Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Scope of This Policy
- Information We Collect
- How We Use Information
- Legal Bases for Processing
- Cookies and Similar Technologies
- How We Share Information
- Weather and Operational Data
- Data Retention
- Security of Information
- International Transfers
- Your Privacy Rights
- Privacy for Children
- Third Party Services and Links
- Marketing Communications
- Changes to This Policy
- How to Contact Us
- Additional Regional Disclosures
1. Introduction
SureWx Inc. is a computer integrated systems design practice that runs a thunderstorm observatory and provides storm nowcasting and weather data services. This Privacy Policy is published by SureWx Inc., a company located at 8770 W Bryn Mawr Ave Ste 1300 # 174, Chicago - 60631-3557, United States (US). The policy describes the information we gather, the reasons we gather it and the choices available to the people who interact with us.
The developer name behind this website and the services it presents is SureWX. SureWX builds and maintains the software, interfaces and delivery systems that make the observatory readings useful to our clients, and the same team is responsible for handling personal information in line with this policy.
We believe that privacy is a matter of plain dealing. We collect what we need, we explain why we need it, and we do not sell personal information to anyone. This document is written so that a reader without a legal background can understand what happens to information that passes through our systems.
2. Scope of This Policy
This policy covers personal information that we process through our website, through email and phone contact with our team, and through the delivery of our services to client organisations. It applies to visitors who browse our pages, to prospective clients who send an enquiry, and to personnel of client organisations who use the alerts, briefings and data feeds we provide.
This policy does not apply to information that a client organisation collects and stores inside its own systems, even when our services deliver data into those systems. In that situation the client organisation is responsible for its own privacy practices and for the notices it gives to its own people.
Some parts of our service may carry additional terms. When a specific service is governed by a separate agreement, that agreement governs the handling of information for that service, and this policy continues to apply to anything it does not cover.
3. Information We Collect
We collect information in several ways, and the amount depends on how you interact with us. The categories below describe what we may hold.
Information you provide directly
When you complete our contact form or write to us by email, you may provide a name, an email address, a subject line and a message. When you call us, you may provide a name, a phone number and details about your request. When you become a client, we may collect organisational details, billing information and the contact details of the people who will receive our alerts and briefings.
Information collected automatically
When you visit our website, our hosting infrastructure may record technical information such as the type of browser you use, the type of device you use, the pages you view and the time of your visit. This information is used to keep the site working and secure and to understand which pages are useful.
Information from client operations
In the course of delivering our services, we may process operational information such as the locations of client assets, the routes a client flies or drives, and the distribution lists for alerts. This information is held for the purpose of delivering the service and is not used for any other reason without instruction.
4. How We Use Information
We use personal information to respond to enquiries, to provide and improve our services, to keep our website and systems secure, to communicate with clients about their accounts, and to meet our legal and accounting obligations. We may also use information to understand how our services are used so that we can make them better.
- To answer questions submitted through the contact form, email or telephone
- To set up and operate the observatory services a client selects
- To deliver alerts, briefings and data feeds to the correct recipients
- To maintain the security and reliability of our systems
- To produce aggregated statistics that describe service performance
- To comply with lawful requests and to enforce our agreements
- To send service notices and, where permitted, occasional updates
We do not use personal information for automated decision making that produces legal effects concerning an individual, and we do not profile individuals for advertising purposes.
5. Legal Bases for Processing
Where the law requires us to identify a legal basis for processing, we rely on one or more of the following. We rely on our legitimate interests when we operate and secure our business, provided those interests are not overridden by the rights of the individual. We rely on contract when processing is necessary to provide a service a client has requested. We rely on consent when we send optional marketing communications or when we process information for a purpose that clearly requires it. We rely on legal obligation when we must retain records to comply with applicable law.
Where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time. Withdrawal does not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before the withdrawal.
8. Weather and Operational Data
Our observatory processes vast quantities of environmental data, including radar returns, lightning detections, satellite imagery and hail observations. Environmental data of this kind is not personal information, and we treat it as the raw material of our services. We may store, analyse and redistribute it in order to operate and improve the observatory.
Some operational data associated with a client, such as the geographic coordinates of assets or the identity of alert recipients, may constitute personal information or may reveal sensitive operational patterns. We hold this kind of information under the same safeguards we apply to other personal information and we do not use it for any purpose beyond delivering the service a client has requested.
Where a client provides operational information, that client remains responsible for having a lawful basis to share it with us. We encourage clients to inform their personnel about the information that will be processed through the observatory.
9. Data Retention
We retain personal information only for as long as we need it for the purpose for which it was collected, or for as long as the law requires. Contact enquiries are kept for a reasonable period so that we can respond and follow up, and client records are kept for the duration of the relationship and for a period afterwards to meet accounting and legal obligations.
When information is no longer needed, we delete it or irreversibly anonymise it. Where deletion is not immediately possible, for example because information is stored in a backup, we isolate it and continue to protect it until deletion can be completed.
Aggregated statistics that no longer identify any individual may be retained for longer periods, because they support the improvement of our services and carry no privacy risk.
10. Security of Information
We take the protection of information seriously and apply technical and organisational measures designed to keep it safe. These measures include encrypted connections, access controls that limit who can see information, monitoring of our systems for unusual activity, and regular review of our practices.
Because we design integrated systems for a living, we think carefully about failure modes. We accept that no system is perfectly secure, and we plan for the possibility that something goes wrong. If a security incident affects personal information, we will investigate promptly, take steps to reduce harm, and notify affected parties and authorities where the law requires it.
Please help us protect your information by using the contact channels described in this policy rather than sending sensitive personal information through unsecured means.
11. International Transfers
SureWx Inc. operates from the United States, and the information we collect is generally processed and stored there. If you contact us from another country, your information will be transferred to and processed in the United States, where privacy laws may differ from the laws of your home country.
Where we transfer personal information across borders, we take steps to ensure that it continues to receive an appropriate level of protection. These steps may include contractual commitments with our service providers and the use of recognised safeguards where they are available.
If you have questions about where your information is processed, please contact us using the details in this policy and we will explain the arrangements that apply.
12. Your Privacy Rights
Depending on where you live, you may have certain rights in relation to your personal information. These may include the right to be told what information we hold, the right to request a copy of it, the right to have inaccurate information corrected, the right to ask us to delete information, the right to restrict certain processing, and the right to object to processing based on our legitimate interests.
You may also have the right to receive certain information in a portable format and the right to withdraw consent that you have previously given. Where you believe your rights have not been respected, you may have the right to complain to a supervisory authority in your jurisdiction.
To exercise any of these rights, contact us using the details in this policy. We will respond within the time required by applicable law, and we may ask for information that helps us confirm your identity before we act. We do not charge a fee for a reasonable request, though we may charge for requests that are manifestly unfounded or excessive.
13. Privacy for Children
Our services are designed for professional and operational use, and they are not directed at children. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe that a child has provided personal information to us, please contact us so that we can investigate and take appropriate action.
If we learn that we have collected personal information from a child without the consent required by law, we will delete it promptly. Parents and guardians who have concerns about information relating to a child are encouraged to reach out to our team using the contact details in this policy.
This section applies to all information held by SureWx Inc., including enquiries sent through our website and any operational records connected with our observatory services.
14. Third Party Services and Links
Our website may contain links to external sites and may rely on third party platforms for hosting and communication. This policy does not govern those external sites, and we are not responsible for their content or their privacy practices. We encourage you to read the privacy notices of any site you visit.
Where our services integrate with a client system or a third party platform, the handling of information inside that system or platform is governed by the terms of the relevant provider. Our agreements describe the boundary between our responsibilities and those of other parties.
We choose our partners carefully, but we cannot control their conduct. If you believe that a partner has mishandled information in connection with our services, please tell us so that we can look into the matter and respond appropriately.
15. Marketing Communications
We may send occasional service updates to clients and, where the law permits or where consent has been given, other communications about our observatory services. Every marketing message we send includes a way to opt out, and we honour opt out requests promptly.
Opting out of marketing messages does not prevent us from sending important service notices, such as information about a change to a service you use, a security matter or an update to our agreements. These communications are part of the service relationship and are not discretionary.
If you would prefer not to receive any communications from us, you may ask us to remove your contact details, and we will do so except where we are required to keep them for legal or accounting purposes.
16. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, in the services we offer or in applicable law. When we make a material change, we will take reasonable steps to bring it to the attention of affected individuals, such as by placing a prominent notice on our website.
The version published on this page is the current version, and it supersedes earlier versions. We encourage you to review this page periodically so that you remain aware of how we protect information.
Your continued use of our website or services after an update takes effect indicates that you accept the revised policy. If you do not agree with a change, you may stop using the relevant service and contact us with any questions.
17. How to Contact Us
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, or if you wish to exercise a privacy right, please contact SureWx Inc. using the details below. We take privacy enquiries seriously and will do our best to resolve any concern quickly.
- Email: admin@surewx.buzz
- Phone: +14147752532
- Post: SureWx Inc., 8770 W Bryn Mawr Ave Ste 1300 # 174, Chicago - 60631-3557, United States (US)
- Website: https://www.surewx.buzz
When you write to us about a privacy matter, please describe the request clearly and provide enough information for us to identify the relevant records. We will acknowledge your message and explain what happens next.
18. Additional Regional Disclosures
Residents of certain regions may have additional rights under local law. If you are a resident of California, you may have the right to know what categories of personal information we collect, to request deletion of that information and to opt out of certain sharing. We do not sell personal information, so there is no sale to opt out of, but we honour verified requests made under applicable law.
If you are located in the European Economic Area or the United Kingdom, you may have rights of access, correction, erasure, restriction and objection, and the right to lodge a complaint with your local supervisory authority. We process information for the purposes set out in this policy and rely on the legal bases described above.
Where local law provides a right that is more protective than the practices described here, the local law prevails. Nothing in this policy is intended to limit any right that you hold under the law of your jurisdiction, and nothing in this policy requires you to waive any such right.
This policy is provided by SureWx Inc. and applies to the website at surewx.buzz and to the storm nowcasting and weather data services offered by the company. If any part of this policy is found to be unenforceable, the remaining parts continue to apply.