Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy explains how ELLIPSE WORLD, operating the North American Translation Alliance and the website available at natranslationalliance.org, collects, uses, discloses and protects personal information.

The corporate identity and contact details of ELLIPSE WORLD are set out in the Legal Notice available on the website. For the purposes of applicable data-protection legislation, ELLIPSE WORLD is the organization responsible for, and where applicable the controller of, the personal information described in this Policy.

This Policy applies to the NATA website, professional directory, member accounts, subscription services, press releases, interviews, featured articles, newsletters, contact forms and related communications, collectively referred to as the "Platform."

Article 1. Scope of This Policy

This Policy applies to information relating to an identified or identifiable individual. Information concerning a company as a legal entity will not ordinarily constitute personal information unless it identifies or can reasonably be associated with an individual.

Professional contact details, account credentials, correspondence, biographies, photographs and information concerning company directors, employees or representatives may constitute personal information even when used in a business context.

This Policy does not govern the independent privacy practices of member companies, payment providers or third-party websites accessible through external links.

Article 2. Information Collected Directly from Users

When an individual creates an account, purchases a service, manages a profile or communicates with NATA, ELLIPSE WORLD may collect that individual's name, professional title, company, business address, work email address, telephone number, login credentials, communication preferences and account history.

When a membership or publication service is purchased, ELLIPSE WORLD may also collect billing information, tax information, transaction references, payment status, subscription dates, renewal instructions, cancellation records and limited information concerning the payment method used.

Members may submit information intended for public display, including professional biographies, names and positions of company representatives, photographs, office contact details, certifications, memberships, awards, areas of expertise and links to professional websites or social-media profiles.

ELLIPSE WORLD also collects the content of correspondence, support requests, complaints, editorial questionnaires, interview responses, publication approvals and other communications sent through or in connection with the Platform.

Users should not submit sensitive personal information, confidential client material or private residential information unless it is strictly necessary, lawful and expressly requested.

Article 3. Information Collected Automatically

When a person accesses the Platform, certain technical and usage information may be collected automatically. This may include the IP address, browser type, device type, operating system, preferred language, approximate geographic area, referring page, pages viewed, searches performed, interaction times, session duration and security or diagnostic data.

This information is collected through server logs, cookies and similar technologies. Some of these technologies are necessary to provide account access, maintain security, process payments or remember privacy preferences. Others, such as analytics technologies, are used only in accordance with the consent requirements applicable to the visitor.

ELLIPSE WORLD does not seek to identify an individual from technical data unless doing so is reasonably necessary to investigate fraud, abuse, unauthorized access or another security incident.

Article 4. Information Obtained from Other Sources

ELLIPSE WORLD may receive professional information from the company represented by the individual, from another authorized user of the same account, from a payment or technical service provider, or from publicly available business and professional sources.

Where a member claims a professional membership, certification, office location or other credential, ELLIPSE WORLD may consult the public records of the relevant organization to assess the apparent accuracy of that claim.

Information obtained indirectly will be used only for purposes compatible with the operation and integrity of the Platform and subject to any notice obligation imposed by applicable law.

Article 5. Purposes of Processing

ELLIPSE WORLD processes personal information to create and secure member accounts, review membership applications, publish and maintain directory profiles, administer subscriptions, process payments, manage renewals and cancellations, prepare editorial content and provide customer support.

Personal information may also be used to verify the apparent authenticity of submitted information, prevent fraud or misuse, enforce the Terms of Use, protect the Platform's technical infrastructure and respond to legal claims or lawful requests.

Where a member purchases a press release, interview or featured article, ELLIPSE WORLD uses the submitted material to prepare, publish and promote the relevant content. This may include the creation of summaries, index entries, newsletter extracts and announcements linking to the publication.

Contact information may be used to send contractual and administrative communications, including payment confirmations, editorial questions, security notices and renewal reminders. Subject to applicable consent requirements, it may also be used to send newsletters, industry updates and information about NATA services.

Technical and usage information may be analyzed to understand how the Platform is used, improve navigation and directory functions, measure publication performance, diagnose errors and maintain security.

Article 6. Legal Grounds for Processing

Where applicable law requires a legal ground for processing, ELLIPSE WORLD relies on the performance of a contract when information is necessary to create an account, process an order, administer a membership or provide a publication service.

ELLIPSE WORLD relies on its legitimate interests where processing is reasonably necessary to operate and improve the directory, maintain accurate listings, communicate with professional contacts, protect its systems, prevent misuse, promote published content and establish or defend legal claims. Those interests are assessed in light of the rights and reasonable expectations of the individuals concerned.

Consent is relied upon where required, notably for certain non-essential cookies, optional marketing communications or the publication of personal material that cannot appropriately be processed on another basis. Consent may be withdrawn at any time, without affecting the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal.

ELLIPSE WORLD may also process personal information where necessary to comply with accounting, taxation, data-protection, judicial or other legal obligations.

Article 7. Public Directory Information

Company profiles, press releases, interviews and featured articles are intended for public distribution. Personal information voluntarily included in those materials may therefore be accessible throughout the world and may be indexed, cached, copied, quoted, summarized or archived by search engines and other independent third parties.

A member submitting information about an employee, director, client, interviewee or other individual is responsible for ensuring that the disclosure is lawful and that any required notice, authorization or consent has been obtained.

An individual who believes that personal information concerning them has been published inaccurately or without proper authorization may contact ELLIPSE WORLD. Before correcting or removing the information, ELLIPSE WORLD may verify the requester's identity and consult the member company responsible for the submission.

Removal from the live Platform does not automatically remove copies independently retained by search engines, internet archives, social networks or third-party websites.

Article 8. Payment Information

Payments are processed through Stripe, acting as an independent payment service provider or processor, as applicable.

Complete payment-card numbers and security codes are ordinarily submitted directly to the payment provider and are not stored on ELLIPSE WORLD's systems. ELLIPSE WORLD generally receives only the information required to confirm and administer the transaction, such as the billing identity, transaction reference, payment status, card type and limited payment-method details.

The payment provider processes payment information in accordance with its own privacy notice and legal obligations.

Article 9. Cookies and Similar Technologies

The Platform uses cookies and comparable technologies to ensure its technical operation, secure accounts, maintain sessions, process transactions and record privacy preferences.

With the visitor's consent where required, analytics technologies may also be used to measure traffic, understand navigation and improve the performance of the Platform. Functional technologies may be used to remember optional settings or facilitate specific services.

As of the effective date of this Policy, ELLIPSE WORLD does not use personal information for cross-context behavioural advertising or targeted advertising. If this practice changes, the Policy and cookie-management interface will be updated and any legally required consent or opt-out mechanism will be provided.

Visitors may manage non-essential technologies through the cookie-preference interface available on the Platform. Browser settings may also be used to block or delete cookies, although doing so may affect certain functions.

The cookie interface or a separate Cookie Policy will identify the providers and technologies actually in use, together with their purposes and applicable retention periods.

Article 10. Disclosure to Service Providers

ELLIPSE WORLD may disclose personal information to service providers that support the operation of the Platform, including providers of website hosting, cloud storage, content delivery, authentication, payment processing, email distribution, analytics, customer support, cybersecurity and cookie-consent management.

Such providers receive only the information reasonably necessary to perform their services and are subject to contractual, confidentiality and data-protection obligations appropriate to their role.

Information may also be disclosed to lawyers, accountants, auditors, insurers and other professional advisers where reasonably necessary for advice, compliance or the establishment or defence of legal claims.

Article 11. Other Disclosures

Information submitted for inclusion in a profile or publication will be disclosed publicly in accordance with the member's instructions and the nature of the purchased service.

Information may be shared with other verified representatives of the same member company where necessary to administer an account, determine account ownership or resolve an internal authorization issue.

ELLIPSE WORLD may disclose information to a court, regulator, law-enforcement authority or other authorized recipient where it reasonably believes that disclosure is required or permitted by law, necessary to protect rights or security, or appropriate to prevent fraud or unlawful conduct.

If ELLIPSE WORLD or the Platform is involved in a merger, reorganization, financing, acquisition, transfer of assets or similar transaction, personal information may be disclosed to the parties and advisers involved, subject to appropriate confidentiality and legal safeguards.

Article 12. Sale of Personal Information

ELLIPSE WORLD does not sell personal information in exchange for money and does not use sensitive personal information to infer characteristics about individuals.

As of the effective date of this Policy, ELLIPSE WORLD does not share personal information for cross-context behavioural advertising as that concept is defined by California privacy law.

If these practices change, ELLIPSE WORLD will update this Policy and provide any notice, consent or opt-out mechanism required under applicable law.

Article 13. International Processing and Transfers

Because NATA serves companies and users in several countries, personal information may be processed in the country in which ELLIPSE WORLD is established and in countries where its technical and commercial service providers operate, including the United States, Canada and countries within the European Economic Area.

The data-protection laws of those countries may differ from those applicable in the individual's place of residence. Information may also be accessible to public authorities in accordance with the laws of the country in which it is processed.

Where required, ELLIPSE WORLD implements an appropriate transfer mechanism, which may include an adequacy decision, approved contractual clauses or another safeguard recognized by applicable law.

Article 14. Retention

Personal information is retained only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this Policy and for compliance with legal, accounting, security and dispute-resolution requirements.

Account and membership information is generally retained throughout the commercial relationship and for a reasonable period after the account is closed. Transaction, invoice and tax records may be retained for up to ten years where required by the law applicable to ELLIPSE WORLD.

Public profiles are normally retained while the corresponding membership remains active. Press releases, interviews and featured articles may remain online without a predetermined expiration date, subject to the Terms of Use and any valid removal request.

Supporting verification records, correspondence and complaint files are retained for the period reasonably necessary to document the relevant review, resolve disputes and protect legal rights. Technical and security logs are retained for a more limited period appropriate to fraud prevention, system integrity and incident investigation.

Where information is subject to litigation, an investigation, a legal hold or an unresolved claim, the applicable retention period may be extended. At the end of the relevant period, information is deleted, anonymized or securely isolated, subject to technical backup cycles.

Article 15. Security

ELLIPSE WORLD implements reasonable administrative, technical and organizational safeguards designed to protect personal information against unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, loss or misuse.

These safeguards may include access restrictions, authentication controls, encryption in transit, system monitoring, backups, provider reviews and confidentiality obligations.

No transmission or storage system can be guaranteed to be completely secure. If a security incident occurs, ELLIPSE WORLD will investigate the circumstances and provide any notification required by applicable law.

Article 16. Commercial Communications

An individual may unsubscribe from promotional email at any time by using the unsubscribe link included in the message or by contacting ELLIPSE WORLD.

Limited information may be retained on a suppression list to ensure that the opt-out preference continues to be respected.

An opt-out from promotional communications does not prevent ELLIPSE WORLD from sending messages necessary to administer an account or contract, including payment confirmations, invoices, security notices, editorial correspondence, renewal reminders and responses to enquiries.

Article 17. Privacy Rights

Depending on the individual's location and the law applicable to the processing, the individual may have the right to request access to personal information, obtain information about its use and disclosure, correct inaccurate information, request deletion, restrict or object to processing, withdraw consent or receive certain information in a portable format.

Residents of jurisdictions that provide specific opt-out rights may also have the right to object to the sale or sharing of personal information, targeted advertising or certain forms of automated profiling. ELLIPSE WORLD does not currently engage in the sale or advertising practices described in Article 12.

Privacy rights are not absolute. A request may be limited or refused where permitted by law, including where retention is required for contractual performance, legal compliance, freedom of expression, fraud prevention, recordkeeping or the establishment or defence of legal claims.

ELLIPSE WORLD may request information reasonably necessary to verify the identity and authority of the requester. An authorized agent may submit a request where applicable law permits, subject to verification of the authorization.

No individual will be discriminated against for exercising a privacy right.

Article 18. Canadian Residents

Where Canadian privacy legislation applies, an individual may request access to personal information held by ELLIPSE WORLD, request correction and raise a concern regarding its collection, use, disclosure, security or retention.

A complaint should first be submitted to the privacy contact identified below so that ELLIPSE WORLD may investigate and respond. If the concern remains unresolved, the individual may have the right to contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada or the competent provincial privacy authority.

Article 19. United States Residents

Residents of certain U.S. states may have additional privacy rights, subject to the scope, thresholds and exemptions of the applicable legislation.

Depending on the state concerned, those rights may include access, correction, deletion, portability and the right to opt out of the sale of personal information, targeted advertising or certain profiling activities.

If an applicable state law grants a right to appeal the denial of a privacy request, ELLIPSE WORLD will provide the relevant appeal instructions in its response.

Article 20. European Residents

Individuals located in the European Economic Area, United Kingdom or Switzerland may have rights of access, rectification, erasure, restriction, objection and portability, together with the right to withdraw consent.

They may also lodge a complaint with the competent data-protection authority in the country in which they live or work, or in which they believe an infringement occurred.

Where ELLIPSE WORLD is established in France, complaints may be addressed to the Commission nationale de l'informatique et des libertés, whose website is available at www.cnil.fr.

Article 21. Children

The Platform is intended for business professionals and is not directed to individuals under eighteen years of age.

ELLIPSE WORLD does not knowingly permit minors to create member accounts or purchase services. A person who believes that a minor has submitted personal information may contact ELLIPSE WORLD so that the situation can be reviewed and the information deleted where appropriate.

Article 22. Third-Party Websites

The Platform contains links to member websites, social networks and other third-party services. ELLIPSE WORLD does not determine and is not responsible for the privacy, security or content practices of those third parties.

Users should consult the privacy policy of the relevant third party before submitting personal information or using its services.

Article 23. Amendments to This Policy

ELLIPSE WORLD may amend this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in the Platform, its service providers, its data-processing practices or applicable law.

The amended Policy will be published with a revised effective date. If a change materially affects the use of personal information, additional notice or consent will be provided where required.

Article 24. Privacy Contact

Questions, privacy requests and complaints may be submitted to:

ELLIPSE WORLD
Operator of the North American Translation Alliance
Email: privacy@natranslationalliance.org
Website: https://natranslationalliance.org/contact/

ELLIPSE WORLD will acknowledge, investigate and respond to privacy requests and complaints within the period required by applicable law.