AscendFS, Inc. Privacy Notice

Effective: May 4, 2022

AscendFS, Inc., its affiliates, and wholly-owned subsidiaries (collectively referred to as “Ascend”, “we”, “us”, or “our”) is committed to respecting and protecting the accuracy, confidentiality and security of your personal information when visiting our website(s) or visiting Ascend-hosted client web pages that use our products or services (the “Website” or “Websites”).  This Privacy Notice sets out our policies concerning the collection, use, disclosure and protection of personal information we receive from individuals using our Websites, or from customers using our products and services, as well as the types of cookies that Ascend uses on our Websites.

“Personal Information” means all information about an identifiable person who can be directly or indirectly identified by reference to the information. In some jurisdictions, the term “personal data” is used in local privacy laws rather than the term “Personal Information”.  Ascend uses the terms “Personal Information” and “personal data” interchangeably.

“Service(s)” means Ascend’s product and service offerings, including, but not limited to, electronic raffles in venue using mobile selling devices and printers, online raffles, sweepstakes, and Ascend’s “Make Change” application.

This Privacy Notice is available to the public on our Websites, so that information about our policies and practices relating to the management of information is readily available to everyone.

The Websites may include links to third-party websites, plug-ins, services, social networks, or applications. Clicking on those links or enabling those connections may allow the third party to collect or share data about you. If you follow a link to a third-party website or engage a third-party plugin, please note that these third parties have their own privacy policies and we do not accept any responsibility or liability for these policies. We do not control these third-party websites, and we encourage you to read the privacy policy of every website you visit.

Please read this Privacy Notice carefully to understand our policies and practices for collecting, processing, and storing Personal Information. If you do not agree with our policies and practices, your choice is not to use our Website. By accessing or using this Website, you indicate that you understand, accept, and consent to the practices described in this Privacy Notice. This Privacy Notice may change from time to time (see Changes to Our Privacy Notice).

Scope of Privacy Notice

This Privacy Notice was drafted with the objective of complying with or exceeding the requirements of Canada’s Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (“PIPEDA”) and British Columbia’s Personal Information Protection Act (“PIPA”), as Ascend is incorporated in the Province of Ontario and its corporate headquarters are located in Ontario, Canada.

However, Ascend also does business in other countries, and non-Canadians also use the Website and the Services. Many of these other countries have their own laws applicable to the protection of Personal Information, which may or may not conflict with or contain more restrictive legal obligations than PIPEDA (including, for example, the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation, known as “GDPR”). It is Ascend’s intention to comply with the privacy legislation of each of these jurisdictions where such privacy legislation is applicable to Ascend. As such, this Privacy Notice outlines the minimum standards for Ascend’s treatment of personal information. Where applicable laws contain additional requirements, Ascend will ensure compliance with those laws if those laws apply to Ascend. Should there be an inconsistency between this Privacy Notice and applicable local privacy laws, this Privacy Notice will be interpreted to give effect to the local privacy laws and Ascend’s compliance therewith.

Accountability

Ascend is responsible for Personal Information under its control, and will take all reasonable steps to handle such Personal Information fairly and to ensure compliance with applicable laws in relation to the processing of Personal Information.

In order to oversee overall compliance with this Privacy Notice and with applicable data protection laws, Ascend has designated a Privacy Officer (who is also Ascend’s Data Protection Officer for the purposes of the GDPR). Contact information for Ascend’s Privacy Officer can be found at the end of this Privacy Notice.

The Personal Information We Collect and How We Collect it

  • Voluntary information: If you visit our Website, request or subscribe to marketing materials, download content, contact us, or purchase, register or subscribe to the Services, we will collect Personal Information that you voluntarily provide to us (that may include your name, title, address, email address and telephone number, and contact preferences) in order to respond to your request or enquiry or fulfil a purchase.
  • Device information: When you access the Services through a device, we may collect specific types of connection details and information with regard to your device, software or hardware that may identify you, such as your device’s unique identifiers (e.g. UDID, IMEI, MAC address), IP address and geo-location data.
  • Technical information: In order to enhance the functionality of our Website and to provide you with a better user experience, we may collect technical information transmitted by your device, including certain software and hardware information (e.g. your language preference, the type of browser and operating system your device uses and settings, access time, the domain name of the website from which you linked to our Services, etc.).
  • Analytics information: We collect information about your use of our Services, such as log files, user activity (e.g. pages viewed, the amount of time spent on particular pages, online browsing, clicks, actions), time stamps, alerts, card transactional data etc. This information is collected for, among other things, troubleshooting errors and bugs, as well as for product improvement, research, profiling and analytics purposes about your use of our Website and Services, and providing you with tailored marketing and personalized products and Services.

You are under no obligation to provide Personal Information to us. However, certain Personal Information is essential for the use and quality of your experience using the Website and/or the Services.

Note about Financial Information:

Donations made through Ascend’s “Make Change” application using the Services must be made by credit or debit card. Any credit card, bank account, and other financial information is provided directly to third-party payment processors and is not retained, handled or accessed by Ascend. If you sign up as a user for the Make Change application, you will need to submit your name, contact information, credit or debit card number, expiration date, and CVV number, and billing information. By using the Services, you grant our third-party providers the right, power, and authority to act on your behalf to access and transmit your personal and financial information from the relevant financial institution according to the terms of those third-party providers’ respective privacy policies. We encourage you to review the terms of service and privacy policies of our third-party providers, as well as the Program Terms of the Make Change application, available here.

Note about Transaction Information

If you sign up as a user on Ascend’s “Make Change” application, Ascend will have access to all of the credit and debit card transactions that are made using the credit or debit card that is connected to your program account and the donation transactions that you make using the cards you have connected to the “Make Change” application. This information is stored by our third party providers and not by Ascend directly, Ascend will not have access to payment account number information.

Purposes and Legal Bases for Collecting Personal Information

Ascend collects, uses and discloses Personal Information for the following purposes:

  • to develop, manage, deliver and support our products and Services;
  • to contact our customers with regard to their purchases or enquiries, as well as administrative or account-related information;
  • to respond to enquiries and fulfil requests, such as sending requested materials or documents regarding our Services;
  • to provide marketing and promotional communications (where this is in accordance with applicable law), and to determine the effectiveness of marketing and promotional campaigns;
  • to prevent you from using our Website and Services if you have requested that we do so (i.e. where you self-exclude);
  • to verify a customer’s identity and jurisdiction of residence in connection with exercising their rights around their Personal Information, and in connection with verifying identity if they are a winner of a sweepstakes contest;
  • to process transactions;
  • to perform data analysis, audits, fraud monitoring and prevention, develop new products, improve or modify our Services, and identify usage trends;
  • to comply with regulatory and licensing requirements related to our Services;
  • to identify and disclose any suspected unlawful, fraudulent, or other improper activity connected with our Website and Services;
  • to comply with applicable laws, comply with legal and regulatory processes, enforce our terms and conditions, and protect our operations, rights, safety or property.

Use of Information

Ascend’s legal basis for collecting, using and disclosing Personal Information will depend on the Personal Information concerned and the specific context in which we collect it, including:

  • Where you have given us consent. We collect, use and share your Personal Information for the purpose of marketing to you, where you have given us consent to do so. At any time you can withdraw your consent to us marketing to you by emailing us at privacy@ascendfs.com, or by following the unsubscribe instructions provided in the email or other communication that you receive from us.
  • Where the processing is necessary for the performance of your contract with us. We collect, use and share your Personal Information where such information is essential to provide Services to you. You are under no obligation to provide such Personal Information to us. However, you might not be able to access, purchase, and/or use some or part of the Services if you choose to withhold Personal Information that is required for those Services.
  • Where the processing is necessary for us to comply with our legal obligations. In some circumstances, we are legally required to collect, use and share your Personal Information. For example, in connection with the prevention, detection or investigation of a crime or fraud.  Where we process your Personal Information in order to comply with our legal obligations, we may need to retain such information in order to demonstrate that we have complied with our legal obligations.
  • Where the processing is necessary for a task carried out in the public interest. We collect, use and share your Personal Information where such processing is necessary for the purposes of the prevention or detection of an unlawful act, or is necessary for the exercise of a protective function (such as protecting members of the public against dishonesty or other improper conduct). We may rely on this as a legal basis for processing and/or sharing data relating to criminal convictions or offences.
  • Where we have legitimate interests in the processing. We collect, use and share your Personal Information where such processing is necessary for our legitimate business interests, unless we determine that those interests are overridden by your interests or your fundamental rights and freedoms.

Non-Personal Information

Ascend also creates and collects "non-personal information" - information that is not associated with or linked to your personal information, including personal information that has been aggregated, de-identified or otherwise anonymized so that it no longer relates to an identifiable individual. We use this information for product and service improvement purposes.

If non-personal information is combined with personal information, then the non-personal information will be treated as personal information for the purposes of this Privacy Policy.

Sharing Personal Information

Ascend may share Personal Information with our employees, contractors, consultants, affiliates, service providers, business partners and other parties who require such information to assist us with providing you with the Services:

  • We share your Personal Information with other companies in our group.
  • We share certain Personal Information with our payment service provider(s), email service provider(s) and other third parties necessary in order to fulfill an order placed through the Services. These third parties are prohibited from using your Personal Information for promotional purposes.
  • We share your Personal Information with our clients and partners (e.g. an organization you have chosen to support through a raffle or sweepstakes campaign)Please note that these third parties have their own privacy policies and we do not accept any responsibility or liability for these policies.
  • We use third party service providers in order to advertise and market to you and manage our advertising activities. Your Personal Information may be shared with these third parties in order for them to provide such services to us.
  • We may share some or all of your Personal Information in connection with or during negotiation of any potential sale or investment in any of the companies in our group or in the event of a corporate transaction (e.g. a sale of a substantial part of our respective businesses, a merger, financing, restructuring, consolidation, acquisition, corporate divestiture, dissolution transaction, or other proceeding involving the sale, transfer, divestiture or disclosure of all or a portion of our business or assets). In the event of an insolvency, bankruptcy, or receivership, your Personal Information may also be transferred as a business asset.
  • In some cases we may disclose your Personal Information and any other information and/or records relating to you, if we are under a duty to disclose or share these details in order to comply with any legal obligation, or when ordered to do so by any governmental or administrative authority. We may also share such information if we believe it is necessary in order to investigate, prevent, or take action regarding illegal activities, suspected fraud, situations involving potential threats to the physical safety of any person, violations of our terms of use, or as otherwise required by law.

The use, collection and disclosure of Personal Information may involve Ascend transferring Personal Information across borders. Where we transfer Personal Information from Canada to other countries in which applicable laws do not offer the same level of data privacy protection as in your home country, we take steps to ensure that your data is treated securely and in accordance with this Privacy Notice. For example, we use approved contractual clauses, intragroup agreements and other measures designed to ensure that the recipients of your Personal Information protect it.

Ascend may use and disclose aggregated and anonymous or de-identified information to third parties, including the general public. For example, we may analyse and publish reports on usage trends or statistics from across our global customer base for information or marketing purposes, but only after we have removed any identifying Personal Information. This type of aggregated and anonymous or de-identified data can help Ascend improve our products, Services and advertising, and it can be used by customers and the public to better understand trends in the industry.

California Users

Residents of California have additional rights. Click here to learn more.

California’s "Shine the Light" law provides that California residents who provide Personal Information to us are entitled to request and obtain from us, once per calendar year, information about the Personal Information we shared, if any, with other businesses for their own direct marketing uses. If applicable, this information would include the type of Personal Information and the names and addresses of those businesses with which we shared Personal Information for the immediately prior calendar year.

To obtain this information sharing disclosure, please send an email message to privacy@ascendfs.com with "California Personal Information Request " in the subject line. We will reply with the requested information within 30 days.

Please be aware that not all Personal Information sharing is covered by the "Shine the Light" requirements and only information on covered sharing will be included in our response.

Cookies

We use certain types of Cookies on the Website. "Cookies" are small text files containing small amounts of information which are downloaded to your device when you visit a website, so that the website can remember some information about your browsing activity on the website, either for the duration of your visit or for repeat visits. The cookies are then sent back to the originating website on each subsequent visit, or to another website that recognises that cookie. Cookies are useful because they allow a website to recognise a user's device. They do many different jobs, like letting you navigate between pages efficiently, remembering your preferences, and generally improving your user experience. In general, cookies make the interaction between you and websites faster and easier.

The following describes the types of cookies that Ascend currently uses or may in the future use on our Website:

  • Session Cookies: These are temporary cookies that expire when you close your browser. A session cookie assigns a randomly-generated, unique identification number to your device when you access the Website. Assigning your device a number facilitates the proper functioning of the features of our Website by permitting us to maintain a persistent “state” for your session, including information relating to transactions you might make. We also use session cookies to collect anonymous information (i.e. information that does not identify you personally) about the ways users use the Website, such as which pages they visit, which links they use, and how long they stay on each page. We analyse this information (known as “click-stream information”) to better understand our users’ interests and needs and to improve the content and functionality of the Website.
  • Persistent Cookies: Unlike a session cookie, a “persistent cookie” does not expire when you close your browser. It stays on your device until the expiration date set in the cookie (for example, at the end of a calendar month) or until you delete it. Persistent cookies can be used to “tag” your device so that the next time you visit (or someone using your device visits), our server will recognise you, not by name, but by the “tag” on your device. This will enable us to provide you with a personalised experience even if we do not know who you are. It will also allow us to collect more accurate information about the ways people use the Website, for example, how people use the Website on their first visit and how often they return. Using persistent cookies permits us to provide you with a more personalised experience and, in some cases, may save you the trouble of re-entering information already in our database.
  • Strictly necessary cookies: These cookies are essential for the running of our Website. Without these cookies, parts of our Website would not function. They enable you to move around the Website and use its features, such as accessing secure areas. These cookies do not track where you have been on the Internet and do not gather information about you that could be used for marketing purposes. You cannot opt out of these cookies if you want to use our Website.
  • Performance cookies: These cookies are used to monitor the performance of our Website, for example, to determine the number of page views and the number of unique users the Website has. Web analytics services may be designed and operated by third parties on Ascend’s behalf. The information provided by these cookies allows us to analyse patterns of user behaviour, and we use that information to enhance user experience or identify areas of the Website which may require maintenance. These cookies do not collect information that identifies a visitor. All information collected through these cookies is aggregated and therefore anonymous. You cannot opt out of these if you wish to use the sales portal portion of the Website.
  • Functional cookies: These cookies allow the Website to remember choices you make (such as your preferences, language or the region you are in) and provide enhanced, more personal features. These cookies can also be used to remember changes you have made to text size, fonts and other parts of web pages that you can customise. The information these cookies collect may be anonymised, and they cannot track your browsing activity on other websites.
  • Targeting or advertising cookies: These cookies, which may be placed on your device by us or our trusted third party service providers, remember that you have visited a website and use that information to provide you with advertising which is tailored to your interests. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advertisement as well as help measure the effectiveness of the advertising campaign. They remember that you have visited a website and this information is shared with other organizations such as advertisers. Without these cookies, online advertising you encounter will be less relevant to you and your interests.
  • Web Beacons: When you visit our Website, your device may receive one or more “web beacons” in order to assist us with delivering cookies, to collect anonymous information about the use of the Website by our users, and to deliver customised or targeted content to you on the Website and through our partners. Web beacons (also referred to as “tracking pixels,” “1x1 gifs,” “single-pixel gifs,” “pixel tags,” or “action tags”) are graphic images, usually no larger than a 1x1 pixel, placed at various locations on the Website. They also help us identify browser types, search terms that bring users to our Website, and the domain names of websites that refer traffic to us. We also utilise web beacons to provide us with more information on any emails we send out. In particular, a web beacon in an email communication will send us information to let us know that you have received, opened, or acted upon an e-mail you have chosen to receive from us.
  • JavaScript Tags/Pixels: These are used by us to collect anonymous information about the use of the Website by our users, and to deliver customised or targeted content to you on the Website and through our partners. We may use JavaScript tags to anonymously track how visitors interact with our Website, including where they came from and the manner in which they use our Website. You cannot opt out of these if you wish to use the sales portal portion of the Website.

If you would prefer to opt out of cookies, it is possible to manage them by opting out on our Website homepage the first time you visit or changing the cookie settings on your device, in your browser settings. Existing cookies that have already been set can be deleted from your hard drive. You can also block some or all cookies. However, you should be aware that you might lose some features and functionality of our Website or Services if you do so. For more detailed information about cookies and how to manage and/or delete them, please visit http://www.aboutcookies.org or http://allaboutcookies.org.  

Third Party Links

Ascend’s Website contains links to third party sites, including the websites of our partners, and we recommend and encourage you to read the privacy policies posted on those third party sites. Ascend is not responsible for and has no control over information that is submitted to, or collected by, these sites.

Retention

Ascend will retain your Personal Information for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, or to comply with applicable legal, tax or regulatory requirements Ascend retains your personal information for the period necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Notice or such longer retention period as may be required or permitted by applicable law.. After this time, any Personal Information you have provided to us will be deleted or made anonymous.

Please note that we may be required in certain circumstances to retain your Personal Information indefinitely (for example, in order to comply with our policies and procedures in connection with self-exclusion). We will take all necessary steps to ensure that the privacy of your Personal Information is maintained for the period of retention.

Your Rights

You have a number of rights with regard to your Personal Information, which are detailed below. Some of these only apply in specific circumstances and are qualified in several respects by exemptions in data protection legislation. We will advise you in our response to your request if we are relying on any such exemptions.

  • Accuracy: Ascend will make reasonable efforts to ensure that the Personal Information collected and used by us is accurate, complete and up-to-date to meet the purposes for which it is collected and used. Ascend does not routinely update Personal Information unless it is necessary to meet the purposes for which it is collected. Ascend therefore relies on you to maintain the accuracy of your Personal Information.
  • Correction:  You have the right to request correction to your Personal Information in the event it is inaccurate, incomplete or out of date.
  • Access: You have the right to access your Personal Information. This includes (a) identification of and access to any or all of your Personal Information under Ascend’s custody or control; (b) an explanation of how that Personal Information is or has been collected, used or disclosed by Ascend; and (c) the names of any individuals and organizations to which your Personal Information has been disclosed by Ascend.
  • Erasure: You can request that Ascend erases your Personal Information where there is no compelling reason for us to continue processing it.
  • Data portability: This right allows you to obtain the Personal Information that you have provided to us with your consent, or which was necessary for us to provide you with our Services, in a format which enables you to transfer that Personal Information to another organization. You have the right to have your Personal Information transferred by us directly to the other organization, if it is technically feasible.
  • Restriction of processing: You have the right in certain circumstances to request that Ascend suspends processing of your Personal Information. Where we agree to suspend our processing of your Personal Information, we will still be permitted to store your Personal Information, but any other processing of this information will require your consent, subject to certain exemptions.
  • Objection to processing: You have the right to object to Ascend’s use of your Personal Information, where it is processed on the basis of our legitimate interests. However, Ascend may continue to process your Personal Information, despite your objection, where there are compelling legitimate grounds to do so or we need to process your Personal Information in connection with any legal claims.
  • Withdrawal of consent: Where Ascend has relied upon your consent to process your Personal Information, you have the right to withdraw that consent.

Any request to exercise your rights with respect to your Personal Information must be made in writing (by mail or e-mail) to Ascend’s Privacy Officer and provide sufficient detail to identify the Personal Information and the action being sought.

We will respond to written requests within thirty (30) days of receiving such request. We will either make the requested information available within that time period, or provide written notice of an extension where additional time is required to fulfil the request. We reserve the right to confirm your identity to process your requests to exercise your rights as listed above. Government identification may be required. You may designate an authorized agent to make a request on your behalf. In order to designate an authorized agent to make a request on your behalf, you may still have to provide valid government-issued identification. We cannot process your request if you do not provide us with sufficient detail to allow us to understand and respond to it.

If Ascend cannot fulfil your request in full or in part, you will be provided with a response in writing that explains the reason for refusal and the further options available to you.

Nevada Privacy Rights

Nevada law permits our Nevada consumers to request that their personal information not be sold (as defined under applicable Nevada law), even if their Personal Information is not currently being sold. Requests are free of charge and may be sent to privacy@ascendfs.com with "Nevada Personal Information Request " in the subject line. We will reply with the requested information within 30 days.

Safeguarding Personal Information

Ascend will make reasonable security arrangements and use appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect all Personal Information under our control (regardless of the format in which it is held) against unauthorized access, loss, theft, collection, use, disclosure, duplication, modification, disposal or similar risks, by both individuals outside of Ascend as well as within. The types of security safeguards that we use vary, depending on the nature and sensitivity of the Personal Information, the harm that might result from its improper use or loss, and how it is stored (e.g. in paper or electronically).  Ascend’s security safeguards include locked filing cabinets, physically secured offices where Personal Information is held, limited employee access, the use of IDs, passwords, restricted servers, firewalls and encryption for electronic files, as well as contractual requirements for service providers to provide comparable security measures. Accordingly, we assume no liability for any disclosure of data due to unauthorized third party access or other acts of third parties, or acts or omissions beyond our reasonable control.

Ascend will use appropriate security measures when disposing of and destroying Personal Information, such as shredding documents and deleting electronically stored information, in order to prevent unauthorized access.

Ascend will continually review and update our security policies and controls as technology changes to ensure ongoing Personal Information security.

GDPR Compliance (European Union and European Economic Area)

This section applies specifically to Ascend customers residing or carrying on business in the European Union or European Economic Area, where the GDPR (or local legislation implementing the GDPR) applies.

For the purposes of GDPR, Ascend will be the “Processor” and our customers will be the “Controller” (as these terms are defined in the GDPR) with respect to any Personal Information that Ascend processes on behalf of our customers through use of the Services.  Ascend will comply with its obligations as Controller under the GDPR with respect to personal information processed by Ascend on its own behalf.

Use by Children

The Website and Services are not intended for use by minors. Ascend does not knowingly collect Personal Information about minors. If you believe that we have mistakenly or unintentionally collected a minor’s Personal Information, please contact Ascend’s Privacy Officer.

Changes To Our Privacy Notice

It is our policy to post any changes we make to the Privacy Notice on this page with a notice that the Privacy Notice has been updated on the Website home page. If we make material changes to how we treat our users’ Personal Information, we will notify you through a notice on the Website home page. We include the date the Privacy Notice was last revised at the top of the page. You are responsible for periodically visiting our Website and this Privacy Notice to check for any changes. Your continued use of this Website after we make changes indicates that you accept and consent to those changes

Complaints

Complaints, concerns or inquiries about Ascend’s data protection practices, including compliance with this Privacy Notice, should be made in writing (by mail or email) to:

Privacy Officer
AscendFS, Inc.
1 Yonge Street, Suite 700
Toronto, ON  M5E 1E5

Email: privacy@ascendfs.com

Complaints, concerns or inquiries regarding this notice should be made in writing (by mail or email) to Ascend’s Privacy Officer. You also have the right to your local national data supervisory authority.

All complaints and inquiries will be investigated and responded to in accordance with this Privacy Notice and applicable laws. If the Ascend Privacy Officer is unable to address your concerns, the issue will be escalated in accordance with Ascend’s escalation policy.

By using our Websites, you will be deemed to have consented to the collection, use and disclosure of your Personal Information by Ascend in accordance with this Privacy Notice.

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