It's 2020, and We Need To Talk About Privacy

03 Jan 2020 By Roger Devine

Update: here is the missing link from the email: https://support.tofinoauctions.com/hc/en-us/articles/205140305-Editing-the-Privacy-Policy-and-Terms-

Hi,

I sent the notice below (written by Kris) by email to everyone we have listed as Account Managers today; it’s important enough that we need to post it here too. It’s boring stuff, but really important that someone in your group review the information herein and take action if needed.

To set the context here: California has passed some big changes to what some organizations that run websites have to disclose to their users about how they (the organization) will use any private data submitted by the user. In this context, we (Northworld LLC) have made changes to the policy to clarify how we use your info (basically, to send you occasional emails - we never sell, rent, or loan out our list. We do occasionally send marketing emails. (We’d send more if I was better at that part of my job.)

But if you are a group using our software to run an auction, you too are an organization running a website, and you should determine whether your group meets the criteria set up in the new law to require the new disclosures. So: please read on, and talk to the other members of your team

Thanks,

Roger


Privacy Policy: Action Needed

We have made significant changes to the Privacy Policy provided on our event sites to comply with the newly enacted California Consumer Privacy Act and to provide transparency about how personal info collected on event sites will be used.

You must review, edit as needed, then accept your new privacy policy before it will display on your event site(s).

Software Changes:

  • Event Site footers will display separate links for the SchoolAuction.net Privacy Policy and your organization’s Privacy Policy.
  • If you are currently using the default Privacy Policy on your event site(s), it has been updated. If the Privacy Policy on your event site(s) have been customized, it has NOT been changed or updated. Either way, your Privacy Policy will not display on your site until you have reviewed and accepted it (link to instructions here).
  • A “Cookie Opt In/Out” banner message has been implemented to inform all users about how cookies are utilized on the site.

Default Privacy Policy Changes:

The California Consumer Privacy Act applies to any business, including any for-profit entity that collects consumers’ personal data, which does business in California, and satisfies at least one of the following thresholds:

  • Has annual gross revenues in excess of $25 million;
  • Possesses the personal information of 50,000 or more consumers, households, or devices; or
  • Earns more than half of its annual revenue from selling consumers’ personal information.
  1. We are confident that the vast majority of our customers do not meet these criteria, so we included this statement in the default text: ** “[organization_name] does not meet any of these criteria and is thus exempt.”**
  2. To honor the intent of providing transparency in the Privacy Policy, the default text includes the declarative statement (in two places): ** “[organization_name] does not sell, rent/lease or share any of its supporter lists and/or personal data to any third parties.”**

Obviously, if either of these statements are inaccurate for your organization, you’ll need to replace the default text with your own Privacy Policy.