Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy governs the processing of personal information collected by us, Forge Applications, Inc., when you:

Use our mobile app
Visit our website located at https://forgeyournetwork.com
Visit our branded social media pages
Visit our offices
Communicate with us, including via email, phone call, text, or fax
Register for, attend, or take part in our events, webinars, or contests
Use any related services provided by Forge Applications, Inc..

References to “Forge” in this Privacy Policy may refer to any or all of these services or Forge Applications, Inc.. References to “us”, “we”, or “our” refer to Forge Applications, Inc..

Your privacy is important to us. It is Forge Applications, Inc.'s policy to respect your privacy and comply with any applicable law and regulation regarding any personal information we may collect about you via Forge.

Personal information is any information about you which can be used to identify you. This includes information about you as a person (such as name, address, and date of birth), your devices, payment details, and even information about how you use an app or online service.

In the event Forge contains links to third-party sites and services, please be aware that those sites and services have their own privacy policies. After following a link to any third-party content, you should read their posted privacy policy information about how they collect and use personal information. This Privacy Policy does not apply to any of your activities after you leave Forge, or third-party-hosted content accessed via Forge.

This policy is effective as of 15 June 2022.

Information We Collect

Information we collect falls into one of two categories: “voluntarily provided” information and “automatically collected” information.

“Voluntarily provided” information refers to any information users knowingly and actively provide us when using Forge.

“Automatically collected” information refers to any information automatically sent by your device in the course of accessing Forge.

Log Data

When you access our servers via Forge, we may automatically log the standard data provided by your device. It may include your device's Internet Protocol (IP) address, your device type and version, your activity within Forge, time and date, and other details about your usage.

Additionally, when you encounter certain errors while using Forge, we automatically collect data about the error and the circumstances surrounding its occurrence. This data may include technical details about your device, what you were trying to do when the error happened, and other technical information relating to the problem. You may or may not receive notice of such errors, even in the moment they occur, that they have occurred, or what the nature of the error is.

Please be aware that while this information may not be personally identifying by itself, it may be possible to combine it with other data to personally identify individual persons.

Device Data

When you interact with Forge, including our mobile app, website, emails, or related services, we automatically collect information about your device and your usage of our services or emails, which may contain personal information. Forge may access and collect data via your device's in-built tools, such as:

Your identity
Location data
Microphone
Calendar
Contacts
Phone/SMS
Email
Notifications
Voice assistance
Background data refresh
Mobile data
Device/app history

When you install Forge or use your device’s tools within Forge, we request or you grant us permission to access this information. The specific data we collect can depend on the individual settings of your device and the permissions you grant when you install and use Forge.

This information is used to maintain the security of the services, to provide necessary functionality, to improve performance of the services, to assess and improve user experience of the services, to review compliance with applicable usage terms, to identify future opportunities for development of the services, to assess capacity requirements, to identify customer opportunities, and for our security. Some of the device and usage data collected by Forge, whether alone or in conjunction with other data, could be personally identifying to you. Please note that this device and usage data is primarily used to identify the uniqueness of each user logging on (as opposed to specific individuals), apart from where it is strictly required to identify an individual for security purposes or as required as part of our provision of Forge to our customers.

Third Party Sign-On Services

Forge allows you to log in to Forge using third party sign-in services. These services authenticate your identity and provide you the option to share certain personal information from these services with us such as your name and email address to pre-populate our sign-up form. Your interactions with Third Party Sign-On Services are governed by the privacy policies of the companies providing them.

Telephony log information

If you use certain features of Forge on a mobile device, we may also collect telephony log information (like phone numbers, time and date of calls, duration of calls, SMS routing information, and types of calls), device event information (such as crashes, system activity, hardware settings, browser language), and location information (through IP address, GPS, and other sensors that may, for example, provide us with information on nearby devices, Wi-Fi access points and cell towers).

Personal Information

We may ask for personal information — for example, when you subscribe to our newsletter or when you contact us — which may include one or more of the following:

Identifiers such as name, address, email address, social media profiles, date of birth, and phone/mobile number
Professional or employment-related information such as your title, place of work, and universities attended
Financial account information such as billing name and address, credit card number or bank account information
Commercial information related to your business
Visual information such as profile pictures

We may also collect personal information if you attend our event or webinar; if you communicate with us via telephone call, during which we may record that call; if you voluntarily submit certain information to our services, such as filling out a survey about your user experience, we collect the information you have provided as part of that request; and if you visit our offices, you may be required to register as a visitor. Additionally, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, you may be required to provide information regarding your health status, including your temperature, COVID-19-related symptoms, exposure to COVID-19 positive individuals, and recent travel history.

If you provide us or our service providers with any personal information relating to other individuals, you represent that you have the authority to do so, and where required, have obtained the necessary consent, and acknowledge that it may be used in accordance with this Privacy Policy. If you believe that your personal information has been provided to us improperly, or want to exercise your rights relating to your personal information, please contact us by using the information in the “Contact Us” section below.

Sensitive Information

“Sensitive information” or “special categories of data” is a subset of personal information that is given a higher level of protection. Examples of sensitive information include information relating to your racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religion, trade union or other professional associations or memberships, philosophical beliefs, sexual orientation, sexual practices or sex life, criminal records, health information, or biometric information.

The types of sensitive information that we may collect about you include:

Biometric information
Records of your contacts found on your device as well as through interfaces with other services, including biographical information within and that the user chooses to provide
Records in your selected calendars including appointment or meeting dates, times, subjects, locations, access information, attendees and their email addresses
Payment information for access to premium services or features

We will not collect sensitive information about you without first obtaining your consent, and we will only use or disclose your sensitive information as permitted, required, or authorized by law.

Legitimate Reasons for Processing Your Personal Information

We only collect and use your personal information when we have a legitimate reason for doing so. In which instance, we only collect personal information that is reasonably necessary to provide our services to you.

Collection and Use of Information

We may collect personal information from you when you do any of the following on our website:

Register for an account
Sign up to receive updates from us via email or social media channels
Use a mobile device or web browser to access our content
Contact us via email, social media, or on any similar technologies
When you mention us on social media

We may also receive and analyze content, communications and information that other people provide when they use Forge. This can include information about you, such as when others share content with you, send a message to you, or upload, sync or import your contact information.

We may collect, hold, use, and disclose information for the following purposes, and personal information will not be further processed in a manner that is incompatible with these purposes:

To provide you with the core features and services of Forge
To enable you to customize or personalize your experience of our features and services
To contact and communicate with you
For analytics, market research, and business development, including to operate and improve Forge, associated applications, and associated social media platforms
To enable you to access and use Forge, associated platforms, and associated social media channels
For internal record keeping and administrative purposes
To comply with our legal obligations and resolve any disputes that we may have
For security and fraud prevention, and to ensure that Forge is safe, secure, and used in line with our Terms of Service
For technical assessment, including to operate and improve Forge, associated applications, and associated social media platforms

We may combine voluntarily provided and automatically collected personal information with general information or research data we receive from other trusted sources. For example, if you consent to us accessing your social media profiles, we may combine information sourced from those profiles with information received from you directly to provide you with an enhanced experience of our app and services.

Security of Your Personal Information

When we collect and process personal information, and while we retain this information, we will protect it within commercially acceptable means to prevent loss and theft, as well as unauthorized access, disclosure, copying, use, or modification.

Although we will do our best to protect the personal information you provide to us, we advise that no method of electronic transmission or storage is 100% secure, and no one can guarantee absolute data security.

You are responsible for selecting any password and its overall security strength, ensuring the security of your own information within the bounds of our services. For example, ensuring any passwords associated with accessing your personal information and accounts are secure and confidential.

How Long We Keep Your Personal Information

We keep your personal information only for as long as we need to. This time period may depend on what we are using your information for, in accordance with this privacy policy. For example, if you have provided us with personal information as part of creating an account with us, we may retain this information for the duration your account exists on our system. If your personal information is no longer required for this purpose, we will delete it or make it anonymous by removing all details that identify you.

However, if necessary, we may retain your personal information for our compliance with a legal, accounting, or reporting obligation or for archiving purposes in the public interest, scientific, or historical research purposes or statistical purposes.

Children’s Privacy

We do not aim any of our products or services directly at children under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13.

Disclosure of Personal Information to Third Parties

We may disclose personal information to:

A parent, subsidiary, or affiliate of our company
Third-party service providers for the purpose of enabling them to provide their services, including (without limitation) IT service providers, data storage, hosting and server providers, analytics, error loggers, debt collectors, maintenance or problem-solving providers, marketing providers, professional advisors, and payment systems operators
Our employees, contractors, advisors, and/or related entities
Our existing or potential agents or business partners
Credit reporting agencies, courts, tribunals, and regulatory authorities, in the event you fail to pay for goods or services we have provided to you
Courts, tribunals, regulatory authorities, and law enforcement officers, as required by law, in connection with any actual or prospective legal proceedings, or in order to establish, exercise, or defend our legal rights
Third parties, including agents or sub-contractors, who assist us in providing information, products, services, or direct marketing to you
Third parties to collect and process data
An entity that buys, or to which we transfer all or substantially all of our assets and business

We may also share anonymous usage data with Forge’s service providers for the purpose of helping Forge in analysis and improvements. Additionally, Forge may share such anonymous usage data on an aggregate basis in the normal course of operating our business; for example, we may share information publicly to show trends about the general use of our services.

Third parties we currently use include:

Analytics: Google Analytics
Mail: Twilio Sendgrid
Artificial intelligence services: Primer.ai, Google Cloud
News and information providers: Google, Bing, newsAPI.org
Payment processing: Stripe

For more information on the recipients of your personal information, please contact us by using the information in the “Contact Us” section, below.

Your Rights and Controlling Your Personal Information

Your choice: By providing personal information to us, you understand we will collect, hold, use, and disclose your personal information in accordance with this privacy policy. You do not have to provide personal information to us, however, if you do not, it may affect your use of Forge or the products and/or services offered on or through it.

Information from third parties: If we receive personal information about you from a third party, we will protect it as set out in this privacy policy. If you are a third party providing personal information about somebody else, you represent and warrant that you have such person’s consent to provide the personal information to us.

Marketing permission: If you have previously agreed to us using your personal information for direct marketing purposes, you may change your mind at any time by contacting us using the details below.

Access: You may request details of the personal information that we hold about you.

Correction: If you believe that any information we hold about you is inaccurate, out of date, incomplete, irrelevant, or misleading, please contact us using the details provided in this privacy policy. We will take reasonable steps to correct any information found to be inaccurate, incomplete, misleading, or out of date.

Non-discrimination: We will not discriminate against you for exercising any of your rights over your personal information. Unless your personal information is required to provide you with a particular service or offer (for example serving particular content to your device), we will not deny you goods or services and/or charge you different prices or rates for goods or services, including through granting discounts or other benefits, or imposing penalties, or provide you with a different level or quality of goods or services.

Notification of data breaches: We will comply with laws applicable to us in respect of any data breach.

Complaints: If you believe that we have breached a relevant data protection law and wish to make a complaint, please contact us using the details below and provide us with full details of the alleged breach. We will promptly investigate your complaint and respond to you, in writing, setting out the outcome of our investigation and the steps we will take to deal with your complaint. You also have the right to contact a regulatory body or data protection authority in relation to your complaint.

Unsubscribe: To unsubscribe from our email database or opt-out of communications (including marketing communications), please contact us using the details provided in this privacy policy, or opt-out using the opt-out facilities provided in the communication. We may need to request specific information from you to help us confirm your identity.

Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Our Privacy Policy covers the use of cookies between your device and our servers. A cookie is a small piece of data that an app may store on your device, typically containing a unique identifier that allows the app servers to recognize your device when you use the app; information about your account, session and/or device; additional data that serves the purpose of the cookie, and any self-maintenance information about the cookie itself.

We may use cookies to give your device access to core features of Forge, to track app usage and performance on your device, and to tailor and improve your experience of Forge based on your preferences. Any communication of cookie data between your device and our servers occurs within a secure environment.

When you use Forge, we, or an authorized third party, may place a cookie on your device that collects information, including personal information, about your activities over time and across different devices and sites. Cookies allow us to track use, infer preferences, and improve and customize your experience of Forge.

Forge may use both session-based and persistent cookies. Session-based cookies exist only during a single session and disappear from your device when you close your browser or turn off the device. Persistent cookies remain on your device after you close your browser or turn your device off. Without cookies we may be limited in our ability to provide you with some features of Forge.

We may also use web beacons and pixels on our website and in emails. For example, we may place a pixel in marketing emails that notify us when you click on a link in the email. We use these technologies to operate and improve Forge and marketing emails. You may unsubscribe from our marketing emails at any time.

Cookies set by the website you are visiting are usually referred to as first-party cookies. They typically only track your activity on that particular site. Cookies set by other sites and companies (i.e., third parties) are called third-party cookies. They can be used to track you on other websites that use the same third-party service. This policy does not cover their cookies.

The following describes how we use different categories of cookies and similar technologies and your options for managing the data collection settings of these technologies:

Essential cookies

Essential cookies are crucial to your experience of Forge, enabling core features like user logins, account management, and payment processing. Forge uses essential cookies to enable certain functions within our services.

Performance cookies

Performance cookies track how you use Forge. Typically, this information is anonymous and aggregated, with information tracked across all users. They help us understand usage patterns, identify and diagnose problems or errors users may encounter, and make better strategic decisions in improving our users’ overall experience. These cookies may be set by Forge (first-party) or by third-party services. These cookies do not collect personal information about you. Forge uses performance cookies.

Functionality cookies

Functionality cookies are used to collect information about your device and any settings you may configure on the services you’re using (like language and time zone settings). With this information, websites can provide you with customized, enhanced, or optimized content and services. These cookies may be set by Forge (first-party) or by third-party services. Forge uses functionality cookies for selected features of our services.

Targeting/advertising cookies

Targeting/advertising cookies help determine what promotional content is most relevant and appropriate to you and your interests. Websites may use them to deliver targeted advertising or limit the number of times you see an advertisement. This helps companies improve the effectiveness of their campaigns and the quality of content presented to you. These cookies may be set by Forge (first-party) or by third-party services. Targeting/advertising cookies set by third-parties may be used to track you on other websites that use the same third-party service. Forge does not use this type of cookie.

Opt-Out from the setting of cookies

In addition to using the user preference center, in many cases you may opt-out from the collection of non-essential device and usage data on your web browser by managing your cookies at the browser or device level. Please note, however, that by blocking or deleting cookies and similar technologies used within Forge you may not be able to take full advantage of our services.

Business Transfers

If we or our assets are acquired, or in the unlikely event that we go out of business or enter bankruptcy, we would include data, including your personal information, among the assets transferred to any parties who acquire us. You acknowledge that such transfers may occur, and that any parties who acquire us may, to the extent permitted by applicable law, continue to use your personal information according to this policy, which they will be required to assume as it is the basis for any ownership or use rights we have over such information.

Limits of Our Policy

Forge may link to external sites that are not operated by us. Please be aware that we have no control over the content and policies of those sites, and cannot accept responsibility or liability for their respective privacy practices.

Changes to This Policy

At our discretion, we may change our Privacy Policy to reflect updates to our business processes, current acceptable practices, or legislative or regulatory changes. If we decide to change this Privacy Policy, we will post the changes here and on our website.

If the changes are significant, or if required by applicable law, we will contact you (based on your selected preferences for communications from us) and all our registered users with the new details and links to the updated or changed policy.

If required by law, we will get your permission or give you the opportunity to opt in to or opt out of, as applicable, any new uses of your personal information.

Additional Disclosures for Australian Privacy Act Compliance (AU)

International Transfers of Personal Information

Where the disclosure of your personal information is solely subject to Australian privacy laws, you acknowledge that some third parties may not be regulated by the Privacy Act and the Australian Privacy Principles in the Privacy Act. You acknowledge that if any such third party engages in any act or practice that contravenes the Australian Privacy Principles, it would not be accountable under the Privacy Act, and you will not be able to seek redress under the Privacy Act.

Additional Disclosures for General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Compliance (EU)

Data Controller / Data Processor

The GDPR distinguishes between organizations that process personal information for their own purposes (known as “data controllers”) and organizations that process personal information on behalf of other organizations (known as “data processors”). We, Forge Applications, Inc., located at the address provided in our Contact Us section, are a Data Controller with respect to the personal information you provide to us.

Legal Bases for Processing Your Personal Information

We will only collect and use your personal information when we have a legal right to do so. In which case, we will collect and use your personal information lawfully, fairly, and in a transparent manner. If we seek your consent to process your personal information, and you are under 16 years of age, we will seek your parent or legal guardian’s consent to process your personal information for that specific purpose.

Our lawful bases depend on the services you use and how you use them. This means we only collect and use your information on the following grounds:

Consent From You

Where you give us consent to collect and use your personal information for a specific purpose. You may withdraw your consent at any time using the facilities we provide; however, this will not affect any use of your information that has already taken place. You may consent to providing your email address for the purpose of receiving marketing emails from us. While you may unsubscribe at any time, we cannot recall any email we have already sent. If you have any further enquiries about how to withdraw your consent, please feel free to enquire using the details provided in the Contact Us section of this Privacy Policy.

Performance of a Contract or Transaction

Where you have entered into a contract or transaction with us, or in order to take preparatory steps prior to our entering into a contract or transaction with you. For example, we need technical information about your device in order to provide the essential features of our app. If we need to collect and process personal information under a contract we have entered into with you, and you fail to provide the required personal information when requested, we may not be able to perform our contract with you.

Our Legitimate Interests

Where we assess it is necessary for our legitimate interests, such as for us to provide, operate, improve, and communicate our services. For example, we collect technical information about your device in order to improve and personalize your experience of Forge. We consider our legitimate interests to include research and development, understanding our audience, measures taken to improve our offering and user experience, measures taken for training, quality assurance, and administration purposes, marketing and promoting our services, marketing analysis and communications, measures taken to operate our services efficiently, measures taken to operate our services safely and securely, measures taken to protect our offices, staff, and visitors, and measures taken to protect our legal rights and interests and the rights and interests of others.

Compliance with Law

In some cases, we may have a legal obligation to use or keep your personal information. Such cases may include (but are not limited to) court orders, criminal investigations, government requests, and regulatory obligations. If you have any further enquiries about how we retain personal information in order to comply with the law, please feel free to enquire using the details provided in the Contact Us section of this privacy policy. If we need to collect and process personal information by law and you fail to provide the required personal information when requested, we may not be able to perform our contract with you.

International Transfers Outside of the European Economic Area (EEA)

We will ensure that any transfer of personal information from countries in the European Economic Area (EEA) to countries outside the EEA will be protected by appropriate safeguards, for example by using standard data protection clauses approved by the European Commission, or the use of binding corporate rules or other legally accepted means.

Your Rights and Controlling Your Personal Information

Restrict: You have the right to request that we restrict the processing of your personal information if (i) you are concerned about the accuracy of your personal information; (ii) you believe your personal information has been unlawfully processed; (iii) you need us to maintain the personal information solely for the purpose of a legal claim; or (iv) we are in the process of considering your objection in relation to processing on the basis of legitimate interests.

Objecting to processing: You have the right to object to processing of your personal information that is based on our legitimate interests or public interest. If this is done, we must provide compelling legitimate grounds for the processing which overrides your interests, rights, and freedoms, in order to proceed with the processing of your personal information.

Data portability: You may have the right to request a copy of the personal information we hold about you. Where possible, we will provide this information in CSV format or other easily readable machine format. You may also have the right to request that we transfer this personal information to a third party.

Deletion: You may have a right to request that we delete the personal information we hold about you at any time, and we will take reasonable steps to delete your personal information from our current records. If you ask us to delete your personal information, we will let you know how the deletion affects your use of our app, website or products and services. There may be exceptions to this right for specific legal reasons which, if applicable, we will set out for you in response to your request. If you terminate or delete your account, we will delete your personal information within 30 days of the deletion of your account. Please be aware that search engines and similar third parties may still retain copies of your personal information that has been made public at least once, like certain profile information and public comments, even after you have deleted the information from our services or deactivated your account.

Additional Disclosures for California Compliance (US)

Under California Civil Code Section 1798.83, if you live in California and your business relationship with us is mainly for personal, family, or household purposes, you may ask us about the information we release to other organizations for their marketing purposes.

To make such a request, please contact us using the details provided in this privacy policy with “Request for California privacy information” in the subject line. You may make this type of request once every calendar year. We will email you a list of categories of personal information we revealed to other organizations for their marketing purposes in the last calendar year, along with their names and addresses. Not all personal information shared in this way is covered by Section 1798.83 of the California Civil Code.

Do Not Track

Some browsers have a “Do Not Track” feature that lets you tell websites that you do not want to have your online activities tracked. At this time, we do not respond to browser “Do Not Track” signals.

We adhere to the standards outlined in this privacy policy, ensuring we collect and process personal information lawfully, fairly, transparently, and with legitimate, legal reasons for doing so.

Cookies and Pixels

At all times, you may decline cookies from our site if your browser permits. Most browsers allow you to activate settings on your browser to refuse the setting of all or some cookies. Accordingly, your ability to limit cookies is based only on your browser’s capabilities. Please refer to the Cookies section of this Privacy Policy for more information.

CCPA-Permitted Financial Incentives

In accordance with your right to non-discrimination, we may offer you certain financial incentives permitted by the CCPA that can result in different prices, rates, or quality levels for the goods or services we provide.

Any CCPA-permitted financial incentive we offer will reasonably relate to the value of your personal information, and we will provide written terms that describe clearly the nature of such an offer. Participation in a financial incentive program requires your prior opt-in consent, which you may revoke at any time.

California Notice of Collection

In the past 12 months, we have collected the following categories of personal information enumerated in the California Consumer Privacy Act:

Identifiers, such as name, email address, phone number account name, IP address, and an ID or number assigned to your account
Customer records, such as billing and shipping address, and credit or debit card data
Demographics, such as your age or gender. This category includes data that may qualify as protected classifications under other California or federal laws
Commercial information, such as products or services history and purchases
Internet activity, such as your interactions with our service
Audio or visual data, such as photos or videos you share with us or post on the service
Geolocation data
Employment and education data, such as data you provide when you apply for a job with us
Inferences, such as information about your interests, preferences and favorites

Right to Know and Delete

If you are a California resident, you have rights to delete your personal information we collected and know certain information about our data practices in the preceding 12 months. In particular, you have the right to request the following from us:

The categories of personal information we have collected about you
The categories of sources from which the personal information was collected
The categories of personal information about you we disclosed for a business purpose or sold
The categories of third parties to whom the personal information was disclosed for a business purpose or sold
The business or commercial purpose for collecting or selling the personal information, and
The specific pieces of personal information we have collected about you

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details provided in this Privacy Policy.

Please note that to protect your information and the integrity of Forge, we may need to verify your identity before processing your request. In some cases we may need to collect additional information to verify your identity, such as a government issued ID.

Shine the Light

If you are a California resident, in addition to the rights discussed above, you have the right to request information from us regarding the manner in which we share certain personal information as defined by California’s “Shine the Light” with third parties and affiliates for their own direct marketing purposes. To receive this information, send us a request using the contact details provided in this privacy policy. Requests must include “California Privacy Rights Request” in the first line of the description and include your name, street address, city, state, and ZIP code.

Google Services

Forge’s use and transfer to any other app of information received from Google APIs will adhere to Google API Services User Data Policy, including the Limited Use requirements.

Changes to this Privacy Policy

We will update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technologies, legal requirements, and other factors. If we do, we will update the “effective date” at the top. If we make a material update, we may provide you with notice prior to the update taking effect, such as by posting a conspicuous notice on our website or by contacting you directly, or where required under applicable law and feasible, seek your consent to these changes.

We encourage you to periodically review this Privacy Policy to stay informed about our collection, processing and sharing of your personal information.

For any questions or concerns regarding your privacy, you may contact us using the following details:

Mike Winn

mike@forgeyournetwork.com

We are committed to working with you to obtain a fair resolution of any complaint or concern about privacy. If, however, you believe that we have not been able to assist with your complaint or concern, and you are located in the EEA, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the competent supervisory authority.