PRIVACY POLICY

Welcome to Stetho Steps LLC ("Company," "we," "us," or "our"). We value your privacy and are committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy applies to the collection, use, disclosure, and protection of personal data across all Stetho Steps LLC services, including our website, email communications, and other interactions with you.

By using our website, services, or providing us with your personal data, you agree to the terms outlined in this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with these terms, please refrain from using our services.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding this Privacy Policy, or if you would like to exercise your rights as outlined below, please contact us at support@stethosteps.com

1. Information We Collect

We collect the following types of information:

1.1 Personal Information You Provide
When you interact with Stetho Steps LLC, we may collect:

Contact Details: Name, email, and institution name.
Account Information: Username, password, and account-related details.
Billing Information: Payment details (only if applicable for transactions or subscription services).
Communication Data: Includes support requests, feedback, survey responses, and other interactions you have with us through our website, email, or customer support.
LinkedIn Information: Professional details from your LinkedIn profile (such as job title, company, and professional network) if you choose to share this information with us.
Country: Your country of residence, used for localization, compliance, and demographic analysis.

1.2 Information Collected Automatically
We automatically collect the following information when you interact with our website or services:

Device & Browser Data: IP address, browser type, operating system, and device type used to access the site.
Usage Data: Pages visited, session duration, referring URLs, and other metrics related to your use of the site.
Cookies & Tracking: Preferences, interactions with the site, and usage analytics (please see Section 7 for further details on managing cookies).

1.3 Third-Party Data Sources
We may collect data from third parties, such as:

Analytics tools: (e.g., Google Analytics) to help us understand site usage and improve user experience.
Payment processors: (e.g., Stripe) for processing financial transactions.
Social media platforms: If you choose to engage with us via social media, we may collect data such as your social media handle, public posts, or professional details from platforms like LinkedIn (e.g., job title, company, professional network).

By providing us with your LinkedIn or social media information, you consent to the collection of such data. You can withdraw this consent at any time by contacting us.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

To Provide Access to Our Services: To enable you to access our digital resource library, community platform, and other services you request.

To Enhance Your User Experience: To improve website functionality, design, and performance, and to tailor the services to your needs and preferences.

To Process Transactions: If applicable, to securely process payments, manage billing, and handle other transaction-related activities.

To Communicate with You: To send important updates, newsletters, educational resources, and other relevant communications that may interest you. You can opt out of marketing communications at any time.

To Ensure Legal and Regulatory Compliance: To comply with applicable laws, regulations, and industry standards (e.g., GDPR, CCPA), including responding to legal requests, audits, and other legal obligations.

To Safeguard Our Services: To detect and prevent fraud, security breaches, or other misuse of our services, and to ensure that our platform remains secure for all users. We may use the data to monitor suspicious activities and verify user identity.

In the event of a data breach that compromises your personal data, we will notify affected users within the legally required time frame. We will also take the necessary steps to mitigate any potential harm and minimize risks to your data.

3. How We Share Your Information

We do not sell or rent your personal data. However, we may share your information in the following circumstances:

With Service Providers: We may share your data with trusted third-party service providers who assist in providing or improving our services (e.g., cloud hosting providers, payment processors, email services, or analytics tools). These providers are only allowed to use your data for the purposes of providing these services and are bound by contractual agreements to ensure the security and privacy of your data.

With Legal & Regulatory Authorities: We may disclose your information when required to do so by law, regulation, legal process, or governmental request. This includes disclosures in response to subpoenas, court orders, or other legal obligations, or to prevent fraud or comply with applicable laws and regulations.

In Case of Business Transfers: If Stetho Steps LLC undergoes a merger, acquisition, sale, or bankruptcy, your information may be transferred as part of the transaction. In such an event, we will ensure that the new entity follows this Privacy Policy. You will be notified of any such transfer, and we will inform you of any changes to the privacy policy resulting from the transfer.

We ensure that all third parties with access to your data comply with relevant data protection laws and regulations, and we require these third parties to enter into data protection agreements to safeguard your personal information.

4. Your Rights & Choices

For EU/EEA Users (GDPR Compliance)
Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), you have the following rights:
Right to Access: You can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Right to Rectification: You can correct any inaccurate or incomplete personal data we hold about you.
Right to Erasure ("Right to be Forgotten"): You can request that we delete your personal data from our systems. For example, if you no longer wish to use our services, you can request the deletion of your account information.
Right to Restrict Processing: You can request that we limit the way we use your data (for example, to stop certain processing activities, but not delete your data).
Right to Object: You can object to how we process your personal data, including for marketing purposes or other legitimate interests we pursue.

For California Residents (CCPA Compliance):
Under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), you have the following rights:
Right to Know: You can request information about the personal data we have collected about you, including the categories of data, sources, and purposes for processing.
Right to Delete: You can request the deletion of your personal data that we have collected.
Right to Opt-Out of Sale: We do not sell your personal data, so this right does not apply.
Right to Non-Discrimination: You will not be discriminated against or penalized for exercising your privacy rights, such as receiving a lower level of service or pricing.

If you would like to exercise any of these rights, please contact us at support@stethosteps.com. You can expect a response within 30 days.

For users outside of the EU/EEA and California, you may still have rights under applicable data protection laws in your region. If you wish to exercise your rights or have any questions about your privacy rights, please contact us for further information.

5. Data Retention & Security

We retain your personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy and to comply with legal, regulatory, and security requirements. The specific retention periods depend on the type of data and our operational needs.

User Accounts: We retain account data until a deletion request is made. Upon request, we will delete your account and associated data unless retention is required by law (e.g., for fraud prevention or legal disputes).

Payment Information: Payment data is retained as required by financial regulations. This data is securely stored and only retained for the duration necessary to process payments or meet regulatory obligations.

Analytics Data: We retain analytics data for up to 24 months, after which it is anonymized or pseudonymized to ensure that no personal identifiers remain. This data helps us improve our services and better understand user behavior.

We implement industry-standard security measures, including SSL/TLS encryption, firewalls, secure servers, and regular security audits to protect your data. While we take reasonable precautions to safeguard your information, no system is completely secure. In the event of a security breach, we will promptly notify affected users and take appropriate actions to mitigate any risks.

Additionally, we comply with applicable local laws regarding data retention and deletion, which may vary based on your jurisdiction.

6. Cookies & Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance the functionality of our website, improve user experience, and tailor our content to your preferences.

Types of Cookies We Use:
Essential Cookies: These are necessary for basic site operation and include features such as user authentication, session management, and security.

Analytics Cookies: These help us analyze site performance and usage patterns to improve user experience. They may collect non-personal data like pages visited, session duration, and interactions on our website.

Marketing Cookies: These cookies allow us to personalize content and advertisements based on your preferences and interests. These cookies are only placed with your consent and can be managed via our Cookie Preferences Tool (if available) or your browser settings.

For cookies other than essential cookies (such as marketing or analytics cookies), we will obtain your explicit consent before placing them on your device. You can manage your cookie preferences at any time through our Cookie Preferences Tool or your browser settings. If you wish to revoke consent for marketing cookies, you can do so at any time.

For further details on how we use cookies, including how long they are retained, please review our Cookie Policy.

7. International Data Transfers

As Stetho Steps LLC operates globally, your personal data may be transferred to countries outside your country of residence. This may include transfers to countries that may not have the same level of data protection as your home country.

We ensure that all international data transfers are conducted in compliance with applicable data protection laws, using mechanisms such as Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) and other appropriate safeguards. These safeguards are designed to protect your data and ensure that it remains secure, regardless of where it is processed.

We also have data processing agreements in place with our third-party service providers involved in these transfers, further ensuring that your data is handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

If you have concerns about the transfer of your data, please contact us at support@stethosteps.com for more information.

8. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites or services that are not operated or controlled by Stetho Steps LLC. We are not responsible for the privacy practices, policies, or content of third-party websites. These websites may have different privacy policies, and we encourage you to review them before providing any personal information.
The inclusion of a link to a third-party website does not imply that Stetho Steps LLC endorses or is responsible for the content or services of the linked site. We recommend exercising caution when sharing any sensitive personal information with third-party websites.

9. Children's Privacy

Stetho Steps LLC does not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of 13 (or 16 in certain regions, such as the European Union). If you believe that we have inadvertently collected information from a child under the applicable age limit, please contact us immediately so that we can delete this data.

We take reasonable steps to prevent the collection of personal information from children, but if we discover that we have inadvertently collected such data, we will act promptly to remove it.

10. Updates to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices or for other operational, legal, or regulatory reasons. When we make significant updates, we will notify you via email or through our website. Please review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we are protecting your information.

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we are protecting your information. Continued use of our services after any such updates signifies your acceptance of the revised policy.

11. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy, or if you would like to exercise any of your privacy rights, please reach out to us through the following methods:

Email: support@stethosteps.com

We will do our best to respond to your inquiry in a timely and thorough manner.