. If you opt out of interest-based advertisements, you will still see advertisements online but they may be less relevant to you.
Do Not Track. Some browsers may be configured to send “Do Not Track” signals to the online services that you visit. The Platform currently does not respond to “Do Not Track” or similar signals. To find out more about “Do Not Track,” please visit www.allaboutdnt.com.
Children’s Privacy
The Platform is not intended for use by anyone under the age of 18, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18.
Security of Personal Information
No method of transmission over the Internet, or method of electronic storage, is fully secure. While we use reasonable efforts to protect your personal information from the risks presented by unauthorized access or acquisition, we cannot guarantee the security of your personal information.
International Transfers of Personal Information
BackThread is based in the United States, and we have service providers in the United States and potentially other countries. Your personal information may be collected, used, and stored in these countries or other locations outside of your home country. Privacy laws in the locations where we handle your personal information may not be as protective as the privacy laws in your home country. By providing your personal information, where applicable law permits, you specifically and expressly consent to such transfer and processing and the collection, use, and disclosure set forth herein.
Third Party Sites and Services
The Platform may contain links to other websites and online services operated by third parties. These links are not an endorsement of, or representation that we are affiliated with, any third party. In addition, our content may be included on web pages or online services that are not associated with us. We do not control third party websites or online services, and we are not responsible for their actions. Other websites and online services follow different rules regarding the collection, use, and sharing of your personal information. We encourage you to read the privacy policies of the other websites and online services you use.
Notice to California Residents (Shine the Light)
Under California Civil Code sections 1798.83–1798.84 (the “Shine the Light” law), California residents who have an established business relationship with BackThread are entitled to ask us once a year for information regarding the personal information we have shared, if any, with third parties for their direct marketing purposes. If you are a California resident and would like to submit such a request, please submit your request in writing to the email address listed in the “Contact Us” section of this Privacy Policy with “Shine the Light” in the subject line.
Notice to Nevada Residents
Nevada Revised Statutes Chapter 603A allows Nevada residents to opt-out of the “sale” of certain types of personal information. Subject to several exceptions, Nevada law defines “sale” to mean the exchange of certain types of personal information for monetary consideration to another person. If you are a Nevada resident who wishes to exercise your “sale” opt-out rights, you may submit your request in writing to the email address listed in the “Contact Us” section of this Privacy Policy with “Nevada Opt-Out Request” in the subject line.
Contact Us
If you have any questions or concerns about our Privacy Policy or any other privacy or security issue, please contact us at privacy@backthread.ai.