QUANTSOC Privacy Policy

Effective Date: 30 July 2025

Introduction

Your privacy is important to us. This Privacy Policy explains how QUANTSOC (the "Company," "we," "us," or "our") collects, uses, discloses, and protects information about you when you use our Service, as well as your choices about that information. We have drafted this Policy to be consistent with major privacy laws and to cover various scenarios so that we remain compliant and transparent as our Service evolves. By using the Service, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with our practices, please do not use the Service. This Privacy Policy is incorporated into and subject to our Terms of Service. Any capitalized terms not defined in this Policy have the meanings given to them in the Terms.

This Privacy Policy applies to all users of our Service worldwide. However, additional notices or rights may apply depending on your country or state's privacy laws (for example, the GDPR in the European Union or the CCPA in California). We have included disclosures and options intended to cover most legal requirements for privacy, to ensure maximum flexibility for future features while maintaining compliance. Please read this Policy carefully to understand our practices regarding your information. If you have any questions, you can contact us using the information provided at the end of this Policy.

Information We Collect

We may collect several types of information from and about users of our Service. This includes information that you provide directly, information that is collected automatically as you use the Service, and information from third parties. We aim to collect the minimum data necessary to operate the Service effectively, but also to have the ability to support future features or services that may involve additional data. Below is an overview of the categories of information we collect:

  • Information You Provide to Us: When you use our Service, you may provide certain personal information. This can include:

    • Account Registration Data: When you create an account, we ask for information such as your name, username, email address, password, and/or other contact details. You may also provide profile details like a photo, bio, or other optional information.
    • Content and Communications: If the Service allows you to post or upload content (e.g., text, images, videos, comments) or communicate with us or other users, we will collect the information you submit. This includes any postings on the Service, messages you send to others through the Service, and any feedback or inquiries you send to customer support. Please remember that any content you share publicly on the Service can be seen by others.
    • Transaction and Payment Information: If you make purchases or subscribe to Paid Services through QUANTSOC, you will provide payment information. This may include your name, billing address, and payment details (e.g., credit card number or payment account info). Note: We use trusted third-party payment processors to handle payment transactions, so we do not receive or store your full financial account details like credit card numbers. However, we may receive limited information about your payment transactions, such as your billing address, the last four digits of your card, or payment confirmation, which we keep for records, invoicing, and compliance with financial regulations.
    • Optional Information: You may choose to provide other information directly to us. For example, if you participate in surveys, contests, promotions, or if you submit testimonials or requests for support, you will provide information such as your responses or contact info. We will also collect any information you send us via email or other channels when you contact us.

  • Information We Collect Automatically: Like many online services, we (or our service providers acting on our behalf) automatically collect certain information about your device and usage of the Service whenever you visit or use our platform. This Usage Data helps us to understand how users interact with our Service, to troubleshoot issues, and to improve performance. Information we collect automatically may include:

    • Device and Log Information: We collect details about the computer or mobile device you use to access the Service, such as the device type (e.g., phone, tablet, PC), operating system name and version, browser type and version, screen resolution, unique device identifiers, and network information (e.g., IP address, mobile network). We also maintain server logs which record information when you use the Service, including your IP address, access times, pages viewed, the website you visited before navigating to our Service, and other standard log data.
    • Usage and Analytics Information: We collect information about your activities on the Service, such as the pages or screens you view, how long you spend on each page, navigation paths between pages, your search queries on the Service, crash reports, and other interaction data. We may use analytics tools (like Google Analytics or similar) that utilize cookies and similar technologies to collect and analyze usage information. This helps us understand user engagement and improve our features.
    • Cookies and Tracking Technologies: We and our partners use cookies, web beacons, pixels, local storage, and similar tracking technologies to collect information about your interactions with the Service. For example, we may use cookies to remember your login session (so you don't have to re-enter your credentials every time), to store your preferences, and to track your usage for analytics purposes. Some cookies are also used to personalize your experience or to provide relevant advertising in the future. Please see the "Cookies and Tracking" section below for more details on how we use cookies and how you can control them.
    • Approximate Location: We may infer your general location (e.g., city or country) from your IP address or choose to ask for location information (such as city or timezone) to customize certain services. We do not collect your precise geolocation (e.g., GPS data) without your explicit permission.

  • Information from Third Parties: We may receive information about you from other sources, which we may combine with information collected through the Service. For example:

    • Third-Party Services and Social Login: If you choose to register or log in through a third-party account (such as Google, Facebook, or other OAuth providers), or connect your account with a third-party service, that service may send us information like your name, email, profile photo, or friends list (depending on what the third party's privacy policy and your settings allow). We use this information to facilitate account creation and social features. We will handle any such third-party account data in accordance with this Privacy Policy.
    • Service Providers: We may obtain information from vendors and service providers we work with for analytics, advertising, security, and payment processing. For example, analytics providers may supply us with aggregate demographic or preferences information. Payment processors might send confirmation of payments or subscription status. These third parties collect and share data with us pursuant to their own privacy policies and relevant agreements.
    • Other Users of the Service: If the Service includes social features, other users may provide information about you. For instance, a friend might invite you to use the Service and provide your email, or someone might tag you in content. We will use such information only for the purpose it was provided (e.g., to send an invite).
    • Publicly Available Sources: We might also supplement your information with data from public records or public databases (for example, to verify your identity or help prevent fraud).

We collect the above information to have a comprehensive ability to serve you and improve our Service. We have structured our data collection to ensure we can support future expansions (such as new features that might require new data) without having to revise this Policy frequently. However, we will always aim to collect and use personal data in a way that is consistent with the purposes described in this Policy and in compliance with applicable laws. If we ever plan to use your personal information for a new purpose that is not compatible with the purposes we originally collected it for, we will update this Policy and notify you as required.

How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for various purposes in order to operate, improve, protect, and monetize our Service, as well as to comply with legal obligations. Our uses of personal information include:

  • To Provide and Maintain the Service: We use your information to create and manage your account, authenticate you when you log in, and provide you with the features and services you request. For example, we use your information to display your profile and content, to process transactions (such as subscription payments), to enable communications (like delivering messages between users), and to provide customer support. Essentially, all the day-to-day operations of QUANTSOC rely on processing your information as needed to carry out the contract between you and us (the Terms of Service).
  • To Improve and Personalize the Service: We analyze usage information (both individually and in aggregate) to understand user behavior and preferences in order to improve our offerings. This helps us fix technical issues, develop new features, refine the user experience, and inform our decision-making. We may also use information (such as your interactions or profile information) to personalize the Service for you – for example, suggesting content you might be interested in, remembering your preferences, or customizing the way content is presented to you. As our service grows, having flexibility in data usage allows us to implement new personalization or recommendation features without needing constant policy changes.
  • To Communicate with You: We use contact information (like your email address or in-app notifications) to send you account or transactional communications and important updates. This includes confirmations of your sign-ups or purchases, billing receipts, technical notices, security alerts, and administrative messages. We may also send you marketing communications such as newsletters, offers, surveys, or promotions, but only in accordance with applicable law – for example, we will obtain any necessary consent before sending promotional emails, and you will have the ability to opt out of such communications at any time. (See "Your Rights and Choices" below regarding communication preferences.) We might occasionally send announcements about new features or solicit feedback to help improve the Service.
  • To Monitor and Ensure Compliance with Policies and Laws: We use information to monitor user activity and ensure it aligns with our Terms of Service and policies (like the Acceptable Use Policy). This includes detecting, investigating, and preventing fraudulent transactions, spam, abuse, security incidents, and other harmful or unlawful activities. For instance, we may use automated systems to screen for known malicious content or use manual review when necessary. If we become aware of violations, we may use data (like logs and user content) to take appropriate action. Additionally, we process personal data as needed to comply with legal obligations, such as responding to lawful requests by public authorities, fulfilling regulatory reporting requirements, or enforcing our legal rights.
  • To Provide Customer Support: If you contact us for help or to report a problem, we will use the information (including your communications with us and any contact info provided) to respond to and resolve your inquiries, issues, and concerns. This may involve reaching out to you via email or through the Service with updates on your support ticket or follow-up questions to ensure resolution.
  • To Enable Future Features and Services: We want our policies to anticipate future needs. Thus, the information we collect now may also be utilized for new features or services that we might introduce later, but always in a manner consistent with the original purposes. For example, if we later launch a referral program, we might use collected email addresses to facilitate referral invitations. Or if we add a new content discovery tool, we might use your content and activity data to fuel personalized recommendations. Any substantial new uses of data that deviate from what's described here will prompt us to update this Privacy Policy accordingly.
  • Aggregated and De-Identified Data: We may aggregate or anonymize personal information so that it can no longer be linked to any specific individual (for instance, by removing or hashing identifiers). We may use such aggregated data for purposes such as research, analysis, improving the Service, and marketing. For example, we might publish trends or insights (like average usage time or the percentage of users interested in a category) as long as that information does not identify any individuals.
  • Legal Bases for Processing (if applicable): (For users in jurisdictions like the EU where a legal basis is required) Our legal bases for processing your personal information include: (i) Contractual necessity – much of our data use is to fulfill our contract with you (the Terms) by providing the Service; (ii) Legitimate interests – for uses like improving our service, preventing fraud, and personalizing content, we rely on our legitimate interest in running an effective and safe platform (balanced against your data protection rights); (iii) Consent – where we ask for consent, such as for sending marketing emails or using certain cookies, we rely on consent (and you can withdraw it at any time); and (iv) Legal obligations – for any processing required to comply with laws, we do so on that basis.

If we need to use your information for a purpose that is materially different from the ones listed here, we will update this Privacy Policy and, if required, seek your consent or give you the opportunity to opt out.

How We Share Your Information

We understand that your personal information is important, and we are not in the business of selling your data to others for profit. We will not sell or rent your personal information to third parties for their own marketing purposes without your explicit consent. However, in the normal course of providing our Service and running our business, we do share information with certain categories of recipients under strict conditions. Below are the scenarios in which we may share or disclose user information:

  • Service Providers and Vendors: We may share your information with third-party service providers and vendors who perform functions and services on our behalf. These include, for example:

    • Payment Processors: As mentioned, a third-party payment service handles credit card transactions and billing on our behalf. They receive the necessary personal and financial information to process payments and are contractually obligated to secure it.
    • Cloud Hosting and Storage: We may store data on servers provided by third-party hosting companies. These providers process data only as needed to store and retrieve it for our Service's use.
    • Analytics Providers: We use analytics tools (e.g., Google Analytics or similar) that may involve third-party cookies or tracking. These providers process usage data (like page visits, clicks, and other analytics info) on our behalf to provide insights on how the Service is used.
    • Email and Communications Services: We might use third-party services to send out emails, notifications, or messages (for example, an email service to send verification emails or newsletters). Such services would have access to your email address and the content of the communication as needed to send it.
    • Customer Support Tools: If we use third-party platforms to manage customer support tickets or chat functionality, those platforms might process some of your data (like email and support query) to enable our interactions with you.
    • Other Contractors: We might engage contractors or agencies for services like marketing, improving user experience, or data analysis. They may have access to certain data strictly as needed for their function.

    We ensure that all service providers are bound by appropriate confidentiality and data protection obligations. They are not permitted to use your personal information for any purpose other than providing services to us and to you.

  • Within our Corporate Group/Affiliates: We may share information with our parent company, subsidiaries, joint ventures, or other companies under common control with us ("Affiliates"). For example, if QUANTSOC is part of a group of companies, we might share user data with an affiliate for data hosting, consolidated analytics, or internal business operations. Any Affiliate receiving your information will be required to treat it in accordance with this Privacy Policy (or under practices at least as protective). If in the future the Company expands or forms affiliated entities, we want this Policy to allow sharing between those entities as needed, while still safeguarding your data.

  • Business Transfers: If we undertake a merger, acquisition, financing due diligence, reorganization, bankruptcy, receivership, sale of company assets, or transition of service to another provider, your information may be disclosed or transferred as part of that transaction. For instance, if another company acquires or merges with us, user information would likely be one of the assets transferred to or reviewed by that entity (along with all the rights and obligations related to it). We would seek to ensure that any new owner continues to honor the commitments we have made in this Privacy Policy with respect to your personal data. This type of sharing is common in corporate transactions to ensure continuity of service (your data is part of what makes the service functional) and is done in compliance with applicable laws.

  • Legal Compliance and Protection of Rights: We may disclose your information if required to do so by law or in the good-faith belief that such action is necessary to: (a) comply with any applicable law, regulation, legal process or enforceable governmental request (for example, we may receive court orders or subpoenas to disclose information in a legal proceeding); (b) enforce our Terms of Service, Acceptable Use Policy, or other agreements, or to investigate potential violations thereof; (c) detect, prevent, or address fraud, security, or technical issues; or (d) protect the rights, property, or safety of the Company, our users, or the public. This can include exchanging information with other companies and organizations for fraud protection and spam/malware prevention. We will limit the disclosure to what is legally necessary and will object to overly broad requests as appropriate.

  • Sharing with Other Users or the Public: Some aspects of the Service may allow you to share information with others. Any information or content that you voluntarily disclose for posting to the Service (such as User Content you post publicly, a profile that is publicly viewable, or comments on a forum) becomes available to other users and can be collected or used by them. For example, if you post a review or a comment, other users may see your username, photo, and the content of your post. Similarly, if the Service allows you to create a public profile, the information in your profile (e.g., bio, city, interests) will be visible to others on the Service. Please be mindful of your own privacy needs and the privacy of others as you choose what to share in these public or semi-public spaces; we are not responsible for how other users or third parties who have access to your publicly shared information may use or re-share it.

  • With Your Consent: We may share your personal information with other third parties in situations where you have given us your consent to do so. For example, if we partner with another company to offer a joint service or promotion, we might ask if you would like your information to be shared with that partner for a specific purpose. Another scenario might be if you use a feature that allows you to share information to a third-party platform (like sharing an update to Twitter or Facebook from within our Service), in which case we will send data to that platform at your direction. We will make it clear at the time of obtaining your consent what data will be shared and with whom, and we will only do so in accordance with that consent. If you direct us to share data (for example, through an API integration you enable), we consider that as you giving us permission to share.

  • No Sale of Personal Information: As stated, we do not sell personal information to third parties in the conventional sense (for example, we do not provide your name or contact details to unaffiliated companies for money).

  • Advertising and Analytics Partners: Currently, QUANTSOC might not be serving third-party advertisements. However, to maintain flexibility for future expansion, we note that we may in the future work with advertising networks or analytics companies that require some data access. For example, we might allow third-party ad companies to place cookies or similar technologies on the Service to collect information about your browsing activities over time and across different websites or services, in order to show you relevant ads. If we do so, we will update this Policy and comply with any legal requirements (like obtaining consent if required). We might also share some limited data (like a hashed email or device ID) with advertising partners to help measure ad effectiveness or reach people with promotions on other platforms. At present, since we are not focusing on minors and not using such advertising, we simply reserve the right to do so in future with proper safeguards. If and when any such data sharing for advertising occurs, we will provide you with notice and choices as required by law (e.g., opt-out mechanisms for targeted ads).

In all cases of sharing, we endeavor to share only the information that is necessary to fulfill the purpose (for instance, our email provider doesn't need your full profile data, only your email and name to send communications). We also enter into agreements with third parties to ensure they treat personal information in a manner consistent with this Policy and applicable law. If any sharing does not fall under the categories above, we will disclose it at the time of collection or before sharing.

Cookies and Tracking Technologies

What Are Cookies: Cookies are small text files that websites or services place on your device's browser to store data that can be recalled by the server later. Other similar technologies include local storage, pixels, web beacons (tiny graphic images used to track interactions), and SDKs in mobile apps. We use these technologies for several reasons, as described below. By understanding and controlling cookies, you can influence how information is collected on websites.

How We Use Cookies: QUANTSOC uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your experience and enable certain functionality. We may use cookies to :

  • Authentication and Session Management: When you log in, we use cookies (or similar tokens) to keep you logged in during your session. This saves you from having to re-enter your password as you navigate through different pages. These are typically "session cookies" that expire when you close your browser or log out. In the future, if we implement "remember me" features, persistent cookies might be used to remember your login on the same device.
  • Preferences and Personalization: Cookies help us remember your preferences (such as language selection, time zone, or other settings) so that you don't have to reset them each visit. They also allow us to provide personalized content or remember the last page you visited. For example, if you customize certain dashboard settings, we may store those in a cookie.
  • Analytics and Performance: We use cookies and similar technologies to collect data about usage of the Service. For instance, we (or our analytics partners) might use cookies to count page views, unique visitors, or clicks, and to understand which features are most popular. This helps us analyze performance and user interaction, so we can improve the Service. The information collected is often aggregated and does not directly identify individuals. (For example, Google Analytics may set cookies to track your movements on the site and compile reports for us on activity).
  • Security: Certain cookies are used to protect the Service and our users – for example, by helping us detect malicious activity or violations of our Terms. A cookie might be used to throttle login attempts or to remember additional verification if you've enabled two-factor authentication.
  • Advertising and Marketing: Currently, we do not have third-party ads on our platform that use cookies. However, we reserve the ability to use cookies for advertising purposes in the future. If activated, these cookies would record information about your visit to our Service and possibly your browsing behavior in order to provide you with targeted ads on our Service or elsewhere, and to measure the effectiveness of ad campaigns. For example, if we partner with advertising networks, they might use cookies to track which pages you visited and which ads you clicked, to serve you more relevant ads. We will update this Policy and obtain any necessary consents if we introduce such advertising cookies.
  • Third-Party Functionality: The Service might integrate third-party services that also use cookies or similar tech. For instance, if we embed a YouTube video, YouTube might set its own cookies to track video views. Or if we allow login via a social network, that platform may set a cookie. We do not control these cookies, so we recommend checking those third parties' cookie policies. We will endeavor to only integrate third-party features that respect privacy and provide transparency.

Your Choices Regarding Cookies: You have several options to manage or limit how cookies and similar technologies are used:

  • Browser Settings: Most web browsers allow you to refuse or delete cookies. You can typically find the controls in your browser's "Settings" or "Preferences" menu. However, please note that if you disable cookies entirely, our Service (and many others) may not function properly. For example, you might not be able to log in or certain features might break. It's often better to selectively disable third-party cookies rather than all cookies.
  • Do Not Track: Your browser may offer a "Do Not Track" (DNT) option, which is a preference you can set to signal websites that you do not wish to be tracked across different sites. The web industry doesn't have a consensus on how to respond to DNT signals, and at this time, QUANTSOC does not respond differently to a browser DNT signal. We adhere to the practices in this Privacy Policy regardless of receiving a DNT signal.
  • Cookie Banner & Consent (if applicable): If you are in a jurisdiction that requires cookie consent (for instance, the EU), you may see a cookie banner when you first visit our Service, giving you options to allow or refuse certain categories of cookies (e.g., "functional," "analytics," "advertising" cookies). We will honor the choices you make via that mechanism. If you later change your mind, you can usually adjust your preferences through a "Cookie Settings" link on our site.
  • Third-Party Opt-Outs: For cookies set by third-party analytics and advertising partners, you can often opt-out directly with those parties. Keep in mind, opting out of ad cookies doesn't mean you won't see any ads, just that the ads may be less tailored to you.

Local Storage and Other Technologies: In addition to cookies, we may use local storage (like browser local storage or HTML5 local storage) to store content information and preferences. Local storage is similar to cookies in that it is stored on your device and can persist between sessions, but it typically stores more data and isn't sent automatically by browsers in the same way cookies are. We use local storage to, for example, remember certain settings or cache data to improve performance. If you want to clear local storage data, you would need to do so from your browser's settings (it may be cleared when you clear your cache or site data). We may also use small graphics (pixels) in our HTML emails to know if emails have been opened or acted upon, which helps us improve our communications. You generally cannot opt-out of these, but you can configure your email client to not automatically load images.

We strive to respect user privacy and preferences with regard to cookies and tracking. We will update this section if our use of cookies changes, especially as we implement secure authentication cookies or other new features, to ensure you remain informed about what is stored on your device. If you ever have any questions or concerns about our use of cookies or other technologies, please contact us.

Data Security

We take the security of your personal information seriously and employ measures designed to protect it from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. We have implemented a combination of technical, administrative, and physical security safeguards appropriate to the sensitivity of the personal data we handle. These measures include:

  • Encryption: We use encryption protocols to protect data transmitted to and from the Service. For example, the website is likely served over HTTPS, which encrypts information (such as your login credentials) between your browser and our servers. We may also encrypt certain sensitive information at rest (such as passwords, which are stored using hashing algorithms).
  • Access Controls: We limit access to personal information to employees, contractors, and service providers who need to know that information in order to process it on our behalf. They are subject to strict contractual confidentiality obligations and may be disciplined or terminated if they fail to meet these obligations. Within the Company, access to systems that contain personal data is restricted via authentication mechanisms (like strong passwords, two-factor authentication, and unique access keys).
  • Network & System Security: We maintain firewalls and intrusion detection/prevention systems to guard our network. We regularly update and patch our software and systems to address security vulnerabilities. Our servers may be monitored for potential vulnerabilities and attacks. We utilize secure data backup and storage practices, and may segregate certain data to add layers of protection.
  • Testing and Audits: We periodically review our information collection, storage, and processing practices to guard against unauthorized access to systems. Security assessments or audits may be conducted, and we address any issues identified. We may also employ third-party security tools or services (like penetration testing or managed security monitoring) to strengthen our defenses.
  • Personnel Training: Our team is trained on data security best practices and we have internal policies in place to reinforce the importance of protecting user data. Only authorized personnel can access personal data, and they are trained to handle it properly.

Despite all these efforts, please note that no method of transmission over the internet or method of electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee its absolute security. Cyber threats continually evolve, and even well-protected systems can potentially be compromised by skilled attackers or via social engineering. Therefore, you should also take care in how you handle and disclose your personal information. Remember that you are responsible for keeping your account credentials safe. Do not share your password with anyone, and use a unique, strong password for our Service to minimize the risk of unauthorized access. If you suspect that your account or information is no longer secure (for example, if you feel your account has been hacked or you notice unusual activity), please contact us immediately so we can help take appropriate steps.

In the unfortunate event that a data breach occurs and personal information is compromised, we will act promptly to identify the cause and remediate the issue. Where required by law, we will notify affected users and/or regulatory authorities of certain data breaches. We continuously work on improving our security practices to keep your data as safe as reasonably possible.

Data Retention

We will retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which we collected it, as outlined in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law. In practice, this means:

  • For active user accounts, we generally keep the information for as long as your account exists or as long as needed to provide you with the Service. This allows you to have a continuous experience (e.g., your content and profile persist over time).
  • If you delete your account or request deletion of your personal data, we will delete or anonymize your information so that it no longer identifies you, except for information that we are required or permitted to retain by law. For example, we may retain certain data for a limited time to comply with legal obligations such as financial record-keeping (transaction records may be kept for accounting/tax purposes), resolving disputes, enforcing our agreements (e.g., to have a record of who previously had an account in case of future issues), or as evidence of our compliance with legal requirements. When we retain data for such reasons, we ensure that access to it is restricted to the purpose for which it's retained.
  • Content that you have posted (especially in a public forum or other users' content) might remain on the Service even after you delete your account or delete the original content, if it has been shared or re-posted by others. For example, if you posted in a community forum and later delete your account, your posts might be labeled as from a "deleted user" but still visible. Or if you sent messages to another user, those messages may remain in that user's inbox. We cannot retroactively remove all traces of your interactions that have been stored or copied by others. However, we can anonymize them so that they are not easily associated with your identity.
  • Backup and Archival Copies: Even after you delete information from your account or profile, it may persist in backup or archival copies for a certain period (typically not accessible to others). We maintain backups to ensure the integrity and availability of the Service, so your data might remain on backup servers that aren't actively in use by the Service until those backups are cycled out. We secure those backups and limit access strictly.
  • In certain cases, we may retain data in an aggregated or de-identified form, which does not identify you personally, for purposes such as analytics, research, or business planning. For example, we might keep aggregated statistics about usage even after personal data is purged, but those statistics will not identify any individual user.

Our retention periods are based on business needs and legal requirements. When we no longer need personal information, we either delete it or anonymize it. We consider factors such as the sensitivity of the data, the volume, the potential risk of harm from unauthorized use or disclosure of the data, the purposes for which we process it and whether we can achieve those purposes through other means, and any applicable legal requirements.

If you have any specific questions about how long we keep certain types of data, you can contact us (see Contact Information section). We can provide more information or honor requests as required by applicable law (for instance, some privacy laws give you a right to ask that we delete your data; we describe those rights in the next section).

Your Rights and Choices

You have certain rights and choices regarding your personal information and how we handle it. We are committed to providing you with appropriate access and control over your data, in line with our broad compliance approach. Below is an outline of your rights and how you can exercise them:

  • Access and Portability: You have the right to request a copy of the personal information we hold about you, and to obtain it in a portable format (in many cases). This means you can ask us to confirm whether we are processing your personal data and, if so, to provide you with a copy of that data in a commonly used electronic form. For example, you might want a copy of your profile information and content you've provided. In certain jurisdictions, you may also have the right to transfer that data to another service (where technically feasible). If you need such a copy, please contact us and specify what information or processing activities your request relates to. We will need to verify your identity (to ensure we don't give your data to someone else), and then we will supply the data consistent with legal requirements.

  • Correction (Rectification): We strive to keep your personal information accurate and up-to-date. If you discover that the information we have about you is incorrect or incomplete, you have the right to request that we correct or update it. Much of your basic account info can be corrected by you directly through your profile settings (e.g., you can update your email or name). For any information you cannot update yourself, you may contact us to request correction. We may ask for documentation to validate the correct data in some cases, and we will make the corrections as soon as practicable.

  • Deletion (Right to Erasure): You can request that we delete or remove your personal information. There are various ways to do this: you may delete certain content or information directly via the Service (for example, deleting a post or removing a profile field), you may use a provided account deletion function (if available in your account settings), or you may contact us to request deletion. We will honor deletion requests and wipe your personal data, except where retention is required or permitted by law. For instance, if you simply withdraw consent for marketing emails, we would suppress your email address for that purpose (to respect your opt-out) but not delete it entirely if you still have an account. Or if you request full deletion, we might retain transaction records to comply with financial laws. We will inform you if any information cannot be deleted due to legal obligations. When we delete data, we will also inform any processors or third parties who have it due to our service (where feasible) to also delete it, provided no legal exception applies. Do note that removal from backups may take additional time.

  • Withdrawal of Consent: In cases where we rely on your consent to process personal data (for example, if you agreed to receive marketing emails or allowed us to collect precise location), you have the right to withdraw that consent at any time. Withdrawing consent will not affect the lawfulness of any processing we conducted prior to your withdrawal, and it will not affect processing of your data under other legal bases (e.g., if we still need your data to perform a contract with you). If you withdraw consent for something like marketing communications, we will stop the processing for those purposes promptly. For example, you can unsubscribe from marketing emails via the unsubscribe link in those emails, or adjust certain privacy settings in your account if available.

  • Objection to Processing: You may have the right to object to the processing of your personal data under certain circumstances. For example, if we are processing your data based on legitimate interests (like for direct marketing or personalization), you can object to that processing. If you object, we will evaluate whether our legitimate grounds for processing override your privacy interests or if we need to retain the data for legal claims. For direct marketing objections, we will stop processing your data for those purposes as required by law.

  • Restriction of Processing: In certain cases, you can request that we temporarily limit the processing of your data (for example, while we address a data correction request or an objection). This means we would hold onto the data but not use or share it during the restriction period except for limited purposes (like legal compliance or with your consent). If you request restriction, we will let you know if we can comply and for how long.

  • Opting Out of Communications: Even if you cannot exercise a full deletion or objection right, you always have the ability to opt out of specific communications. For instance:

    • Promotional Emails: As mentioned, you can click the "unsubscribe" link in any marketing email we send to opt out of further marketing communications. You can also adjust your preferences in your account settings (if provided) or contact us to be removed from our mailing lists. Keep in mind, even if you opt out of promotional emails, we may still send you service-related communications (like account notices, password reset emails, or billing info) as those are not promotional.
    • Notifications: If we offer in-app or push notifications, you can usually disable these by changing the settings on your device or in the app (for push notifications) or in your user settings (for in-app alerts).
    • Cookies and Tracking: As discussed in the Cookies section, you can control tracking technologies to some extent (e.g., by opting out of analytics or ad cookies). Use the tools described above to manage those preferences.

  • California Privacy Rights (if applicable): If you are a California resident, state law (such as the California Consumer Privacy Act, CCPA) provides you specific rights, including the right to know and access what personal information has been collected about you in the past 12 months, the right to know the categories of sources and third parties with whom it is shared, the right to delete (with similar exceptions as above), and the right to opt out of any "sale" of your personal information. We have essentially structured our Policy to already honor those rights (we do not sell personal info in the traditional sense, as stated, and we provide access and deletion rights to all users). California's "Shine the Light" law also allows residents to request a notice identifying the categories of personal information shared with third parties for direct marketing in the preceding year, along with contact information for those third parties. As we do not share personal info with third parties for their direct marketing without consent, this is largely not applicable. Nevertheless, if you are a California resident and have questions or requests under those laws, you can contact us and we will address them per applicable law.

  • GDPR and Other Regions: If you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA), United Kingdom, or other regions with similar laws (like GDPR or equivalent), the rights described above (access, correction, deletion, objection, etc.) generally apply to you, and in some cases even more rights (like portability) explicitly. We aim to allow those rights to all users where feasible. Additionally, under GDPR, you have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority (a data protection regulator in the EU or UK) if you believe we have infringed your data protection rights. We encourage you to contact us first so we can try to resolve any concerns directly.

To exercise any of your rights, please contact us at contact@quant-soc.com. For security, we will likely ask you to verify your identity (for example, by confirming control of your account email) before fulfilling your request. We will respond to your request within a reasonable timeframe as required by law (typically within 30 days for most requests, but we may extend that period if necessary and permitted). If we cannot fulfill your request, we will provide an explanation, such as if the request conflicts with legal obligations or if it is excessive or unfounded.

Your choices: In summary, you have choices in how your information is used. You are not required to provide all personal information identified in this Policy to use the Service, but certain functionality may be unavailable if you do not. For example, if you choose not to provide an email, you cannot create an account. You can use the Service in a more privacy-preserving manner by limiting what you share publicly, by adjusting settings, and by not connecting unnecessary third-party accounts. We encourage you to take advantage of the privacy controls built into our Service and to contact us if you need any clarifications.

We are committed to enabling and honoring these rights/choices as part of our goal of maximum legal protection and flexibility. This broad compliance approach is intended to keep our practices robust even as privacy laws evolve, meaning we intend for this template to be useful for various organizations with similar needs.

Children's Privacy

Protecting the privacy of young users is especially important. Our Service is not directed to children under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 years old. If you are under 13, please do not attempt to register for the Service or send any personal information about yourself to us. If we learn that we have inadvertently collected personal data from a child under 13, we will take prompt steps to delete such information from our records.

As noted in our Terms of Service (Eligibility section), minors between 13 and 17 may use the Service only with the involvement of a parent or guardian. We assume that any minor users (aged 13-17) have obtained permission from their parents to use the Service and to provide the minimal personal information needed (e.g., a parent may assist a 15-year-old in signing up, understanding that basic data will be collected). Even so, we encourage parents and guardians to be involved in their children's online activities and to teach them about safeguarding their personal information.

Parental Control: If you are a parent or legal guardian and you believe that your child under 13 (or a minor under 18 using the Service without consent) has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately at contact@quant-soc.com. We will work with you to investigate and, if applicable, delete that information. We may require proof or verification of your relationship to the child for safety and privacy reasons.

Teen Users (13-17): For users who are old enough to use the Service under these Terms (13 or older) but still minors, we treat their data with the same level of protection as adults, but we also recognize certain additional legal considerations may apply (for example, certain jurisdictions have heightened privacy rights for minors). We do not knowingly "sell" the personal information of minors under 16 in a way that would violate applicable laws. If we were ever to engage in any practice that involves sharing data of minors for value, we would first seek any required opt-in consent. Also, if any content sharing features could potentially expose minors to public visibility, we will endeavor to provide clear warnings or require an adult's oversight.

In summary, we do not knowingly collect data from children, and we have measures in place to remove any such data if discovered. We encourage all users, especially young users, to exercise caution and not share sensitive personal details on the Service.

International Users and Data Transfers

QUANTSOC is intended for users around the world, and as such, your personal information may be stored and processed in countries other than your own. Specifically, our company is based in the United Kingdom and our servers or service providers may reside in multiple jurisdictions, such as the United States, European Union, or other locations. This means that when you use the Service, your information may be transferred to and stored on servers in a country different from where you reside.

Different countries have different data protection laws, which may not be as protective as the laws of your home jurisdiction. However, we take steps to ensure that your personal information is treated securely and in accordance with this Privacy Policy and applicable law, regardless of where it is processed. Our measures include:

  • Legal Frameworks: If you are in a region like the European Economic Area (EEA) or UK, we will ensure that any transfer of personal data out of that region is done under appropriate legal safeguards. For example, we may rely on the European Commission's Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) or an adequacy decision (if the receiving country is deemed to have adequate protections). These are contractual commitments between our business partners or between our corporate entities that require all parties to protect personal data according to EU law. Similarly, for other international transfers, we comply with analogous frameworks or requirements.
  • Service Providers in Other Countries: Many of our service providers (cloud hosting, analytics, etc.) might be global companies. We choose reputable providers that also have strong privacy and security commitments. For instance, if we use a US-based cloud service to store data, that provider might certify under frameworks like the EU-US Data Privacy Framework (if applicable) or agree to contractual clauses for protection. We flow down our data protection obligations to these providers via contracts.
  • Your Consent (if applicable): By using our Service or providing us with your information, you acknowledge that your information may be transferred to, stored in, and processed in a country that may have different privacy laws than your own. In some cases, we may specifically ask for your consent to transfer your data to a particular jurisdiction if required by law. For example, if you sign up from a country with strict data localization laws, we will abide by those laws (and perhaps not transfer data out unless allowed).
  • Monitoring Changes: The landscape of international data transfers is evolving (for example, legal frameworks like Privacy Shield have changed over time). We are committed to staying current with these developments and will adjust our data transfer practices to remain compliant. We will update this Policy or provide other notice if there are significant changes to how we handle cross-border data transfers.

Jurisdiction-Specific Rights: If you reside outside of the country where our main operations are, you may have certain rights under your local laws which we have endeavored to cover in the "Your Rights and Choices" section. We also note that by having a broad, flexible policy, we intend to respect rights even if, for example, not all international users might formally be able to enforce them against us. It's part of our "cover all bases" approach.

Important Notice for EU/UK Users: The personal information we collect from individuals in the EEA, UK, or Switzerland may be transferred to and processed in a country outside of those regions, in particular the United States. In such cases, we ensure that at least one of the following safeguards is implemented: (i) transfers to certain countries that have been deemed to provide an adequate level of protection by the EU/UK authorities; (ii) use of specific contracts approved by those authorities (like the Standard Contractual Clauses) which give personal data similar protection as in Europe; or (iii) reliance on an applicable derogation under Article 49 of GDPR (such as your explicit consent or necessity for contract). If you have inquiries about international data transfer or want to obtain a copy of the relevant safeguard (e.g., contractual commitments), you can contact us.

By providing us with your information or using our Service, you consent to the transfer of your information to the countries in which we operate or store information, subject to this Privacy Policy. We will do our utmost to ensure that any cross-border data handling complies with all applicable data protection rules and that your rights are protected.

Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technologies, legal requirements, or other factors. Our goal is to ensure that our documentation keeps pace with what we actually do and that it provides maximum future coverage so that we do not need to update with every new feature. However, significant changes in how we collect or use personal information will be reflected here.

Notification of Changes: If we make material changes to this Privacy Policy, we will notify you by appropriate means. This may include:

  • Updating the "Last Updated" date at the top of this Policy (and possibly noting in the introduction that the Policy has been revised).
  • Posting a notice on our website or within the Service (for example, a banner or pop-up notification) to grab attention to the fact that the Privacy Policy has changed.
  • In some cases, we might send you a direct communication, such as an email or message, especially if required by law or if the change is significant (for instance, if we were to start collecting new types of data or using data in a materially different way than stated at collection, you might receive an email outlining the changes).

We encourage you to periodically review this Privacy Policy to stay informed about how we are protecting the personal information we collect. Your continued use of the Service after any changes to this Privacy Policy means you accept the changes, provided that we have given proper notice as described. If you do not agree with any changes, you should discontinue use of the Service and can request deletion of your data as outlined above.

Minor updates that do not materially affect your rights (such as clarifications, typographical corrections, or changes that expand your rights or further limit our uses) may be made without prior notice, though the updated Policy will always be accessible.

We maintain an archive or change log of previous privacy policy versions (available upon request), so you can see how the policy has evolved. If there's any discrepancy between older versions and this current version, this version prevails.

Contact Information

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding these Terms of Service or the Privacy Policy, you can contact us at:

Email: contact@quant-soc.com (for general inquiries or privacy-specific requests)

For privacy-specific inquiries or requests (such as data access or deletion requests), please include "Privacy Request" in the subject line of your email or correspondence, and describe the nature of your request with sufficient detail to allow us to respond appropriately. We may need to verify your identity before addressing certain requests, to protect your privacy and security.

If you are a resident of certain regions, you may also have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority (e.g., in the EU, the supervisory authority in your country; in the UK, the ICO; in Canada, the OPC; etc.) if you believe your privacy rights have been violated. We would appreciate the chance to deal with your concerns directly before you approach a regulator, so please consider reaching out to us first.

Language: This Privacy Policy may be available in multiple languages. The English version shall be the governing version in case of any conflict or inconsistency between translations.

Thank you for taking the time to read our Privacy Policy. We value your trust and are committed to safeguarding your personal information.