SECURITY
AND PRIVACY POLICY
Effective as of: September 29, 2005
The metrocooking.com Web site (the “Site”) is maintained
by The Tiny Kitchen, Inc. (“TTK,” “us,”
“our,” or “we”). Our address is 7611 Little River Turnpike, Suite 304-West, Annandale, VA 22003. We can also be reached by e-mail
at info@metrocooking.com. Our data collection and use policies with
respect to the Site are set forth in this statement (“Policy”).
By using this Site, you signify your acceptance of this Policy.
Special note concerning children
We encourage parents to use the Site with their children. If we
learn that a child under the age of 13 has provided personally identifiable
information to the Site, we will promptly remove such information
from its files.
Definitions
When reviewing this Policy you should understand that when we use
the term “personally identifiable information” we mean
any information that can be used to identify or contact a specific
individual, such as a name, address, telephone number or e-mail
address. When we refer to “aggregate information” we
mean information that does not allow us to identify or contact a
specific individual but describes a general category of information
about visitors to the Site, such as demographics, purchase categories
or visitors using a particular browser to access the Site.
What types of personally identifiable information does TTK collect
on the Site?
We collect various types of personally identifiable information
from visitors to the Site. For instance, visitors may choose to
join our mailing list or make a purchase in which instance personally
identifiable information will be collected. Personally identifiable
information may also be requested in connection with a sweepstakes
or other game, survey or other activities on the Site.
Visitors who wish to purchase products from the Site will also be
asked to provide their shipping and/or delivery (if different from
the postal address) addresses, telephone number and credit card
information.
Does TTK collect any other information about visitors to the
Site?
We constantly seek to maintain the integrity of, and make improvements
to, the Site. As part of these efforts, we collect and analyze certain
information about how visitors use the Site. When you visit our
Site, we may collect various types of technical data, which we maintain
in both aggregate and personally identifiable forms. This data includes
(but is not limited to) domain and/or Web browser information. We
may track which Web site you visited before arriving at the Site
and the Web site you link to when you leave the Site. We may also
keep a record of which pages of the Site you visit, and how long
you spend on each page.
We also use “cookies” on the Site. Cookies are small
pieces of information that our server places on a visitor’s
computer hard drive to enable that person to more easily communicate
and interact with the Site and to provide us with important information
on how visitors use the Site. For example, we will place a cookie
on a visitor’s computer when he/she visits the Site. The next
time that person visits the Site using the same computer, our server
will recognize the cookie and the visitor. Many Web browsers are
automatically set to accept cookies. You may change your browser
settings to either reject cookies or notify you when a cookie is
about to be placed on your computer. Please note, however, that
rejecting cookies while visiting the Site may result in certain
parts of the Site not operating correctly or as efficiently as if
they were allowed.
What does TTK do with information collected on the Site?
We will use personally identifiable information provided by visitors
to fulfill the purpose for which such information was provided,
as described in this Policy, and as disclosed at the time the visitor
information is requested. For example, personal information will
be used to provide visitors with product and service information
tailored to each such visitor’s interests based on such visitor’s
previous activities on the Site. Order information will be used
to fulfill customer orders. We may also use postal address information
provided by visitors to send them, among other things, TTK product
catalogs and magazine offers. Additionally, we may use information
about your activities on the Site, your purchases, and your computer
equipment to improve the performance of our Site, and to customize
the content and layout of our Site pages for you. We may supplement
personally identifiable and aggregate information collected from
the Site with similar information obtained from our affiliates,
companies with whom we have marketing or other business relationships,
and other third party sources.
We may offer visitors the opportunity to receive special promotions
from us and other companies. If a visitor elects to receive such
offers (or does not indicate a preference not to receive such information),
we will use the information provided by that visitor to send those
offers.
We use aggregate information collected on the Site to evaluate how
the Site is being used. This information does not contain any information
that may be personally identified with a specific individual. For
example, we may collect and analyze information about how many visitors
arrived at certain pages of the Site, how long they stayed on those
pages, and where they went afterwards. This information allows us
to determine which pages might be the most interesting to and popular
with visitors and enables us to provide visitors with a better and
richer experience on the Site.
We also use personally identifiable information and aggregate information
for a variety of marketing and promotional purposes. For instance,
we may use information gleaned from your use of the Site or the
purchases you make to inform you of new areas of the Site and product
specials. This information may also be used to assist companies
with whom we have marketing or other business relationships to display
advertising or product placements of ours and of those companies
that may be of interest to you.
Can I “opt-out” of receiving e-mail promotions from
TTK?
Yes. You may choose not to receive promotional emails or newsletters
from us by (A) following the “unsubscribe” instructions
in the specific e-mail from which you wish to opt-out, or (B) sending
an e-mail to info@metrocooking.com, specifying the particular
e-mails list(s) from which you wish to be removed. We will respond
to a request made pursuant to these methods as promptly as practicable.
Even if you elect to stop receiving promotional e-mails from us,
we may still contact you to tell you important information about
us or the Site.
Does TTK share visitor information with other companies?
We will not intentionally share your personally identifiable information
with unaffiliated entities (i) except as described in this Policy
or as disclosed at the time your personally identifiable information
is provided, or (ii) without your consent. We do, however, share
aggregate information about visitors to our Site with third parties
and we share visitor personally identifiable information with companies
with whom we have a marketing or other business relationship.
We use an email delivery and marketing company to send emails that
you have agreed to receive. Pixel tags and cookies are used in those
email messages and at our website to help us measure the effectiveness
of our advertising and how visitors use our site.
We may also disclose personally identifiable information and aggregate
information in order to (1) comply with applicable laws, (2) respond
to governmental inquiries, (3) comply with valid legal process,
and (4) protect the rights or property of TTK.
In the event there is a change in the corporate structure of TTK
such as, but not limited to, merger, consolidation, sale, liquidation,
or transfer of substantial assets, TTK may, in its sole discretion,
transfer, sell or assign information collected on and through this
Site, including without limitation, personally identifiable information
and aggregate information concerning visitors, to one or more affiliated
or unaffiliated third parties.
Certain activities and services available on the Site are provided
by third parties. For example, if you choose to purchase a product
from us, we may use an outside vendor to process and ship the order
to you. In this instance, we would need to provide your shipping
address to this entity. We may also utilize an outside e-mail service
provider to send our e-mails, in which case we would need to provide
your e-mail address to this vendor.
If I link to another Web site and provide information to that
Web site, how will that information be handled?
This Site may contain links to other Web sites. If you link
to another Web site, you will leave this Site and this Policy will
not apply to your use of, and activities on, those other Web sites.
We encourage you to read the legal notices posted on those other
Web sites, including their privacy policies. We shall have no responsibility
or liability for your visitation to, and the data collection and
use practices of, those Web sites.
How does TTK protect the information I provide to the Site?
We take reasonable precautions to safeguard information transmitted
between visitors and the Site and information stored on our servers.
We use Secured Socket Layers encryption for the transmission of
data to our servers during members during order check out. Despite
these efforts, however, we may be unable to prevent and shall not
be responsible for unauthorized access to such information by third
parties.
In the unlikely event that we believe that the security of your
personal information in our possession or control may have been
compromised, we may seek to notify you of that development. If a
notification is appropriate, we would endeavor to do so as promptly
as possible under the circumstances, and, to the extent we have
your e-mail address, we may notify you by e-mail.
With identity theft on the rise, it has become increasingly common
for unauthorized individuals to send e-mail messages to consumers,
purporting to represent a legitimate company such as a bank or on-line
merchant, requesting that the consumer provide personal, often sensitive
information to "update their account." Sometimes, the
domain name of the e-mail address from which the e-mail appears
to have been sent, and the domain name of the web site requesting
such information, appears to the consumer to be the domain name
of a legitimate, trusted company. In reality, such sensitive information,
if provided by the consumer, is received by an unauthorized individual
to be used by such individual for purposes of identity theft. This
illegal activity has come to be known as "phishing." If
you receive an e-mail or other correspondence requesting that you
provide any sensitive information (including your Site password
or credit card information) via e-mail or to a web site that does
not seem to be affiliated with the Site, or that otherwise seems
suspicious to you, please do not provide such information, and report
such request to us at info@metrocooking.com.
Where will TTK store and maintain information about me?
We maintain this Site in the United States. By providing personal
and other information to this Site, visitors understand and consent
to the collection and processing of such information in, and the
transfer of such information to, the United States and other countries
or territories, in accordance with the terms of this Policy.
Can TTK change this Policy?
Yes. We reserve the right to change this Policy in order to address
future developments of TTK or the Site or changes in industry or
legal trends. Depending on the nature of the change, we will either
announce the change (1) on the home page of the Site, (2) provide
such notice via e-mail to Members, customers, and others who provide
us with their e-mail address, or (3) take such other action as we
deem appropriate under the circumstances. By continuing to use the
Site following an announcement of any change, you will be deemed
to have agreed to such change. If you do not agree with the terms
of this Policy, as it may be amended from time to time, in whole
or part, please do not continue using this Site.
If you have any questions or comments about this Policy, please
feel free to contact us at info@metrocooking.com.
Thank you for visiting! |