Effective Date: April 20, 2023

1. Who’s This Policy for And What Does It Cover?

AQS, Inc. (“AQS” or “we”) takes data security and data privacy very seriously. This Privacy Policy (“Policy”) is for users of our public website, www.aqsnet.com, commercial web applications (e.g., LabDirector, AB Manager, etc.) and other online services (“Site” or “Services”). It describes how we may collect, use, and share your Personal Information in connection with operating the Site. It also explains related rights and choices you may have.

By using AQS’s Services or Sites, you consent to the practices described in this Policy.

2. What is “Personal Information”?

By “Personal Information,” we mean information that can reasonably be linked to a particular individual or their household. Generally speaking, your Personal Information includes your unique identifiers (full name, phone number, email address, user name, etc.), and information about your characteristics, conditions, or behavior that is associated with one of your identifiers or could otherwise reasonably be linked to you.

“Non-Personal Information,” on the other hand, has been anonymized, aggregated, or de-identified such that it cannot reasonably be linked to a particular individual or their household.

3. Personal Information We Collect and How We Collect It

From You When You Provide It

When you fill out a form on the Site, subscribe to receive emails or newsletters from us, or otherwise communicate with us, we may collect identifiers such as your name, address, email address, phone number, employer, job title, and any user content you post through the site or communicate to us.

Automatically From Your Device

Like most online services, our Site may passively collect some information from users’ devices to secure the Site against fraud or misuse, make features function correctly, customize the user experience, or understand how the Site is being used. Some of this data may be collected using browser cookies or similar technologies, which are explained below. Data collected in this manner may include your IP address, cookie ID, other unique device identifiers, the type of browser or device you’re using, and information about how you interact with the Site (such as what pages you navigate to and how long you stay on the page). To the extent this data constitutes Personal Information, we treat it in accordance with this Policy.

4. How We Use Personal Information

We may use Personal Information for the following purposes:

  • To secure our Site against fraud, malicious activity, or conduct that may violate our terms of use;
  • To personalize and improve your experience on the Site;
  • To provide you with information or services that you request from us;
  • To notify you about changes to our Site and any products or services we offer or provide through them;
  • To provide you with periodic product newsletters and information;
  • To contact you to fill out surveys and participate in other types of market research;
  • To measure the performance of our marketing efforts;
  • To comply with our legal obligations;
  • In any other way we may describe when we collect the information; and
  • For any other purpose with your consent.
  • We may use Non-Personal Information for any purpose.

5. How We Share Personal Information

Internal Vendors

We may share Personal Information with contractors, service providers, and other vendors who assist or support us in maintaining the Site. Examples of these third-party services may include hosting our Site, storing data, or performing analytics. Where necessary and appropriate, our agreements with vendors prohibit them from retaining, using, or disclosing the Personal Information we share with them for any purpose other than providing services to us.

Internal Analytics or Marketing Partners

We may share your Personal Information with analytics providers or marketing partners to measure the performance of our Site or our marketing efforts. This sharing may involve the use of “Cookies” placed through our Site by or from our partners, as explained here. For example, when you visit our Site, our partner’s Cookie may cause your browser to automatically send a request to our partner’s server and provide our partner with your IP address, other device identifiers, or information about how you interact with the Site.

Mandatory Disclosures and Legal Proceedings

We may have a legal obligation to disclose Personal Information to government authorities or other third parties pursuant to a valid regulatory request, subpoena, or court order. We may also need to disclose and otherwise process your Personal Information in accordance with applicable law to prevent physical harm or financial loss, protect the vital interests of a person, enforce our various policies or terms of use, protect our property, services, and legal rights, prevent fraud, support auditing, compliance, and corporate governance functions, or comply with applicable law.

Change In Control or Merger

We may transfer your information in the event of the sale of substantially all the assets of our business to a third party or in the event of a corporate merger, consolidation, acquisition, or reorganization. However, in such an event, any acquirer will be subject to the provisions of our commitments to you or we will not disclose your information.

With Your Direction or Consent

We will share your Personal Information with other third parties as you may direct or otherwise consent.

6. Children’s Privacy

Our Site is not directed to children (individuals under the age of 18).  We do not knowingly collect, maintain, or process children’s Personal Information unless the child’s parent or guardian consents and provides the information. If we determine that we have received a child’s Personal Information from a source other than the child’s consenting parent/guardian, we will immediately delete the information.

7. Cookies and Online Tracking

What Are Cookies?

A browser cookie is a small piece of data that a website stores in your device’s browser. It holds information that the site uses to function properly, remember your preferences, or personalize your experience. A typical cookie contains a cookie ID, which is a unique string of characters used to identify your browser during the browsing session, or in some cases, during subsequent browsing sessions. Cookies, cookie IDs, and similar pieces of data may be considered Personal Information under applicable law.

Other online technologies, like cookies, may allow users to be identified and tracked across multiple browsing sessions, and in some cases tracked across different websites and online services for marketing or advertising purposes. These technologies include but are not necessarily limited to, pixels, web beacons, and scripts (collectively with browser cookies, “Cookies”).

How Cookies May Be Used On Our Site

Our Site may use “first party” Cookies, which are set by our web domain, and “third party” Cookies, which are from a vendor or partner’s web domain.

Cookies may be used on our Site for the following purposes:

  • Essential: Essential Cookies are necessary for Site security and to enable you to move around our Site and use its features.
  • Preferences: Preference Cookies allow us to remember your preferences on the Site during a browsing session or across browsing sessions.
  • Analytics: Analytics Cookies allow us to analyze the use of our Site to evaluate and improve performance.
  • Marketing: Marketing Cookies are used to display ads or other content based on your interests, or to measure the performance of marketing efforts, and may be used to track visitors across different online services.

How You Can Block Cookies

You can block, disable, or delete cookies at any time by changing the settings in your browser. However, blocking, disabling, or deleting cookies may limit your ability to view all the pages of our Site or other sites. You can find more information about cookies and other options you may have for restricting them at www.cookiesandyou.com and www.aboutads.info/choices.

“Do Not Track” Signals

Your browser may offer a Do Not Track (DNT) setting. If you turn that setting on, your browser sends a signal to websites indicating that you don’t want to be tracked over time or across third-party sites. We don’t currently respond to these signals because there is not yet a common understanding of how to process them or a consensus on what “tracking” means.

8. Your Rights and Choices

Opt-Out Of Marketing Communications

You may opt out of our marketing emails by using the unsubscribe link provided in the email.

Your Browser And Device Settings

See Section 7 for options to restrict Cookies.

9. Links to Third Party Sites

Our Site may contain links to third-party websites, products, or services. If you use these links, you will leave our site. Such links do not constitute or imply an endorsement, sponsorship, or recommendation by us of the third party, the third-party website, or the information contained therein, and we shall not be responsible or liable for your use thereof. Such use shall be subject to the terms of use and privacy policies applicable to those sites.

10. Third-Party Direct Marketing

We don’t share Personal Information with third parties for their direct marketing purposes.

11. Security

The security of your Personal Information is important to us but remember that no method of transmission over the Internet, or method of electronic storage, is 100% secure. While we strive to use commercially reasonable means to protect your Personal Information, we cannot guarantee its absolute security.

12. Changes to This Policy

We reserve the right to update or change our Privacy Policy at any time and you should check this Privacy Policy periodically. Your continued use of the Site after we post any modifications to the Privacy Policy on this page will constitute your acknowledgment of the modifications and your consent to abide by and be bound by the modified Privacy Policy. If we make any material changes to this Privacy Policy, we will notify you either through the email address you have provided us or by placing a prominent notice on our website.

13. Contact Us

If you have any questions or concerns about this Policy, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us via email at info@aqsnet.com.