Welcome to sURL. This Privacy Policy describes the policies and procedures of sURL.ro, a service provided by Greathost Web SRL (“sURL” or “we”), for the collection, use, security, and disclosure of personal information about you. It also describes your choices regarding the use, access, deletion, and correction of your personal information.
Scope
This Privacy Policy explains how sURL handles personal information that it collects when you use or access https://surl.ro (“the Site”) or the services, features, content, or applications offered by sURL (collectively with the Site, the “Services”), or when you view or interact with a sURL link (either our surl.ro links or one of our branded domains). This Privacy Policy also covers sURL’s handling of any information about you that sURL customers share with sURL.
This Privacy Policy does not apply to the practices of other companies that sURL does not own or control, including websites, services, and applications of other companies (“Third-Party Services”) that you may access through the Services, or to individuals that sURL does not manage or employ. We cannot take responsibility for the content or privacy policies of Third-Party Services. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any Third-Party Services you access or use.
Information We Collect
sURL may collect personal information about you from the following sources, as described in this Privacy Policy, when you (i) register for the Site and Services through your sURL user account, including registration via a third-party social networking service (“your account”); (ii) use the Services; or (iii) view or interact with a sURL link (either our surl.ro links or one of our branded domains) on a third-party website. We collect the following types of information from you, some of which may be considered personal information under applicable law.
When You Register for a sURL Account
When you create an account, we may collect personal information from you, such as your name, phone number, company name, industry, job title, company size, email address, and login information. If you create an account using login information from a third-party account, such as Google, Facebook, or Twitter, we will access and collect personal information about you that the third-party account provides (which is based on your privacy settings with that third-party account) so that you can log into your account with us. We use your contact information to send you information about our Services and to communicate with you about your account, your activities on our Site and Services, and policy changes. You may unsubscribe from receiving certain types of messages through your account settings, although sURL reserves the right to contact you when we believe it is necessary, such as for administrative and account management purposes.
Some features of the Services allow registered users to provide their own content to the Services, such as written descriptions of URLs, comments, images, and videos. Unless you request deletion of your personal information as described in this Privacy Policy, all content you submit to the Services may be retained by sURL even after you close your account and may continue to be shared by third parties as described in this Privacy Policy.
When You Create a sURL Link
A feature of the Services is the ability to create shortened uniform resource locators (URLs) of websites (“sURL Links” or “sLinks”). Users may create sURL Links without registering for an account. When you create a sURL Link, sURL collects and stores both the original URL and the shortened URL and, if you are logged into your account, we will associate this information with your account. sURL also collects and stores your IP address, your geographic location data (which we derive from your IP address), the time and date when you shortened the original URL, and, if you share a sURL link on a social networking platform, the name of the platform and your username on that platform.
When You Interact with a sURL Link
sURL automatically collects personal information about interactions (such as clicks or views) with each sURL Link created through the Services (either our surl.ro links or one of our branded domains) on a third-party website. This information includes, but is not limited to: (i) IP address and location derived from the IP address; (ii) information about internet or other electronic network activity, such as referring websites or services; (iii) the time and date of each access; (iv) device settings, such as browser type, operating system, and language; (v) cookies, as described below, and mobile advertising identifiers; and (vi) information about the sharing of the sURL Link to Third-Party Services (collectively, “sURL Link Metrics”). As described in this Policy, we use sURL Link Metrics to provide the Services, to understand and analyze how our Services are used, to identify trends, and to detect, deter, and prevent malicious, fraudulent, or illegal activities. Please see the “Information We May Share” section of this Privacy Policy for a description of how we may share the information we collect when you create, view, or interact with sURL Links.
Other Information We Collect Automatically
When you visit the Site, we automatically collect (i) your IP address and location derived from the IP address; (ii) information about internet or other electronic network activity, such as referring websites or services; (iii) the time and date of each access; (iv) device settings, such as browser type, operating system, and language; and (v) cookie information. This type of data allows us and third parties authorized by us to determine how often individuals use parts of the Site so that we can analyze and improve it.
We may receive a confirmation when you open an email from us. We use this confirmation to improve our customer service.
sURL may use third-party APIs and software development kits (“SDKs”) to provide certain features within our Services.
Third-Party Services
Some features of the Services allow you to share your content and sURL Links through your accounts with Third-Party Services, such as Twitter. If you choose to connect sURL to such Third-Party Services, we may collect information related to your use of those Third-Party Services, such as authentication tokens that allow us to connect to your third-party service accounts. We will ask for your permission before authorizing our collection of such information. We will use this information only for the specific reason for which it was provided to us. We may also collect information about how you use the Services to interact with those connected Third-Party Services. Please note that Third-Party Services may have the ability to restrict the information provided to us based on your privacy settings for that account.
To enable us to infer location from the IP addresses of computers or devices that visit our website or that click, view, or interact with sURL Links as described in this Policy, we receive IP-derived location information from our third-party service provider. We also receive contact information of our business customers and prospective business customers from our third-party service provider.
Cookies and Other Similar Technologies
sURL and its partners use cookies or similar technologies to analyze trends, administer the website, track users’ movements around the site, and gather demographic information about our user base as a whole.
Cookies are pieces of text that may be provided to your computer through your web browser when you access a website. Your browser stores cookies in a manner associated with each website you visit. We use cookies to enable our servers to recognize your web browser and tell us how and when you visit our site and use the Services through the web.
sURL cookies also allow sURL to track when you have clicked on a sURL Link. Each click on a sURL Link is tracked using a unique identifier assigned to you in one or more cookies stored by your web browser and associated with sURL. We may associate the unique identifier in our cookies with other information we automatically collect when you use the Services, as described above, including your IP address, the sURL Links you click, the sURL Links you create, and information about your account, if you have one.
Most browsers have an option for disabling the cookie feature, which will prevent your browser from accepting new cookies and (depending on the sophistication of your browser software) allow you to decide on the acceptance of each new cookie in a variety of ways. If you disable cookies, you will not be able to use some features of the Services. At present, we do not recognize “Do Not Track” signals.
We work with third parties to track usage and behavior on the Site and to manage our advertising on other websites. Our third-party partners may use cookies, web beacons, pixel tags, or similar technologies to provide you with advertising based on your browsing activities and interests. If you wish to opt out of interest-based advertising, click here (https://preferences-mgr.trustarc.com) or, if you are located in the European Union, click here (https://www.youronlinechoices.eu).
This Privacy Policy covers the use of cookies by sURL only and does not cover the use of cookies by any third-party service. sURL does not control when or how third parties place cookies on your computer, such as when you visit a website through a sURL Link. You can manage cookies used by other companies for online advertising by visiting the Digital Advertising Alliance’s Consumer Choice Page (https://www.aboutads.info/choices/).
Note Regarding Children
We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we learn that we have collected personal information from a child under the age of 13 (or older as required by applicable law), we will take steps to delete such information from our files as soon as possible.
How We Use Information
We use the personal information we collect for a variety of administrative and business purposes to:
- manage our Site and provide the Services, process and complete transactions, and verify individual identity,
- respond to inquiries and comments and provide technical customer support and access to certain functionalities of our Services,
- personalize and improve the Services and develop new products and services,
- communicate with our current and prospective customers regarding our Services and measure interest and engagement with our Site and Services,
- monitor and analyze usage and trends of the Site and Services,
- provide services to our customers to help them understand how you interact with our Services and to help detect, deter, and prevent malicious, fraudulent, or illegal activities,
- comply with any legal obligations, and
- enforce our terms and as otherwise described in this Privacy Policy.
Cross-Device Usage
We may use the information we collect to infer that a single individual created or interacted with sURL Links across different devices so that we can detect, deter, and prevent malicious, fraudulent, or illegal activities and analyze how users use our Services. For example, if you created a sURL Link on a computer connected to your residential WiFi network and shortly thereafter clicked a sURL Link on a mobile device connected to the same WiFi network, we may infer that a single person created and clicked the sURL Link because both events were associated with the same IP address within the same period of time.
Other Legitimate Interests
We may also use personal information to pursue legitimate interests, such as direct marketing, research (including marketing research), network and information security, prevention of fraudulent, malicious, and illegal activities, or any other purpose disclosed at the time you provide personal information or permitted by law.
Information We Share
The Services are designed to help you share information with others. In addition, we provide Services to our customers who use sURL Link Metrics. As a result, the following categories of personal information generated through your use of the Services are shared publicly or with the following categories of third parties for the business purposes described below.
sURL Links You Create
Much of your activity on and through the Services is public by default. For example, when you create a sURL Link, the original URLs you shortened and the corresponding sURL Links are publicly available.
Account Information
Where permitted by law, if you register a sURL account with an email address on a domain owned by an organization (for example, an employer or educational institution where you have an email account), we may share your email address and account information, such as the number of links you have created, with that organization to explore the organization’s interest in creating or managing an enterprise account or for related purposes.
Information We Share with Customers
We may share with our customers the personal information we collect, as described in this Privacy Policy. When you create a sURL Link on one of our customers’ sites, the customer may see the original unshortened URL, the date and time the sURL Link was created, the location where it was created as derived from your IP address, and aggregated information about clicks and views of sURL Links, including how many times the sURL Link was shared, whether it was viewed or not, comparisons of that sURL Link’s performance with all sURL Links pointing to the same content, whether others share a sURL Link to the same content, geographic regions where the content is viewed, and identification of social networks where sURL Links appear. In addition, we may share sURL Link Metrics with customers to help them detect, deter, and prevent malicious, fraudulent, or illegal activities.
Information You Choose to Share
When you create a sURL Link, you may share that sURL Link through Third-Party Services. Any information you choose to share through Third-Party Services, such as a social media post you create, may then become accessible to users of those services. You may also access other Third-Party Services through the Services, for example by clicking links from the Statistics page for a sURL Link. We encourage you to review the terms of service and privacy policies of those Third-Party Services you access through the Services, as sURL does not control and is not responsible for the privacy practices of those Third-Party Services.
Information Shared with Service Providers
We may engage and contract with third parties to perform certain tasks on our behalf and under our direction (“Our Service Providers”). We may need to share information about you with Our Service Providers to accomplish certain business purposes, such as providing our product with research and analytics on user behavior, providing advertising products and services to users, processing payments, and providing email marketing and support services. Our agreements with these Service Providers authorize them to use your information only as necessary to provide services to us. Subsequent transfers to third parties are covered by our agreements with our Service Providers.
Information Disclosed as a Result of Business Transfers
We may transfer and/or provide information about our users in connection with an acquisition, sale of company assets, or other situations in which user information would be transferred as one of our business assets. You will be notified via email and/or a prominent notice on our website.
In such a case, the acquiring sURL entity may continue to use your information in accordance with this Policy or as permitted by law.
Information Disclosed for the Protection of sURL and Others
sURL may access, read, preserve, and disclose any information it collects when it believes in good faith that doing so is reasonably necessary to (i) comply with a law, regulation, or legally binding request, including a process from a governmental law enforcement or national security agency; (ii) enforce the Privacy Policy or Terms and Conditions, including investigating potential violations thereof; (iii) detect, deter, prevent, or otherwise address malicious, fraudulent, or illegal activities; (iv) respond to user support requests; or (v) protect the rights, property, or safety of sURL, its users, and the public. This includes exchanging information with other companies and organizations for protection against malicious, fraudulent, or illegal activities.
Information We Share with Your Consent
We will share information about you when you direct us or otherwise instruct us to do so, such as when you share sURL Links or content with others through the Services, if you intentionally use or direct us or the Services to interact with third parties, or if we inform you that the information you provide will be shared in a particular manner and you provide such information (such as sharing/posting it with a Third-Party Service).
Retention
We retain the personal information we receive as described in this Privacy Policy for as long as you use our Services or as necessary to fulfill the purpose(s) for which it was collected, to provide our Services, to resolve disputes, establish legal defenses, conduct audits, pursue legitimate business purposes, enforce our agreements, and comply with applicable legal obligations.
Information Security
Your account information is protected by a password for privacy and security. You can help prevent unauthorized access to your account by selecting and protecting your password appropriately, using two-factor authentication, and limiting access to your computer and browser by logging out after you have finished accessing your account.
sURL strives to protect the information it collects about its users using reasonable security processes and controls; however, despite these efforts, no security measure is perfect or impenetrable, and sURL does not warrant or guarantee that such measures will prevent unauthorized access to your information stored by sURL. In the event we experience a security breach, we will promptly notify you if your personal information has been compromised, in accordance with applicable law. If you have questions about the security of your personal information, you may contact us at confidentialitate@surl.ro.
Choice and Access
You do not need an account to create sURL Links, and you can use many features of the Services without registering, thereby limiting the type of information collected about you individually. If you have a sURL account, you may access, correct, or request deletion of your personal information by logging into your account. After logging into your account, you will be able to see a history of the URLs you have shortened and the metrics pages for those URLs. You may request a complete copy of the personal information we store about your account by clicking the button to request a report in your account settings. For more information on how to request access to your information, please see our help article.
You may delete your account at any time through your account settings page. If you delete your account, you will no longer be able to access or use the Services. If you have an account but cannot access it, you may contact us at confidentialitate@surl.ro. We will respond to your request within a reasonable timeframe. If you are a resident of the EEA or Switzerland, you have the right to request that your personal data be corrected, updated, or deleted. You may also have the right to object to or request restriction of certain processing.
For all other requests to exercise any of your rights, you may contact us as indicated in the “Questions” section below. Once we receive your request, we will ask you to verify your identity, for example by logging into your account. If you do not have a sURL account, sURL has no way to identify you or verify whether you created or clicked on a sURL Link.
You may have the right under applicable law to submit a request through an authorized agent. To designate an authorized agent to exercise your rights and choices on your behalf, please provide written authorization, a declaration, or permission that has been either physically signed or provided electronically, as required by applicable law. In certain circumstances, we may be required by law to retain your personal information.
Please note that, to ensure that existing sURL Links continue to function for all our users, sURL Links that you have created and shared cannot be deleted or disabled (even if your account is deleted), and any shortening and sharing activity that has already occurred in your account also cannot be deleted. If you have concerns about any unauthorized use of your account, you may delete your account from the account settings.
Please refer to the Cookies section above for additional options that may be available to you.
California Residents
If you are a California resident, you may request, subject to applicable exceptions, access to and deletion of your information or more information about how we collect, use, and disclose personal information. You may submit a verifiable request to know and exercise any of your other rights as described in the “Choice and Access” section above. We will not discriminate against you for exercising your rights and choices.
The categories of personal information we have collected in the past 12 months and their sources are provided in the “Information We Collect” section above. Our business purposes for collecting personal information are described in the “How We Use Information” section above.
sURL does not sell your personal information to third parties for money or other valuable consideration. sURL allows third parties to collect the information described above through our Service and discloses such information to third parties for business purposes as described in this Privacy Policy, including but not limited to providing advertising in our Service and elsewhere based on users’ online activities over time and across different sites, services, and devices. The categories of third parties to whom we disclose personal information are provided in the “Information We Share” section above.
Supervisory Authority
If you are located in the European Economic Area, you have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority if you believe that our processing of your personal information violates applicable law.
Changes to This Privacy Policy
sURL may modify this Privacy Policy from time to time. If we make material changes to how we collect or use information, we will notify you by posting a notice on the Services or by sending you an email and will indicate when those changes will become effective. You agree to be bound by any changes to the Privacy Policy when you use the Services after those changes become effective.
Questions?
If you have questions or concerns regarding the privacy of using the Services, please send us a detailed message to: confidentialitate@surl.ro. We will make every effort to address your concerns.