PRIVACY POLICY

We know that you care how information about you is used and shared, and we appreciate your trust that we will do so carefully and ethically.

This Privacy Policy describes how the National Institute for Social Media collects, uses, shares, and processes your personal information through the website, products, services, online store, and internal and external events. It applies to the information and data collected when you visit our website or interact with us through other channels, including but not limited to email marketing, communicating with us, or attending our events and conferences, as well as when you use our products and services. It also describes your rights with respect to your personal data. If you do not agree with this Privacy Policy, you should not use our website or the services provided.

We will update our Privacy Policy as necessary and encourage you to visit this page periodically. We will include any updates or changes to our Privacy Policy on this page and, when warranted, by sending an email notification.

Terms not otherwise defined in this Privacy Policy will have the meaning as set forth in the National Institute for Social Media’s Terms of Service.

Definitions

For the purposes of this Privacy Policy:

• Account means a unique account created for you to access our Service or parts of our Service.
• Company (referred to as either “the Company”, “We”, “Us”, or “Our” in this Agreement) refers to The National Institute for Social Media (NISM), PO Box 431 Farmington, MN 55024.
• Cookies are small files that are placed on your computer, mobile device, or any other device by a website, containing the details of your browsing history on that website among its many uses.
• Device means any device that can access the Service such as a computer, a cell phone, or a digital tablet.
• Personal Data is any information that relates to an identified or identifiable individual.
• Service refers to the Website.
• Service Provider means any natural or legal person who processes the data on behalf of the Company. It refers to third-party companies or individuals employed by the Company to facilitate the Service, to provide the Service on behalf of the Company, to perform services related to the Service, or to assist the Company in analyzing how the Service is used.
• Third-party Social Media Service refers to any website or any social network website through which a User can log in or create an account to use the Service.
• Usage Data refers to data collected automatically, either generated by the use of the Service or from the Service infrastructure itself (for example, the duration of a page visit).
• Website refers to National Institute for Social Media, accessible from https://www.nismonline.org ● You means the individual accessing or using the Service, or the company, or other legal entity on behalf of which such individual is accessing or using the Service, as applicable.

Collecting and Using your Personal Data

Types of Data Collected:

Personal Data When you interact with us, we may collect Personal Data and other information from you, as further described below.

When you Visit Our Website We collect Personal Data from you when you submit web forms or interact with our websites, for example subscribing to our blog, signing up for a webinar, or requesting customer support. We may ask for your email address, first and last name, job title, and other similar business information. Please note that you are able to explore our website without providing any Personal Data.

Webinars, Online Courses, and Other Event Information When you register for a NISM webinar, course, or other similar events, we collect information such as name, address, phone number, and email address. We use this information to communicate with you and in some cases facilitate your registration. Additionally, we may use your registration data in order to provide event information and improve your experience at future events.

Account and User Information We collect Personal Data when you register for a course, online certificate program, or SMS certification, create or modify user information, set preferences, or provide any other related information to access or utilize our Services.

Payment Information We collect payment and billing information when you register for paid products or services. For example, we may ask you to provide a billing address, or a billing contact when you make purchases. If you give us payment information, we use it solely as authorized by you in accordance with this Privacy Policy. You may also provide payment information, such as a credit card number, when purchasing products or services. We use secure third-party payment service providers to manage payment processing, which is collected through a secure payment process.

Testimonials and Reviews From time to time, we may use testimonials and reviews, and information on newly certified Social Media Strategists, which may contain Personal Data. We obtain each individual’s consent via email or through other agreements between the National Institute for Social Media and the individual(s) prior to posting the individual’s name and content.

• Email address
• First name and last name
• Social media handle(s)
• Phone number
• Address, State, Province, ZIP/Postal code, City
• Usage Data

Usage Data

Usage Data is collected automatically when using the Service. 

Usage Data may include information such as your Device’s Internet Protocol address (e.g. IP address), browser type, browser version, the pages of our Service that you visit, the time and date of your visit, the time spent on those pages, unique device identifiers and other diagnostic data. 

When you access the Service by or through a mobile device, We may collect certain information automatically, including, but not limited to, the type of mobile device you use, your mobile device unique ID, the IP address of your mobile device, your mobile operating system, the type of mobile Internet browser you use, unique device identifiers and other diagnostic data. 

We may also collect information that your browser sends whenever you visit our Service or when you access the Service by or through a mobile device.

Information from Third-Party Social Media Services 

You may have the option of sharing additional information with the Company through your Third-Party Social Media Service’s account. If you choose to provide such information and Personal Data, during registration or otherwise, you are giving the Company permission to use, share, and store it in a manner consistent with this Privacy Policy.

Tracking Technologies and Cookies 

• General Information 

When you visit our website, we collect information automatically using tracking technologies, like cookies and tracking pixels. The National Institute for Social Media uses cookies or similar technologies (such as web beacons and JavaScript) to analyze trends, administer the website, monitor how visitors navigate around the website, and to gather demographic information about our user base as a whole. 

• Advertising 

We partner with third-party ad networks to manage our advertising on other sites. Our ad network partner uses cookies and web beacons to collect information about your activities on this and other websites to provide you with targeted advertising based on your interests. If you wish to not have this information used for the purpose of serving you targeted ads, you may opt out by using these services: https://optout.networkadvertising.org/ or https://optout.aboutads.info/ (or if located in the European Union, by clicking here: http://www.youronlinechoices.eu/). Please note this does not opt you out of being served advertising you will continue to receive generic ads. 

• Third-Party Tracking Technologies 

The use of cookies and web beacons by any tracking utility company is not covered by our Privacy Policy or Cookie Policy.

Use of your Personal Data

The Company may use Personal Data for the following purposes:

• To provide and maintain our Service, including monitoring the usage of our Service.
• To manage your Account: to manage your registration as a user of the Service. The Personal Data you provide can give you access to different functionalities of the Service that are available to you as a registered user. 
• For the performance of a contract: the development, compliance, and undertaking of the purchase contract for the products, items, or services you have purchased or of any other contract with Us through the Service. 
• To contact you: To contact you by email, telephone calls, SMS, or other equivalent forms of electronic communication when necessary or reasonable for their implementation.
• To provide you with news, special offers, and general information about other goods, services, and events that we offer that are similar to those that you have already purchased or enquired about unless you have opted not to receive such information. 
• To manage your requests: To attend and manage your requests to Us. 
• For other purposes: We may use your information for other purposes, such as data analysis, identifying usage trends, determining the effectiveness of our promotional campaigns, and evaluating and improving our Service, products, services, marketing, and your experience. 

We may share your personal information in the following situations: 

• With Service Providers: We may share your personal information with Service Providers to monitor and analyze the use of our Service, to contact you. 
• With Affiliates: We may share your information with Our affiliates, in which case we will require those affiliates to honor this Privacy Policy. Affiliates include Our parent company and any other subsidiaries, joint venture partners, or other companies that We control or that are under common control with Us. 
• With business partners: We may share your information with Our business partners to offer you certain products, services, or promotions. 
• With other users: when you share personal information or otherwise interact in public areas with other users, such information may be viewed by all users and may be publicly distributed outside. If you interact with other users or register through a Third-Party Social Media Service, your contacts on the Third-Party Social Media Service may see your name, profile, pictures, and description of your activity. Similarly, other users will be able to view descriptions of your activity, communicate with you and view your profile. 

● With your consent: We may disclose your personal information for any other purpose with your consent.

What Information Can I Access?

How to Access & Control Your Personal Data 

• You can access your information, including your name, address, profile information, and purchase history in the “your Account” section of the website. 

Reviewing, Correcting, and Removing your Personal Data 

• You can request access, correction, updates, or deletion of your Personal Data. ● You can object to our processing of your Personal Data and ask us to restrict the processing of your Personal Data. 
• If we have collected and processed your Personal Data with your consent, then you can withdraw your consent at any time. Withdrawing your consent will not affect the lawfulness of any processing we conducted prior to your withdrawal, nor will it affect the processing of your Personal Data conducted in reliance on lawful processing grounds other than consent. 
• You have the right to complain to a data protection authority about our collection and use of your Personal Data. To exercise any of these rig2hts, please contact us via email or by mail to the National Institute for Social Media, PO Box 431, Farmington, MN 55024

To Unsubscribe From Our Communications 

• You may unsubscribe from our marketing communications by clicking on the “unsubscribe” link located at the bottom of our emails, updating your communication preferences, or by contacting us via email or postal mail to the National Institute for Social Media. 
• Customers cannot opt-out of receiving transactional emails related to their account with us or purchases made through our website.

Retention of your Personal Data

The National Institute for Social Media will retain your Personal Data only for as long as is necessary for the purposes set out in this Privacy Policy. We will retain and use your Personal Data to the extent necessary to comply with our legal obligations (for example, if we are required to retain your data to comply with applicable laws), resolve disputes, and enforce our legal agreements and policies. 

The Company will also retain Usage Data for internal analysis purposes. Usage Data is generally retained for a shorter period of time, except when this data is used to strengthen the security or to improve the functionality of Our Service, or We are legally obligated to retain this data for longer time periods. 

Transfer of your Personal Data

Your information, including Personal Data, is processed at the Company’s operating offices and in any other places where the parties involved in the processing are located. It means that this information may be transferred to — and maintained on — computers located outside of your state, province, country, or other governmental jurisdiction where the data protection laws may differ from those of your jurisdiction. 

Your consent to this Privacy Policy followed by your submission of such information represents your agreement to that transfer. 

The Company will take all steps reasonably necessary to ensure that your data is treated securely and in accordance with this Privacy Policy and no transfer of your Personal Data will take place to an organization or a country unless there are adequate controls in place including the security of your data and other personal information. 

Disclosure of your Personal Data

Business Transactions 

If the Company is involved in a merger, acquisition, or asset sale, your Personal Data may be transferred. We will provide notice before your Personal Data is transferred and becomes subject to a different Privacy Policy.

Law enforcement 

Under certain circumstances, the Company may be required to disclose your Personal Data if required to do so by law or in response to valid requests by public authorities (e.g. a court or a government agency). 

Other legal requirements 

The Company may disclose your Personal Data in the good faith belief that such action is necessary to:

• Comply with a legal obligation 
• Protect and defend the rights or property of the Company 
• Prevent or investigate possible wrongdoing in connection with the Service 
• Protect the personal safety of Users of the Service or the public 
• Protect against legal liability 

Children’s Privacy

Our Service does not address anyone under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personally identifiable information from anyone under the age of 13. If you are a parent or guardian and you are aware that your child has provided Us with Personal Data, please contact Us. If We become aware that We have collected Personal Data from anyone under the age of 13 without verification of parental consent, We take steps to remove that information from Our servers. 

If We need to rely on consent as a legal basis for processing your information and your country requires consent from a parent, We may require your parent’s consent before We collect and use that information.

California Privacy Rights

• This section applies only to California consumers. For purposes of this section “Personal Information” has the meaning given in the California Consumer Privacy Act (“CCPA”). It describes how we collect, use, and share California consumers’ Personal Information in our role as a business, and the rights applicable to such residents. The California Consumer Privacy Act (“CCPA”) requires businesses to disclose whether they sell Personal Information. The National Institute for Social media is a business and does not sell Personal Information. We may share Personal Information with third parties if those third parties are authorized service providers or business partners who have agreed to our contractual limitations as to their retention, use, and disclosure of such Personal Information. 
• If you are unable to access this Privacy Policy due to a disability or any physical or mental impairment, please contact us and we will arrange to supply you with the information you need in an alternative format that you can access. 
• Your California Rights (California residents) 
  • You have certain rights regarding the Personal Information we collect or maintain about you. Please note these rights are not absolute, and there may be cases when we decline your request as permitted by law.
  • The right of access means that you have the right to request that we disclose what Personal Information we have collected, used and disclosed about you in the past 12 months.
  • The right of deletion means that you have the right to request that we delete Personal Information collected or maintained by us, subject to certain exceptions.
  • The right to non-discrimination means that you will not receive any discriminatory treatment when you exercise one of your privacy rights.
  • The National Institute for Social Media does not sell Personal Information to third parties (pursuant to California Civil Code §§ 1798.100–1798.199, also known as the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018).
• How to Exercise your California Rights
  • You can exercise your rights yourself or you can alternatively designate an authorized agent to exercise these rights on your behalf. Please note that to protect your Personal Information, we will verify your identity by a method appropriate to the type of request you are making. We may also request that your authorized agent have written permission from you to make requests on your behalf, and we may also need to verify your authorized agent’s identity to protect your Personal Information.
• Please use the contact details below, if you would like to:
  • Access this policy in an alternative format; 
  • Exercise your rights;
  • Learn more about your rights or our privacy practices; or
  • Designate an authorized agent to make a request on your behalf.
  • We will respond to your request to change, correct, or delete your data within a reasonable timeframe and notify you of the action we have taken. 

Links to Other Websites

Our Service may contain links to other websites that are not operated by Us. If you click on a third-party link, you will be directed to that third party’s site. We strongly advise you to review the Privacy Policy of every site you visit. 

We have no control over and assume no responsibility for the content, privacy policies, or practices of any third-party sites or services.

Changes to this Privacy Policy

 We may update Our Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page. 

We will let you know via email and/or a prominent notice on Our Service, prior to the change becoming effective and update the “Last updated” date at the top of this Privacy Policy. 

You are advised to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes. Changes to this Privacy Policy are effective when they are posted on this page.

Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, you can contact us:  

• By email: [email protected]
• By visiting this page on our website: https://nismonline.org/contact-us/
• By phone number: 763-200-6476
• By mail: PO Box 431 Farmington, MN 55024