PeerSpot Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy was last updated on February 28, 2024.

See the Applicant and Candidate Privacy Policy regarding PeerSpot's collection and processing of personal data relating to job applicants and candidates during the application and recruitment process.

I. Overview

PeerSpot Ltd. (“PeerSpot”, “we”, “our”, or “us”) takes the privacy and protection of personal information seriously. By visiting our Site, registering as a Member, or using the Services, you acknowledge and accept the practices and policies outlined in this Privacy Policy (the “Privacy Policy”). Unless otherwise defined herein, capitalized terms shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the PeerSpot Terms of Use, which can be found here and which incorporate this Privacy Policy by reference. This Privacy Policy describes PeerSpot's practices with respect to Personal Information that we collect when you visit our Site or use the Services.

Personal Information” is information that is personally identifiable such as names, addresses, e-mail addresses, or phone numbers, as well as other non-public information that is associated with the foregoing. In some regions, an individuals’ internet protocol address (“IP address”) may be considered Personal Information. We collect and use Personal Information as described in this Privacy Policy from visitors to our Site and Users of our Services.

BY VISITING OUR SITE, USING THE SERVICES, OR SUBMITTING PERSONAL INFORMATION THROUGH THE SERVICES, YOU EXPRESSLY CONSENT TO THE PROCESSING AND USE OF YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION ACCORDING TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY, INCLUDING THE COLLECTION, USE, DISCLOSURE, STORAGE, TRANSFER AND PROCESSING OF YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION AS DESCRIBED HEREIN. YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION MAY BE PROCESSED IN THE COUNTRY WHERE IT WAS COLLECTED AS WELL AS IN OTHER COUNTRIES (INCLUDING THE UNITED STATES) WHERE LAWS REGARDING THE PROCESSING OF PERSONAL INFORMATION MAY BE LESS STRINGENT THAN THE LAWS IN YOUR COUNTRY.

IF YOU DO NOT AGREE WITH OUR PRIVACY POLICY, PLEASE DO NOT USE OUR SITE OR BECOME A REGISTERED MEMBER.

II. EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework and UK Extension to the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework

PeerSpot complies with the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework and the UK Extension to the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework as set forth by the U.S. Department of Commerce regarding the collection, use, and retention of personal information transferred from the European Union and the United Kingdom to the United States. PeerSpot has certified to the Department of Commerce that it adheres to the Data Privacy Framework Principles. To learn more about the Data Privacy Framework program, and to view our certification, please visit https://www.dataprivacyframework.gov/.

On July 10, 2023, the European Commission adopted an adequacy decision for the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework, concluding that the United States ensures an adequate level of protection - comparable to that of the European Union - for personal data transferred from the EU to US companies under the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework. On October 12, 2023, the UK Government's recognition of the adequacy of the UK Extension to the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework entered into force. On the basis of the European Commission's adequacy decision and the UK Extension to the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework (the “UK Extension”), personal data can flow safely from the EU and the UK to US companies participating in the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework and the UK Extension without having to put in place additional data protection safeguards.

Accordingly, PeerSpot will honor its commitments under the Data Privacy Framework and will rely on the EC's adequacy decisions, the UK’s adequacy decisions, Standard Contractual Clauses, and/or on other appropriate legal bases for the transfer of EU and UK personal data.

PeerSpot is responsible for the processing of personal data it receives, under the Data Privacy Framework, and for the subsequent transfers of such personal data to any third party acting as an agent on PeerSpot’s behalf. PeerSpot will be liable under the Data Privacy Framework Principles if its agent processes such personal information in a manner inconsistent with the Data Privacy Framework Principles, unless PeerSpot proves that it is not responsible for the event giving rise to the damage.

Our U.S. subsidiary, PeerSpot, Inc., also adheres to the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework and the UK Extension, and is covered by our Data Privacy Framework submission.

Under certain conditions, as more fully described on the Data Privacy Framework website on this page, you may be entitled to invoke binding arbitration when other dispute resolution procedures have been exhausted.

In compliance with the Data Privacy Framework Principles, PeerSpot commits to resolve complaints about our collection or use of your personal information. EU and UK individuals with inquiries or complaints regarding our Data Privacy Framework policy should first contact PeerSpot at: privacy@peerspot.com

In compliance with the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework and the UK Extension, PeerSpot commits to cooperate and comply respectively with the advice of the panel established by the EU data protection authorities (DPAs) and the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) with regard to unresolved complaints concerning our handling of personal data received in reliance on the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework and the UK Extension.

In addition, PeerSpot is subject to the regulatory enforcement powers of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission. PeerSpot may be required to disclose personal data in response to lawful requests by public authorities, including to meet national security or law enforcement requirements.

III. Personal Information We Collect

PeerSpot is committed to data minimization. As such, we collect only the information which is necessary to facilitate the purposes and uses reflected in this Privacy Policy.

Depending on how you interact with PeerSpot, the Personal Information we collect from you may vary. For example, to create an account we may ask only for a company email address. In other circumstances, such as when you complete a form related to a particular service offering, we may ask you to provide other information, which may include your name, phone number, job title, and/or employer name. After registering, you may provide us with additional information about your employment and professional experience. If you register with our LinkedIn log-in mechanism, we may collect your LinkedIn profile picture. We may also collect other information as indicated in the LinkedIn log-in screen during the registration process and as detailed in this Privacy Policy.

When you contribute posts and reviews, participate in our surveys (either directly, or through third party service providers), or provide any other Content to the Services through other means, we will collect all the information you provide. If you exchange messages with others through the Site, we may store these messages to deliver them and to allow you to manage them.

Please be aware that while some pieces of information that you provide to us would not be sufficient to identify you when seen by another User without any context, the combination of different pieces of information that you provide for viewing by other Users, or any contextual information, may allow other Users to identify you.

When you contact us by sending us an e-mail or when you use any of our contact forms, we will collect any information that is contained in (and/or attached to) your e-mail or text message, or that you enter into such forms.

IV. Personal Information Collected Via Technology

When you visit our Site or use our Services, your device is automatically providing information to us to enable us to respond and customize our response to you. The type of information we collect by automated means may vary, but generally includes technical information about your computer, such as your IP address or other device identifier. The information we collect also may include usage information and statistics about your interaction with PeerSpot. That information may include the URLs of our web pages that you visit, URLs of referring and exiting pages, page views, time spent on a page, number of clicks, platform type, location data, and other information about how you used our Site. We collect this information to help us provide a customized experience. We may display this information so that Users can learn more about other Users. We do not currently respond to 'do not track' signals and similar settings or mechanisms.

Automated means of data collection include the following:

  • Web Browser. When you visit an PeerSpot website, your browser automatically sends us your Internet protocol ("IP") address so that the web pages you request can be sent to your computer or device. We use your IP address to determine additional information, such as your employer name, whether the computer or device has ever been used to visit PeerSpot before, which PeerSpot features were used the most often, and how much time was spent on a page.
  • Web Beacons and Log Files. We use "web beacons" (also known as Internet tags, pixel tags, tracking pixels, and clear GIFs) on our Site. These web beacons allow us and third parties to collect information such as the IP address of the device, the URL of the web page, the time the page was viewed, the type of browser used, and any additional information in cookies that may have been set by the third party. The information is typically collected in log files, which generally track traffic on our Site. The information is used for analytical purposes and to manage technical issues that may arise. We do not attempt to identify individual users through this information.
  • Location Data. We may determine your location from your device's IP address or from the URLs we receive.

V. Cookies Policy

We also collect information using “Cookies,” which are small text files placed on the internet browser on your computer or mobile device when you visit our Site, to help us identify you when you visit our Site. We may share Cookies with third-party advertisers or advertising networks to provide you with relevant, targeted ads. For detailed information on the Cookies we use, how we use them, the purposes for which we use them, and how you can control them, please refer to our Cookies Policy here.

VI. Use of Information We Collect

In general, information (including Personal Information) you submit to us, or to third parties that support us in collecting information, as well as information we collect about you via technology, are used by us to provide you and other Users with the Services, to respond to requests that you make, to improve our Services, and to operate, maintain, and improve the features, functionality, performance, and support of the Services. We may share your username, employer company size, employer industry, job title, photo, and browsing behavior with other Users. We do not display your email address or phone number on the Site. We do not reveal your company name to other Users unless you give us permission to display it.

We may also use your Personal Information to provide you with notifications related to your use of the Services, such as electronic newsletters or promotional e-mails.

In addition, we may sell buyer intent data that does not include Personal Information to technology vendors, financial institutions, and other companies. We do not include Personal Information in our intent data offerings.

We use Cookies and log file information to (a) collect or store personal information; (b) provide custom, personalized content and information; (c) monitor the use of our Site; (d) monitor aggregate metrics such as total number of visitors; (e) track your use of our Site; and (f) customize advertisements on our Site and retargeting advertisements on third party websites.

To use certain services on our Site, such as downloading reports, you may be asked to provide Personal Information (e.g., your name, email address, employer name, or phone number). We may share your company size, employer name, browsing behavior, IP address, and other information we collect about you with our partners, sponsors, and advertisers (“Partners”). See our list of Partners here.

By sharing your information with us, you agree that (a) PeerSpot may share your name, email address, phone number, job title, company, and IP address with its Partners, and (b) PeerSpot and its Partners may contact you by way of email, telephone, mail, or other means of communication to provide you with access to Content, surveys, direct marketing, and promotional materials in connection with your activity on the Site.

If you do not want this information shared, you may opt out of our sharing this information with our Partners by contacting us at the email address set forth in the section entitled “Opting Out” below. In addition, you may contact a Partner directly if you have any questions about such Partner’s use of your information or if you would like to cease receiving communications from a specific Partner.

Our website includes social media features such as the "Share This" button for Twitter and LinkedIn. These features may set a Cookie to enable the feature to function properly. Social media features and widgets are either hosted by a third party or hosted directly on our Site. Your interactions with each of these features are governed by the privacy policy of the company providing the feature.

In addition to providing your Personal Information to our Partners, we provide your Personal Information to our Service Providers and Affiliates. See Section VIII below.

VII. Our Partners and Other Websites

Our Partners may include tracking technologies (e.g. cookies or web beacons) within pages on our Site. This is in order for our Partners to set and read their own cookies when you browse information about their companies. These tracking technologies are not subject to the control of PeerSpot.

Similarly, our Services may contain links to other websites that are not owned or controlled by PeerSpot. The provision of such links is for your convenience and does not signify our endorsement of such websites or their location or their content. We have no control over, do not review, and are not responsible for the privacy policies of or content displayed on such other websites. Please be aware that the terms of our Privacy Policy do not apply to any outside websites.

VIII. Disclosure of Personal Information to Service Providers and Affiliates

Except as otherwise stated in this Privacy Policy, we do not disclose to or share your Personal Information (e.g. full name, e-mail address, or phone number) with third parties, unless you ask or authorize us to do so.

In addition to providing your Personal Information to our Partners, we provide your Personal Information to third party service providers and suppliers who work on our behalf or with us to provide you with some of the services and features of the Services and to help us communicate with our Users (“Service Providers”). Our Service Providers, however, do not have any independent right to use your Personal Information for their own purposes not connected to PeerSpot. PeerSpot will always attempt to limit the information we provide to what is reasonably sufficient for our Service Partners to carry out their responsibilities to PeerSpot.

We may share some or all of your Personal Information with any parent company, subsidiary, joint venture, or other company under common control (collectively, "Affiliates"), in which case we will require our Affiliates to honor this Privacy Policy.

In the event PeerSpot goes through a business transition such as a merger, acquisition by another company, or sale of all or a portion of its assets, your Personal Information will likely be among the assets transferred. You acknowledge that such transfers may occur, and that any acquirer of PeerSpot or its assets may continue to use your Personal Information as set forth in this Privacy Policy.

We may (and you authorize us to) disclose information we have collected from and about you (including Personal Information) if we believe in good faith that such disclosure is necessary to (a) comply with relevant laws or to respond to subpoenas or warrants served on us; (b) enforce our PeerSpot Terms of Use and Privacy Policy; or (c) protect and defend our rights or property, or the rights and property of the users of our Services or third parties.

IX. Public Postings

One of the purposes of the Services is for Users to share product- and vendor-related information with other Users. Therefore, you should assume that any information that you post, including any Personal Information you may choose to provide (but excluding your email address and phone number), will be made available to other Users of the Services. If you post Content on our site, such Content may be made available to third parties and on third party websites. Any Personal Information you may choose to include in such Content may also be included within materials distributed by our Partners, but such Content will not include your email address or phone number. We may provide you with the ability to anonymously post certain comments, in which case we will not include your contact information (i.e., name, username, email address, or your employer) on the Site in connection with such comments. However, you should know that our internal records may associate your contact information with such comments.

X. Legal Basis for the Processing of Personal Information

PeerSpot relies on both consent and legitimate business interests for processing Personal Information.

For example, PeerSpot may process Personal Information with a User’s consent when a User agrees that we may process information that the User inputs into our Site or that we collect via our Site.

On other occasions, even in the absence of explicit consent, PeerSpot may process Personal Information pursuant to specific purposes which further our legitimate interests, provided that our legitimate interests are not overridden by the User’s reasonable expectations of privacy. For example, PeerSpot may process Personal Information pursuant to legitimate business purposes to respond to User inquiries, to fulfill User requests, to send Users relevant marketing information and offers, to provide Users with more relevant ads and content, to complete transactions, to provide customer service, to send administrative information, and to personalize Users’ experiences with the Site.

In addition, PeerSpot may process Personal Information where PeerSpot is required by law to do so.

XI. Feedback

If you provide feedback about the Services to us, we may use and disclose such feedback for any purpose, provided we do not associate such feedback with your Personal Information. We will collect all information contained in such feedback and treat the Personal Information in it in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

XII. Opting Out

If you wish to exercise any of your rights in relation to your Personal Information, including exercising your opt-out rights, please send us an email to privacy@peerspot.com.

You may access, modify, or delete your Personal Information by logging into the service and visiting the My Profile page.

We may send newsletters or promotional communications to our users. To unsubscribe to these communications, you will be required to click an "Unsubscribe" link in these emails and confirm the email address for which you would like to unsubscribe.

We may send you service-related announcements (such as, but not limited to, a notice that we have changed our Services or our Terms of Use or Privacy Policy) when we believe it is necessary to do so.

You may request that your Account be terminated and that your Personal Information be deleted by sending an email to privacy@peerspot.com. Any termination of your account may involve deletion of your Account information from our live databases and all the information and data stored for such Account in the Services. PeerSpot will not have any liability whatsoever to you for any termination of your Account or the related deletion of your information.

You may request a copy of the Personal Information we store about you by sending an email to privacy@peerspot.com. You may also request that PeerSpot transfer your information or provide you with copies of your information to enable the transfer of your information to a third party.

When we delete Personal Information that we have collected from or about you, it will be deleted from our active databases but may remain in our archives. Although PeerSpot may deactivate a User’s registration pursuant to their request, it may continue to retain the User’s information for legitimate business purposes as set forth above.

We process the Personal Information of potential Partners for certain legitimate business purposes related to their request to receive information about our business-to-business services or to schedule a demonstration of our online, media, marketing, or data services products or programs. In the event that potential Partners do not wish to receive further marketing or sales emails from PeerSpot, they may opt-out of receiving additional emails by way of following the unsubscribe mechanism provided at the bottom of emails sent by PeerSpot.

XIII. Privacy of Minors

Our Site and Services are directed to professionals. If you are not 18 or older, you are not authorized to use the Services. We do not intentionally collect or maintain information in the Services from those visitors and Users of the Services who are under 13 years old. If you learn that a child under 13 has provided us with personal information without consent, please contact us.

XIV. European, UK, and California Privacy Rights

California residents may request, free of charge, a list of what personal information (if any) we have provided to a third party in the preceding year for that third party’s direct marketing purposes. You may make one request per calendar year. In your request, please attest that you are a California resident and provide a current California address. You may request this information in writing by contacting us at the email address set forth in the section entitled “Contact Us” below. Please allow up to thirty (30) days for a response.

If you are a European Resident or UK resident, you have the right to access your personal data, and the right to request that we correct, update, or delete your personal data. You may object to the processing of your personal information, ask us to restrict processing of your personal information, and request portability of your personal information. Similarly, if we have collected and processed your personal information with your consent, then you may withdraw your consent at any time. Withdrawing your consent will not affect the lawfulness of any processing we conducted prior to your withdrawal. For more information please contact us at the email address set forth in the section entitled “Contact Us” below.

XV. Data Retention

PeerSpot will retain the Personal Information that you provide while your membership is in existence or as needed to provide you with services. We may retain your Personal Information after you have cancelled your membership if retention is reasonably necessary to comply with our legal obligations, to meet regulatory requirements, to resolve disputes between our Users, to prevent fraud and abuse, or to enforce this Privacy Policy and our Terms of Use. We may also retain Personal Information, for a limited period of time, if requested by law enforcement.

XVI. Security and Confidentiality

PeerSpot has put in place commercially reasonable and appropriate physical, electronic, and managerial procedures to safeguard and secure the information we collect online. However, no company, including PeerSpot, can fully eliminate security risks associated with Personal Information. PeerSpot has implemented technical, organizational and administrative measures which are generally accepted by the industry to protect the Personal Information in its possession. These measures include, but are not limited to, the implementation of current security technologies and processes to protect your information from loss, misuse and unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration or destruction. In particular, our security systems include authenticated access to internal databases, audits of processes and procedures, reviews of overall web security, and the use of restrictions of access to Personal Information in our possession. Additionally, we use encryption (e.g. HTTPS) to protect data transmitted to and from our Site.

XVII. Changes to this Privacy Policy

As part of the PeerSpot Terms of Use, this Privacy Policy is subject to occasional amendment, in accordance with the terms of the PeerSpot Terms of Use.

If we decide to change our Privacy Policy, we will update at the top of this Privacy Policy the date upon which the modified policy became effective, so that you are aware of what information we collect, how we use it, and under what circumstances, if any, we may disclose it.

We reserve the right to modify this Privacy Policy at any time, so please review it frequently. Your continued use of the Site or our Services shall constitute your acceptance of the modified Privacy Policy.

XVIII. Contact Us

This Privacy Policy was drafted with transparency in mind, but it does not provide exhaustive detail of all aspects of our collection and use of Personal Information. We are happy to provide any additional information or explanation needed. If you have any questions or suggestions regarding our collection or use of your Personal Information or regarding our Privacy Policy, please email us at privacy@peerspot.com.