This Cookie Policy explains how Initiative Science, LLC ("Company," "we," "us," and "our") uses cookies and similar technologies to recognize you when you visit our website at http://www.stem.org ("Website"). It explains what these technologies are and why we use them, as well as your rights to control our use of them.
In some cases we may use cookies to collect personal information, or that becomes personal information if we combine it with other information.
What are cookies?
Cookies are small data files that are placed on your computer or mobile device when you visit a website. Cookies are widely used by website owners in order to make their websites work, or to work more efficiently, as well as to provide reporting information.
Cookies set by the website owner (in this case, Initiative Science, LLC ) are called "first-party cookies." Cookies set by parties other than the website owner are called "third-party cookies." Third-party cookies enable third-party features or functionality to be provided on or through the website (e.g., advertising, interactive content, and analytics). The parties that set these third-party cookies can recognize your computer both when it visits the website in question and also when it visits certain other websites.
Why do we use cookies?
We use first- and third-party cookies for several reasons. Some cookies are required for technical reasons in order for our Website to operate, and we refer to these as "essential" or "strictly necessary" cookies. Other cookies also enable us to track and target the interests of our users to enhance the experience on our Online Properties. Third parties serve cookies through our Website for advertising, analytics, and other purposes. This is described in more detail below.
How can I control cookies?
You have the right to decide whether to accept or reject cookies. You can exercise your cookie rights by setting your preferences in the Cookie Consent Manager. The Cookie Consent Manager allows you to select which categories of cookies you accept or reject. Essential cookies cannot be rejected as they are strictly necessary to provide you with services.
The Cookie Consent Manager can be found in the notification banner and on our website. If you choose to reject cookies, you may still use our website though your access to some functionality and areas of our website may be restricted. You may also set or amend your web browser controls to accept or refuse cookies.
The specific types of first- and third-party cookies served through our Website and the purposes they perform are described in the table below (please note that the specific cookies served may vary depending on the specific Online Properties you visit):
Essential website cookies:
These cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our Website and to use some of its features, such as access to secure areas.
Name:_GRECAPTCHA
Purpose:Stores a value used to verify that the user is not a bot
Provider:www.google.com
Service:reCAPTCHA View Service Privacy Policy
Country:United States
Type:http_cookie
Expires in:5 months 27 days
Name:rc::f
Purpose:Used to track and analyze user behavior to distinguish humans from bots or automated software.
Provider:www.google.com
Service:reCAPTCHA View Service Privacy Policy
Country:United States
Type:html_local_storage
Expires in:persistent
Name:rc::a
Purpose:Used to track and analyze user behavior to distinguish humans from bots or automated software.
Provider:www.google.com
Service:reCAPTCHA View Service Privacy Policy
Country:United States
Type:html_local_storage
Expires in:persistent
Analytics and customization cookies:
These cookies collect information that is used either in aggregate form to help us understand how our Website is being used or how effective our marketing campaigns are, or to help us customize our Website for you.
Name:_ga
Purpose:Records a particular ID used to come up with data about website usage by the user
Provider:.stem.org
Service:Google Analytics View Service Privacy Policy
Country:United States
Type:http_cookie
Expires in:1 year 1 month 4 days
Name:_ga_#
Purpose:Used to distinguish individual users by means of designation of a randomly generated number as client identifier, which allows calculation of visits and sessions
Provider:.stem.org
Service:Google Analytics View Service Privacy Policy
Country:United States
Type:http_cookie
Expires in:1 year 1 month 4 days
How can I control cookies on my browser?
As the means by which you can refuse cookies through your web browser controls vary from browser to browser, you should visit your browser's help menu for more information. The following is information about how to manage cookies on the most popular browsers:
In addition, most advertising networks offer you a way to opt out of targeted advertising. If you would like to find out more information, please visit:
What about other tracking technologies, like web beacons?
Cookies are not the only way to recognize or track visitors to a website. We may use other, similar technologies from time to time, like web beacons (sometimes called "tracking pixels" or "clear gifs"). These are tiny graphics files that contain a unique identifier that enables us to recognize when someone has visited our Website or opened an email including them. This allows us, for example, to monitor the traffic patterns of users from one page within a website to another, to deliver or communicate with cookies, to understand whether you have come to the website from an online advertisement displayed on a third-party website, to improve site performance, and to measure the success of email marketing campaigns. In many instances, these technologies are reliant on cookies to function properly, and so declining cookies will impair their functioning.
Do you use Flash cookies or Local Shared Objects?
Websites may also use so-called "Flash Cookies" (also known as Local Shared Objects or "LSOs") to, among other things, collect and store information about your use of our services, fraud prevention, and for other site operations.
If you do not want Flash Cookies stored on your computer, you can adjust the settings of your Flash player to block Flash Cookies storage using the tools contained in the Website Storage Settings Panel. You can also control Flash Cookies by going to the Global Storage Settings Panel and following the instructions (which may include instructions that explain, for example, how to delete existing Flash Cookies (referred to "information" on the Macromedia site), how to prevent Flash LSOs from being placed on your computer without your being asked, and (for Flash Player 8 and later) how to block Flash Cookies that are not being delivered by the operator of the page you are on at the time).
Please note that setting the Flash Player to restrict or limit acceptance of Flash Cookies may reduce or impede the functionality of some Flash applications, including, potentially, Flash applications used in connection with our services or online content.
Do you serve targeted advertising?
Third parties may serve cookies on your computer or mobile device to serve advertising through our Website. These companies may use information about your visits to this and other websites in order to provide relevant advertisements about goods and services that you may be interested in. They may also employ technology that is used to measure the effectiveness of advertisements. They can accomplish this by using cookies or web beacons to collect information about your visits to this and other sites in order to provide relevant advertisements about goods and services of potential interest to you. The information collected through this process does not enable us or them to identify your name, contact details, or other details that directly identify you unless you choose to provide these.
How often will you update this Cookie Policy?
We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time in order to reflect, for example, changes to the cookies we use or for other operational, legal, or regulatory reasons. Please therefore revisit this Cookie Policy regularly to stay informed about our use of cookies and related technologies.
The date at the top of this Cookie Policy indicates when it was last updated.
Where can I get further information?
If you have any questions about our use of cookies or other technologies, please email us at info@stem.org or by post to:
Initiative Science, LLC
24001 Southfield Road, Suite #219
Southfield, MI 48075
United States
Phone: 1-855-367-7836
Fax: 1-855-367-7836
Take the first step: Apply Online
Contact Us
STEM recognizes the importance of protecting the privacy of all information provided by users of our web sites, subscribers to our services, registrants for our events, and all other customers of our products and services. We created this policy with a fundamental respect for our customers' right to privacy and to guide our relationships with our customers. This Privacy Statement discloses the privacy practices for all products and services owned by STEM.
Information Collection and Use
STEM collects information from our website users, subscribers and other customers. In this section of our Privacy Statement, we describe the type of information we collect and how we use it to provide better services to our customers.
Registration and Ordering
Using our website and signing up for certain selected services (such as personal business lists), users must first register. During registration, users are required to give their contact information (such as name, e-mail address, mailing address and phone number). For internal purposes, we use this information to communicate with users and provide requested services, and, for our website visitors, to provide a more personalized experience on our sites. We also may collect demographic information. We use aggregate demographic information about our audience to improve our service, for marketing purposes and/or industry reporting purposes.
Many of our products and services are free to subscribers who meet certain demographic criteria. Independent auditors may need to certify the eligibility of these subscribers. In order to do that, we may collect unique identifiers (such as mother's maiden name) that we disclose to the auditors strictly for industry reporting and audit verification purposes.
For our services that require payment (Business Subscriptions), we also collect credit card information (such as account name, number and expiration date), which is used for our or our agent's billing purposes only, and is not otherwise shared.
Surveys and Contests
From time to time we invite web site users and other customers to provide information via surveys or contests. Participation in these surveys or contests is completely voluntary and the website user or other customer therefore has a choice whether to disclose requested contact information (such as name and mailing address) and demographic information (such as zip code or job title). In addition to the other uses set forth in this policy, contact information collected in connection with surveys and contests is used to notify the winners and award prizes and to monitor or improve the use of, and satisfaction with the website or other STEM product or service. Subject to the given customer's preferences (as described in the "Permission" section below), such information also may be shared with third party sponsors of such surveys or contests.
Tell-A-Friend
If customers elect to use our referral service for informing a friend about our sites and services, we may ask them for the friend's name, interests and e-mail address. STEM will store and use this information to send the friend an invitation. This information may also be used to provide information about our company and related products and services. The friend may contact us as specified in the tell-a-friend message to request that no further communications be sent.
Communications with Us
We have features where our customers can submit information to us (such as our feedback forms). Where such submissions include requests for service, support or information, we may forward them to our agents, as needed, to best respond to the specific request. In addition, we may retain e-mails and other information sent to us for our internal administrative purposes, and to help us to serve customers better. Please note that letters to the editor and similar submissions may be made public, unless they refer to current registered businesses, in which case information is not disclosed.
Communications from Us: Service Updates, Special Offers
STEM will never send email notifications to users unless they specifically request so.
Automatic Data Collection
STEM has features that automatically collect information from customers, to deliver content specific to customers' interests and to honor their preferences. This information assists us in creating products and services that will serve the needs of our customers.
For example, we use "cookies," a piece of data stored on the user's hard drive containing information about the user. Cookies benefit the user by requiring login only once, thereby saving time while on our web site. If users reject the cookies, they may be limited in the use of some areas of our web site. For example, the user may not be able to participate in sweepstakes, contests or drawings.
For our internal purposes, we gather date, time, browser type, navigation history and IP address of all visitors to our web sites. This information does not contain anything that can identify users personally. We use this information for our internal security audit log, trend analysis and system administration, and to gather broad demographic information about our user base for aggregate use.
We may combine demographic information supplied by a customer at registration with web site usage data to provide general profiles, in aggregate non-personally identifiable form, about our customers and their preferences in the content of the site and advertising. We may share this composite information with our advertisers and business affiliates to help them better understand our services.
Other than as set forth above, we do not share personally identifiable information with other companies, apart from those acting as our agents in providing our product(s)/service(s), and which agree to use it only for that purpose and to keep the information secure and confidential. Also, our parent, subsidiary and affiliate companies, entities into which our company may be merged, or entities to which any of our assets, products, sites or operations may be transferred, will be able to use personal information. We will also disclose information we maintain when required to do so by law, for example, in response to a court order or a subpoena or other legal obligation, in response to a law enforcement agency's request, or in special cases when we have reason to believe that disclosing this information is necessary to identify, contact or bring legal action against someone who may be causing injury to or interference with (either intentionally or unintentionally) our rights or property. Users should also be aware that courts of equity, such as U.S. Bankruptcy Courts, might have the authority under certain circumstances to permit personal information to be shared or transferred to third parties without permission.
We may share aggregate information, which is not personally identifiable, with others. This information may include usage and demographic data, but it will not include personal information.
Permission
Our customers are given the opportunity to choose whether to receive information from our affiliates and us not directly related to the product or service for which they registered (or which they otherwise agreed to receive). Customers also have the opportunity to choose whether to have personal information shared with third parties for marketing purposes.
Please note that we will endeavor to implement your permission requests within a reasonable time, although for a time you may continue to receive mailings, etc., transmitted based on information released prior to the implementation of your request. In addition, please note that even after such request is implemented, your page will continue to update information directly related to the service for which you registered (or which you otherwise agreed to receive), so you always are kept updated.
Security
We use reasonable precautions to protect our customers' personal information and to store it securely. Sensitive information that is transmitted to us online (such as credit card number, only applies to Businesses) is encrypted and is transmitted to us securely. In addition, access to all of our customers' information, not just the sensitive information mentioned above, is restricted. Finally, the servers on which we store personally identifiable information are kept in a secure environment.
Links
STEM may contain links to other sites. STEM is not responsible for the privacy practices or content of such other sites. We encourage our users to be aware when they leave our site and to read the privacy statements of each web site to which we may link that may collect personally identifiable information.
Children
STEM websites are not directed at individuals under thirteen years of age, and STEM does not intend to collect any personally-identifiable information from such individuals.
Notification and Changes
If we change our Privacy Statement, we will post those changes on this page so our users are aware of what information we collect, how we use it and under which circumstances, if any, we disclose it. Users should check this policy frequently to keep abreast of any changes.
Terms & Conditions
These Website Standard Terms and Conditions written on this webpage shall manage your use of our website, www.STEM.org.
These Terms will be applied fully and affect to your use of this Website. By using this Website, you agreed to accept all terms and conditions written in here. You must not use this Website if you disagree with any of these Website Standard Terms and Conditions.
Minors or people below 18 years old are not allowed to use this Website.
Intellectual Property Rights
Other than the content you own, under these Terms, STEM.org and/or its licensors own all the intellectual property rights and materials contained in this Website.
You are granted limited license only for purposes of viewing the material contained on this Website.
Restrictions
You are specifically restricted from all of the following:
publishing any Website material in any other media;
selling, sublicensing and/or otherwise commercializing any Website material;
publicly performing and/or showing any Website material;
using this Website in any way that is or may be damaging to this Website;
using this Website in any way that impacts user access to this Website;
using this Website contrary to applicable laws and regulations, or in any way may cause harm to the Website, or to any person or business entity;
engaging in any data mining, data harvesting, data extracting or any other similar activity in relation to this Website;
using this Website to engage in any advertising or marketing.
Certain areas of this Website are restricted from being access by you and STEM.org may further restrict access by you to any areas of this Website, at any time, in absolute discretion. Any user ID and password you may have for this Website are confidential and you must maintain confidentiality as well.
Your Content
In these Website Standard Terms and Conditions, "Your Content" shall mean any audio, video text, images or other material you choose to display on this Website. By displaying Your Content, you grant STEM.org a non-exclusive, worldwide irrevocable, sub licensable license to use, reproduce, adapt, publish, translate and distribute it in any and all media.
Your Content must be your own and must not be invading any third-party's rights. STEM.org reserves the right to remove any of Your Content from this Website at any time without notice.
No warranties
This Website is provided "as is," with all faults, and STEM.org express no representations or warranties, of any kind related to this Website or the materials contained on this Website. Also, nothing contained on this Website shall be interpreted as advising you.
Limitation of liability
In no event shall STEM.org, nor any of its officers, directors and employees, shall be held liable for anything arising out of or in any way connected with your use of this Website whether such liability is under contract. STEM.org, including its officers, directors and employees shall not be held liable for any indirect, consequential or special liability arising out of or in any way related to your use of this Website.
Indemnification
You hereby indemnify to the fullest extent STEM.org from and against any and/or all liabilities, costs, demands, causes of action, damages and expenses arising in any way related to your breach of any of the provisions of these Terms.
Severability
If any provision of these Terms is found to be invalid under any applicable law, such provisions shall be deleted without affecting the remaining provisions herein.
Variation of Terms
STEM.org is permitted to revise these Terms at any time as it sees fit, and by using this Website you are expected to review these Terms on a regular basis.
Assignment
STEM.org is allowed to assign, transfer, and subcontract its rights and/or obligations under these Terms without any notification. However, you are not allowed to assign, transfer, or subcontract any of your rights and/or obligations under these Terms.
Entire Agreement
These Terms constitute the entire agreement between STEM.org and you in relation to your use of this Website, and supersede all prior agreements and understandings.
Governing Law & Jurisdiction
These Terms will be governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of Michigan, and you submit to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located in The United States of America for the resolution of any disputes.
General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
We are a Data Controller of your information.
STEM.org's legal basis for collecting and using the personal information described in this Privacy Policy depends on the Personal Information we collect and the specific context in which we collect the information:
STEM.org needs to perform a contract with you
You have given STEM.org permission to do so
Processing your personal information is in STEM.org legitimate interests
STEM.org needs to comply with the law
STEM.org will retain your personal information only for as long as is necessary for the purposes set out in this Privacy Policy. We will retain and use your information to the extent necessary to comply with our legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our policies.
If you are a resident of the European Economic Area (EEA), you have certain data protection rights. If you wish to be informed what Personal Information we hold about you and if you want it to be removed from our systems, please contact us.
In certain circumstances, you have the following data protection rights:
The right to access, update or to delete the information we have on you.
The right of rectification
.
The right to object.
The right of restriction.
The right to data portability
The right to withdraw consent
Log Files
STEM.org follows a standard procedure of using log files. These files log visitors when they visit STEM.org. All hosting companies do this and a part of hosting services' analytics. The information collected by log files include internet protocol (IP) addresses, browser type, Internet Service Provider (ISP), date and time stamp, referring/exit pages, and possibly the number of clicks. These are not linked to any information that is personally identifiable. The purpose of the information is for analyzing trends, administering the site, tracking users' movement on the STEM.org, and gathering demographic information.
Cookies and Web Beacons
Like any other website, STEM.org uses 'cookies'. These cookies are used to store information including visitors' preferences, and the pages on the website that the visitor accessed or visited. The information is used to optimize the users' experience by customizing our web page content based on visitors' browser type and/or other information.
DoubleClick DART Cookie
Google is one of a third-party vendor on our site. It also uses cookies, known as DART cookies, to serve ads to our site visitors based upon their visit to www.STEM.org and other sites on the internet. However, visitors may choose to decline the use of DART cookies by visiting the Google ad and content network Privacy Policy at the following URL - https://policies.google.com/technologies/ads.
Some of advertisers on our site may use cookies and web beacons. Our advertising partners are listed below. Each of our advertising partners has their own Privacy Policy for their policies on user data. For easier access, we hyperlinked to their Privacy Policies below.
You may consult this list to find the Privacy Policy for each of the advertising partners of STEM.org.
Third-party ad servers or ad networks uses technologies like cookies, JavaScript, or Web Beacons that are used in their respective advertisements and links that appear on STEM.org, which are sent directly to users' browser. They automatically receive your IP address when this occurs. These technologies are used to measure the effectiveness of their advertising campaigns and/or to personalize the advertising content that you see on websites that you visit.
Note that STEM.org has no access to or control over these cookies that are used by third-party advertisers.
Third Part Privacy Policies
STEM.org's Privacy Policy does not apply to other advertisers or websites. Thus, we are advising you to consult the respective Privacy Policies of these third-party ad servers for more detailed information. It may include their practices and instructions about how to opt-out of certain options. You may find a complete list of these Privacy Policies and their links here: Privacy Policy Links.
You can choose to disable cookies through your individual browser options. To know more detailed information about cookie management with specific web browsers, it can be found at the browsers' respective websites. What Are Cookies?
Children's Information
Another part of our priority is adding protection for children while using the internet. We encourage parents and guardians to observe, participate in, and/or monitor and guide their online activity.
STEM.org does not knowingly collect any Personal Identifiable Information from children under the age of 13. If you think that your child provided this kind of information on our website, we strongly encourage you to contact us immediately and we will do our best efforts to promptly remove such information from our records.
Online Privacy Policy Only
This privacy policy applies only to our online activities and is valid for visitors to our website with regards to the information that they shared and/or collect in STEM.org. This policy is not applicable to any information collected offline or via channels other than this website.
Consent
By using our website, you hereby consent to our Privacy Policy and agree to its Terms and Conditions.
