Service Agreements
Privacy Policy
Updated January 30, 2023.
GreenGeeks LLC, is referred to in this document as ("GreenGeeks").
GreenGeeks is committed to respecting and protecting the personal information and data of its visitors and customers. This Privacy Policy covers the site https://www.greengeeks.com. GreenGeeks does not collect personally identifiable information (any information by which you can be identified) when you visit our site, unless as specifically provided in this Policy or if you choose to provide that information to us. GreenGeeks does NOT discriminate against individuals for exercising their privacy rights under applicable laws. This Policy is incorporated into, and made a part of, the Terms of Service ("TOS") Agreement found at Terms of Service.
INFORMATION COLLECTED
Customers are asked to provide certain personal information when they sign up for GreenGeeks services, including name, address, email address, telephone number, and billing information (such as a credit card number). In addition, to register a domain name, customers are asked to provide this information for the registrant, administrative contact, technical contact and billing contact of the domain name for submission to the appropriate domain registry or registration database. Customers may also be asked to complete an online form that collects information about demographics, product usage and preferences, along with other information that will help us improve our products and services. GreenGeeks also makes use of technologies like cookies in order to keep track of visitors and registered customers and to relate one computer transaction to a later one. You may set your web browser to notify you when you receive a cookie or change the settings on your web browser to clear or disable cookies. If you decide to disable cookies, you may not be able to take full advantage of all of the features of GreenGeeks’ website. Please be aware that if you visit third party websites where you are prompted to log in or that are customizable, you may be required to accept cookies. Cookies do not enable third parties to access any of your personally identifiable information. However, advertisers and partners may also use their own cookies. GreenGeeks does not control use of these cookies and is not responsible for information collected through them. By becoming a customer, you expressly consent to the collection of the aforementioned information.
The information that GreenGeeks collects is hosted on servers located in the United States (U.S.), unless otherwise provided. By using the GreenGeeks’ services, you freely and expressly give GreenGeeks your consent to export your information and data to the U.S.
USE OF INFORMATION
GreenGeeks does NOT trade, rent or sell your personal information or data to any other organization or third party, except as provided specifically in this Policy.
GreenGeeks has structured its websites so that individuals may visit us on the Web without revealing personally identifiable information. GreenGeeks uses information it collects to provide and collect payment for its web hosting solutions and other services. Passively collected information, such as information collected from or about your device including through the placement or reading of cookies or other tracking technologies is used to provide a customized experience as you use GreenGeeks’ services.
A) Customer Contact and Account Information
The information collected from customers is used to manage each customer’s account (e.g., billing and account management) and to promote other products or services that GreenGeeks believe may be of interest to its customers. GreenGeeks may also generate non-identifying and aggregate profiles from information that customers provide during registration. GreenGeeks may use this aggregated and non-identifying information to promote advertisements that appear on GreenGeeks’ website and in connection with its services. All such aggregated and non-identifying information that GreenGeeks collects, as well as any analysis of such information that GreenGeeks produces, is proprietary information of GreenGeeks.
B) Analytics and Statistics
GreenGeeks uses information gathered from its website analytics (e.g., user IP addresses) to help diagnose problems with GreenGeeks’ servers, and to administer and optimize GreenGeeks’ website. GreenGeeks also collects broad demographic information from this data to help improve its website and services. Any statistics gathered by Greengeeks are proprietary property of GreenGeeks.
C) Support and Email Inquiries
When customers send email inquiries and/or support requests to GreenGeeks, the return email address (and other personal information provided in the inquiry/request) is used to answer the email inquiry/request received.
D) Customer Surveys
GreenGeeks may use the contact information provided in customer surveys to follow up on survey answers. GreenGeeks may also contact you to highlight the changes GreenGeeks makes in response to your feedback.
E) Confidentiality
With the exception of trusted business partners who work with or on behalf of GreenGeeks, and are subject to specific confidentiality agreements, GreenGeeks will not provide or sell to any third party your personal information and will keep all customer information confidential, subject to the following:
- GreenGeeks does not share personally identifiable information about individual users with
advertisers. GreenGeeks may display online advertisements and share aggregated and
non-identifying information about customers collected through the registration process or
through online surveys and promotions with certain advertisers. This aggregated and
non-identifying information may be used to deliver tailored advertisements.
- GreenGeeks may share aggregated, non-personally identifying information obtained from customer
surveys with third parties.
- GreenGeeks may access, preserve and share customer information with companies, organizations,
governmental entities, or individuals outside of GreenGeeks if we believe, in good faith and in
our sole discretion, that the law requires us to do so. This may include, but is not limited to,
responding to subpoenas, court orders or other legal processes. Greengeeks may access, preserve,
and share customer information as necessary to: establish or exercise GreenGeeks’ legal rights
or defend against any claim including threatened claims; investigate, prevent, or take action
regarding suspected fraud or other illegal activities; prevent death or serious physical harm to
any person; or investigate violations of GreenGeeks’ Terms of
Service.
- In certain jurisdictions or pursuant to the rules of the Internet Corporation for Assigned
Names and Numbers (“ICANN”) or certain registries, domain name registration information has to
be made available and accessible to the public through a “WHOIS” search. The WHOIS is a publicly
accessible database that lists the domain name registration information for a particular domain
name, the name server(s) to which the domain name points, and the domain name’s creation and
expiration date. GreenGeeks may deposit your domain registration information with a third-party
escrow provider to comply with ICANN requirements. At times, customers may receive solicitations
that result from searches of the publicly available databases by other companies or individuals.
Any such solicitations or SPAM do not come from GreenGeeks and GreenGeeks does not control the
use of WHOIS information by third parties.
DATA SECURITY
GreenGeeks uses multiple security measures to prevent the loss, misuse and alteration of the information under our control. Your data is protected using Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encryption technology, the industry standard. This encrypts order data and is designed to aid in ensuring the accuracy and security of that customer information. In the unlikely event of a data breach, GreenGeeks will notify the appropriate regulatory and/or legal authorities, as well as affected customers/individuals, within seventy-two (72) hours.
CUSTOMER OPTIONS
- Public Forums
Be advised that any information you may disclose or post in forums or other public areas of GreenGeeks’ website or the Internet, becomes public information. You should always exercise caution when deciding to disclose personal information in these public areas. To request removal of your personal information from GreenGeeks community forums or testimonials, contact GreenGeeks at [email protected]. In some cases, GreenGeeks may be unable to remove your personal information, in which case GreenGeeks will let you know why it is unable to do so.
- Unsubscribe/Opt-out
When you become a customer of GreenGeeks, you are automatically subscribed to receive transactional notices and updates about your account, email newsletters and news of special promotions offered through GreenGeeks and/or in conjunction with GreenGeeks’ partners. To unsubscribe from GreenGeeks’ newsletters and promotional mailings, customers may update their preferences on the Account Manager. Customers may also unsubscribe through the links provided in promotional email messages sent by GreenGeeks or on GreenGeeks’ behalf.
- Accessing, Modifying & Deleting Your Information
GreenGeeks allows customers to access, update, and correct inaccuracies in your personal information in GreenGeeks’ custody and control, subject to certain exceptions prescribed by law. GreenGeeks also allows individuals and customers to delete their personal information which is in GreenGeeks’ custody and control, by requesting erasure of the same. Customers and individuals may request access, updating/corrections of innacuracies, and erasure of personal information GreenGeeks has in its custody or control by accessing the Account Manager or by contacting support via email, phone, or online chat. Requested information will be provided within forty-five (45) days of the receipt of a customers' request. GreenGeeks may request certain personal information for the purposes of verifying the identity of the individual seeking access or erasure of individual/customer records.
To ensure customers receive the information they need to manage their account and protect their privacy, GreenGeeks asks that customers keep their contact and billing information up to date. Customers can update all account-related information directly through the Account Manager. Alternatively, customers can contact GreenGeeks Support for futher assistance.
EUROPEAN UNION’S GENERAL DATA PROTECTION REGULATION
Where the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) applies, in certain circumstances and subject to data processing agreements, you have rights in relation to the personal information GreenGeeks holds about you. Below is an outline of those rights and how EU customers may exercise those rights. To exercise any of your rights, please visit the Account Manager, or contact GreenGeeks at [email protected] or by phone 1-877-326-7483.
Access
You have the right to know whether GreenGeeks processes personal information about you and, if it does, to access data GreenGeeks holds about you and certain information about how GreenGeeks uses and shares it.
Portability
You have the right to receive a subset of the personal information you provide to GreenGeeks in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format and a right to request that GreenGeeks transfer such personal information to another party. If you request that GreenGeeks transfer the personal information to another party, you must ensure you detail that party and note that GreenGeeks can only transfer the personal information where it is technically feasible to do so. GreenGeeks is not responsible for the security of the personal information or its processing once received by the third party.
Correction
You have the right to require GreenGeeks to correct any personal information held about you that is inaccurate and have incomplete data completed. If you request correction, please explain in detail why you believe the personal information is inaccurate or incomplete so that we can assess whether a correction is required.
Erasure
You may request that GreenGeeks erase the personal information it holds about you in the following circumstances: (1) where you believe it is no longer necessary for GreenGeeks to hold the personal information; (2) you withdraw your consent to the processing of the personal information, and GreenGeeks was processing it on the basis of your consent; (3) GreenGeeks is processing your data on the basis of its legitimate interest and you object to such processing; (4) you no longer wish us to use your data to send you marketing; or (5) you believe GreenGeeks is unlawfully processing your data. Please provide as much detail as possible on your reasons for the request to assist GreenGeeks in determining whether you have a valid basis for erasure.
Restriction of Processing
You have a right to require us to stop processing the personal information GreenGeeks holds about you other than for storage purposes in the following circumstances: (1) you believe the personal information is not accurate for the period it takes for us to verify whether the data is accurate; GreenGeeks wishes to erase the personal information as the processing it is doing is unlawful, but you want GreenGeeks to simply restrict the use of that data; (3) GreenGeeks no longer needs the personal information for the purposes of the processing but you require it to retain the data for the establishment, exercise or defense of legal claims; or (4) you have objected to GreenGeeks processing personal information it holds about you on the basis of its legitimate interest and you wish it to stop processing the personal information while it determines whether there is an overriding interest in GreenGeeks retaining such information.
Objection
You have the right to object to GreenGeeks’ processing of data about you and GreenGeeks will consider the request. Please provide detail as to your reasoning so that GreenGeeks can assess whether there is a compelling overriding interest in it continuing to process such data. You also have the right, at any time, to object to GreenGeeks’ processing of data about you in order to send you marketing.
Withdrawal of Consent
Where you have provided your consent to GreenGeeks processing your personal data, you can withdraw your consent at any time by visiting the Account Manager, or by contacting GreenGeeks at [email protected]
You may also have the right to make a GDPR complaint to the relevant Supervisory Authority. A list of Supervisory Authorities is available here: https://edpb.europa.eu/about-edpb/board/members_en.
CHILDREN UNDER 18
GreenGeeks does not sell products or services for purchase by children. Customers must be at least 18 years of age. Any individual under the age of 18 ("Minor") must have a parent or guardian accept the Terms of Service in order for the Minor to become a Customer. If you are under 18, we strongly encourage you to use our website only with the involvement of a parent or guardian.
International Transfers
The personal data we collect within your country may be transferred outside of your country to GreenGeeks or its third-party contractors or service providers for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, and when you provide us your personal data, you consent to any such transfers. As required by law, we rely on adequacy decisions, appropriate safeguards, or derogations when we transfer personal data across international borders.
If you are located in the EEA, UK, or Switzerland, you may request information about how we transfer your personal data across borders by contacting us at [email protected]
PRIVACY SHIELD
Although GreenGeeks is aware that the Court of Justice of the European Union has invalidated the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield Framework adequacy decision, we remain committed to subjecting all personal data transferred to the United States from the EU, UK, and Switzerland to the applicable Principles of the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield Framework and the Swiss-U.S. Privacy Shield Framework (collectively, the “Privacy Shield Principles”). We also comply with the Privacy Shield Principles for all onward transfers of personal data from the EU, UK, and Switzerland, including the onward transfer liability provisions. If there is any conflict between the terms of this Privacy Policy and the Privacy Shield Principles, the Privacy Shield Principles shall govern. To learn more about the Privacy Shield Principles, and to view our certification, visit the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Privacy Shield List at https://www.privacyshield.gov.
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has jurisdiction over our compliance with the Privacy Shield Principles. In certain situations, we may be required to disclose personal data in response to lawful requests by public authorities, including in order to meet national security or law enforcement requirements.
Pursuant to the Privacy Shield Frameworks, EU, UK, and Swiss individuals have the right to obtain our confirmation of whether we maintain personal information relating to you in the United States. Upon request, we will provide you with access to the personal information that we hold about you. You may also correct, amend, or delete the personal information we hold about you. An individual who seeks access, or who seeks to correct, amend, or delete inaccurate data transferred to the United States under Privacy Shield, should direct their query to [email protected]. If requested to remove data, we will respond within a reasonable timeframe.
We will provide an individual opt-out choice, or opt-in for sensitive data, before we share your data with third parties other than our agents, or before we use it for a purpose other than which it was originally collected or subsequently authorized. To request to limit the use and disclosure of your personal information, please submit a written request to [email protected].
GreenGeeks' accountability for personal data that it receives in the United States under the Privacy Shield and subsequently transfers to a third party is described in the Privacy Shield Principles. In particular, GreenGeeks remains responsible and liable under the Privacy Shield Principles if third-party agents that it engages to process personal data on its behalf do so in a manner inconsistent with the Principles, unless GreenGeeks proves that it is not responsible for the event giving rise to the damage.
In compliance with the Privacy Shield Principles, GreenGeeks commits to resolve complaints about your privacy and our collection or use of your personal information transferred to the United States pursuant to Privacy Shield. European Union, United Kingdom, and Swiss individuals with Privacy Shield inquiries or complaints should first contact GreenGeeks by email at [email protected]
GreenGeeks has further committed to refer unresolved privacy complaints under the Privacy Shield Principles to an independent dispute resolution mechanism, BBB NATIONAL PROGRAMS. If you do not receive timely acknowledgment of your complaint, or if your complaint is not satisfactorily addressed, please visit https://bbbprograms.org/privacy-shield-complaints/ for more information and to file a complaint. This service is provided free of charge to you.
If your Privacy Shield complaint cannot be resolved through the above channels, under certain conditions, you may invoke binding arbitration for some residual claims not resolved by other redress mechanisms. See Privacy Shield Annex 1 at https://www.privacyshield.gov/article?id=ANNEX-I-introduction.
CHANGES TO POLICY
GreenGeeks reserves the right to revise, amend, or change this Policy at any time and in any manner by posting such changes on our site. We encourage you to periodically check our site for changes to this Policy since your continued use of the site following any changes to this Policy will be deemed to constitute your acceptance of such change. The operative and effective version of this Policy will be the latest version available on the site.
If you have questions or concerns regarding this Policy, you should contact us by email at [email protected].
DATA PROCESSING AGREEMENT (DPA)
You can find the Data Processing Agreement here.