Privacy Policy

Introduction

Welcome to Astrean (“Astrean,” “we,” “us,” or “our”). Our Privacy Policy is designed to inform you about the privacy practices followed by Astrean in connection with our website, mobile application, and services. We are committed to protecting the privacy of our users (“user,” “you,” or “your”) and to handling your personal information with care and respect.

This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website or use our notary journal app. We understand the sensitive nature of the notarial work you perform and the importance of the confidentiality of the information you handle. Therefore, we take our responsibility to secure your data very seriously and provide a transparent approach to data management to empower you to make informed decisions about your personal information within our services.

Your use of our services is also governed by our Terms of Service, which you should read in conjunction with this policy. By accessing our website and using our app, you agree to our Privacy Policy and its terms.

Information Collection

We collect various types of information to provide and improve our services to you, including:

• Personal Information. This may include your name, address, email address, phone number, and any other information that identifies you personally.
• Non-Personal Information. We gather non-identifying information related to your use of our services, such as your IP address, device type, browser type, and other technical information.
• Financial Information. For processing payments, we may collect financial information such as your payment method (valid credit card number, type, expiration date, or other financial information).

Methods of Information Collection

We collect information through several methods:

• Account Registration. When you create an account with us, you provide personal information that helps us tailor our services to you.
• App Usage. We collect information on how you use our app, including entries made, time spent on the app, and features used.
• Cookies and Tracking Technologies. Our website uses “cookies” to enhance user experience, allowing us to understand how our services are used and to implement improvements.

Use of Information

The information we collect serves a variety of purposes:

• Service Provision. Your information helps us offer you a complete suite of notary services through our app.
• Customer Support. We use your information to provide customer support, including answering your questions and troubleshooting any issues.
• Service Improvement. By understanding how you use our services, we can improve and personalize the experience we offer.
• Legal Compliance. We may use your information to comply with relevant laws and regulations, including notary law.
• Communication. We may use your personal information to contact you with newsletters, marketing or promotional materials, and other information that may be of interest to you.

Information Sharing and Disclosure

Circumstances Under Which Information May Be Shared

• Service Providers. We may share your information with third-party companies that perform services on our behalf, like payment processing, data analysis, email delivery, hosting services, customer service, and marketing assistance.
• Business Transfers. In the event that Astrean is involved in a merger, acquisition, or asset sale, your personal information may be transferred. We will provide notice before your personal information is transferred and becomes subject to a different privacy policy.
• Legal Requirements. We may disclose your information if required to do so by law or in response to valid requests by public authorities (e.g., a court or a government agency).

Policies Against Selling Personal Information to Third Parties

Astrean does not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties. We respect your privacy and work to protect it. Any sharing of information is done with the intent of improving the services we offer to you, maintaining the functionality of our app, or complying with legal obligations.

Your data is an essential part of our operations, and we believe that maintaining that trust is paramount to our success. Therefore, we take stringent measures to ensure that any data sharing aligns with our high standards of privacy protection and that third parties offer similar safeguards.

We invite you to continue reading the following sections for further details on our privacy practices. For any queries or concerns about our use of your personal information, please contact us using the information provided at the end of this policy.

Third-Party Service Providers

Astrean employs various third-party services to facilitate the operation of our services, enhance our app’s functionality, and support our business operations. These services include cloud hosting platforms, payment processors, customer relationship management systems, and analytics tools.

Explanation of Third-Party Services Used

• Cloud Hosting. To ensure the availability, reliability, and security of our app, we utilize cloud hosting services. These services provide the necessary infrastructure for data storage, backup, and recovery.
• Payment Processors. We partner with reputable payment processing services to handle transactions securely. This allows us to offer you convenient and safe payment options when purchasing our services.
• Analytics Tools. To improve our app’s performance and understand how users engage with our service, we utilize analytics tools that aggregate usage data and user behavior.
• Customer Support Platforms. To offer timely and effective customer support, we may use third-party customer support platforms that manage support tickets and user queries.

Assurance of Compliance with Privacy Laws

Astrean carefully selects third-party service providers that are compliant with the highest standards of data protection laws and privacy regulations. We enter into agreements with these providers that require them to implement strong measures to protect your data and prohibit them from using the information for any purpose other than the contracted services.

Data Security

Astrean takes the security of your personal information very seriously. We implement a range of security measures designed to protect your information from unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction.

Security Measures in Place

• Encryption. We use industry-standard encryption protocols to protect data transmitted to and from our app.
• Secure Servers. Our data is hosted on secure servers with restricted access, and our hosting providers are selected based on their security practices.
• Regular Audits. We conduct regular security assessments and audits to ensure that our systems are secure and to identify any potential vulnerabilities.
• Employee Training. We train our employees on data protection best practices and ensure that access to personal information is limited to authorized personnel only.

Protocols for Breach Notification and Response

In the unlikely event of a data breach, Astrean has a protocol in place to promptly assess the situation and take immediate steps to mitigate any harm. We will notify affected individuals and any applicable regulators as required by law, provide details of what information may have been compromised, and outline the steps we are taking in response to the breach.

User Access and Control

As a user of Astrean’s services, you have specific rights regarding the personal information you provide to us. We respect these rights and provide you with the ability to exercise them.

Users’ Rights Regarding Their Data

• Access. You have the right to access the personal information we hold about you.
• Correction. If you believe that any information we hold about you is incorrect or incomplete, you have the right to request that we correct or update it.
• Deletion. You can request the deletion of your personal information from our systems, subject to our retention policies and any legal obligations.
• Restriction. You may ask us to stop processing your information if you believe we are not entitled to use it anymore or the processing is unlawful.
• Data Portability. You have the right to receive a copy of your personal data in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format.

Procedures for Users to Exercise These Rights

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us directly through the contact information provided on our app or website. We will respond to your request within a reasonable timeframe and provide assistance throughout the process.

Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Astrean’s website and app may use cookies, web beacons, pixel tags, and other tracking technologies to enhance user experience and analyze trends, usage, and activities within our services.

Use of Cookies and Similar Technologies

• Cookies. These are small files that the app or service provider transfers to your device’s hard drive through your web browser (if you allow) that enables the app’s or service provider’s systems to recognize your browser and capture and remember certain information.
• Web Beacons/Pixel Tags. These are tiny graphics with a unique identifier, similar in function to cookies, and are used to track the online movements of web users or to access cookies.

Control Over These Technologies

You have the ability to accept or decline cookies. Most web browsers automatically accept cookies, but you can usually modify your browser setting to decline cookies if you prefer. However, if you choose to decline cookies, you may not be able to fully experience the interactive features of the Astrean services or websites you visit.

Beacons can be declined by disabling HTML emails in your email client, thus preventing our emails from being tracked via this method.

For more information on managing cookies and tracking technologies, you can refer to your browser’s or device’s instructions, or visit the help section of your browser.

By using our services, you consent to the use of these tracking technologies as described in this privacy policy. We understand the importance of privacy and are committed to adhering to this policy and applicable privacy laws and regulations. If you have any questions about our use of cookies or other technologies, please contact us at the provided support channels.

Data Retention

Astrean understands the importance of responsibly managing the personal data of our users. Our data retention policies reflect our commitment to this responsibility and our compliance with applicable data protection laws.

Period for Which User Data is Retained

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, including for the purposes of satisfying any legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. To determine the appropriate retention period for personal data, we consider the amount, nature, and sensitivity of the personal data, the potential risk of harm from unauthorized use or disclosure of your personal data, the purposes for which we process your personal data and whether we can achieve those purposes through other means, and the applicable legal requirements.

In some circumstances, you can ask us to delete your data: see the section on User Access and Control for further information.

Criteria Used to Determine the Retention Period

• Legal Obligation. We will retain your information for as long as required by law, such as for tax and accounting purposes.
• Contractual Necessity. Information needed to fulfill our contractual obligations to you or to provide you with services you have requested will be retained for the duration of the contractual relationship.
• User Consent. Where we rely on consent to process your personal data, it will be retained for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes we collected it for, or until you withdraw consent.

International Data Transfers

In today’s digital and global environment, data often crosses international borders. Astrean may transfer, store, and process your information on servers located outside of your country. However, we take all the steps reasonably necessary to ensure that your data is treated securely and in accordance with this privacy policy.

Information on Cross-Border Data Transfers

If we transfer your personal data out of your jurisdiction, we ensure a similar degree of protection is afforded to it by ensuring at least one of the following safeguards is implemented:

• Adequacy Decisions. We will transfer your personal data to countries that have been deemed to provide an adequate level of protection for personal data.
• Standard Contractual Clauses. Where we use certain service providers, we may use specific contracts approved by the European Commission which give personal data the same protection it has in Europe.

Safeguards in Place for International Data Protection

We comply with applicable legal requirements providing adequate safeguards for the transfer of personal information to countries outside of the European Economic Area (EEA) or other regions with comprehensive data protection laws.

Children’s Privacy

Astrean is committed to protecting the privacy of children. Our services are not directed to individuals under the age of 18, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children.

Statement Regarding the Non-Intentional Collection of Children’s Data

If we learn that we have collected personal data from a child without verification of parental consent, we will take steps to remove that information from our servers as quickly as possible. It is our policy to comply with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and all other applicable laws and regulations concerning children and the internet.

Age Threshold for the Use of the App

Our services are intended for use strictly by individuals who are 18 years of age or older. Any use of our app or services by anyone under this age threshold is unauthorized, unlicensed, and in violation of our Terms of Service.

Links to Other Websites

Our services may contain links to third-party websites and services that are not owned or controlled by Astrean. We have no control over, and assume no responsibility for, the content, privacy policies, or practices of any third-party websites or services.

Disclaimer About Links to External Sites

We strongly advise you to read the terms and conditions and privacy policies of any third-party websites or services that you visit. The inclusion of any link does not imply endorsement by Astrean of the site. Use of any such linked website is at the user’s own risk.

Non-Applicability of Our Privacy Policy to These Sites

Our Privacy Policy does not apply when you use a link to go from our Services to another website. Your browsing and interaction on any other website, including those that have a link on our platform, are subject to that website’s own rules and policies.

Changes to the Privacy Policy

Astrean reserves the right to update or modify this Privacy Policy at any time and from time to time without prior notice. However, we will not make changes that result in significant additional uses or disclosures of your personal information without allowing you to consent to such changes. We may also make non-significant changes to the Privacy Policy that generally will not affect our use of your personal information, for which consent is not required. We encourage you to review this policy periodically for any updates or changes.

How and When the Privacy Policy May Be Updated

We may update this policy to reflect changes to our information practices. If we make any material changes, we will notify you by email (sent to the email address specified in your account) or by means of a notice on our services prior to the change becoming effective.

How Users Will Be Informed of Significant Changes

For significant changes, Astrean will also provide more prominent notice, which may include email notification or messaging within the services themselves. The date the privacy policy was last revised is identified at the top of the page. You are responsible for ensuring we have an up-to-date, active, and deliverable email address for you, and for periodically visiting our website and this privacy policy to check for any changes.

Your Consent

By using our website and app, you consent to our Privacy Policy. Your continued use of the services after we make changes is deemed to be acceptance of those changes, so please check the policy periodically for updates. If you do not agree to any portion of the current version of our Privacy Policy, including any updates, your remedy is to cease use of our website and services.

Clause About Consent to the Privacy Policy When Using the Website and App

When you access or use Astrean’s services, you agree that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by this Privacy Policy. If you do not consent to the terms of this Privacy Policy, please do not access our website or use our services.

Contact Information

Astrean is committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring you have a positive experience with our services. If you have any questions or comments about this policy or our privacy practices, or if you would like to exercise your rights and choices, please feel free to contact us at:

Astrean Customer Support.

Email: support@astrean.com

Postal Address: 2310 S Green Bay Rd Ste C, Racine, WI 53406

We welcome your feedback and will take reasonable steps to respond to your concerns. If you have a disability and would like to access this policy in an alternative format, please let us know.

How Users Can Contact Astrean With Any Privacy-Related Questions or Concerns

Our dedicated team is available to address any of your privacy-related issues. Whether it’s for general inquiries, to exercise your data protection rights, or to report a concern about data handling, we are here to listen and respond. We are committed to working with you to obtain a fair resolution of any complaint or concern about privacy.