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New Zealand Privacy Policy
21 April 2017
Prior version here
Introduction
We care about your privacy as much as we care about our own. MessageBird collects and processes personal information from everyone who visits our publicly available website, communicates with us, creates an account, and uses our products and services. In this page, we will explain how, why we do so, and what you can do about it.
Please carefully review this policy before you submit any information on or through our platform. By visiting this website and by using any part of the MessageBird services and products, you consent to the collection, use, disclosure and sharing of your and end users information as further outlined below.
MessageBird
MessageBird is a telecom software company disrupting the industry with its innovative SMS, Chat and Voice API solutions.
Our customers are generally companies that integrate our services in their business operations through their own software applications. Others use our website interface. We do not directly interact with our customers’ end users as the information that companies submit is shared with us on their sole discretion in accordance with our General Terms and Conditions (“Terms”).
What We Collect and How We Use It
Generally speaking, we only collect relevant and necessary information for the purposes of: providing you with information about our products and services, to enable you to access and use our products and services, to analyse our customers’ usage of our products and services, to improve our products and services, and to detect and secure your account from fraudulent or unlawful activity.
We will only use your data for the purposes described below and only to achieve those purposes. For example, if you send queries through the “Talk to Sales” webform, we will only use this information to reply to your questions and know how to get back to you to provide you with the answer.
While you browse our website, you can directly interact with us by filling in different web forms. You can ‘Talk to Sales’ or ‘Talk to Support’ through our Intercom live chat (in the bottom right corner of any of our web pages). You can also share your information by sending us an email or by subscribing to our newsletter. If you do any of the described actions, we will collect the information that you are asked to provide such as your name, email address, and the content of your inquiries. When you reach out for assistance, we gather data from your account related to how you’re using our platform, your business needs, some contact details and so on, to tailor our assistance and provide the best possible response to your inquiry. You can decide to sign up to our newsletters. If you choose to, we will ask for some personal information, such as your email address and your name. Via a thid party, MessageBird will use the information collected from you for hosting the online platform to enable MessageBird’s to create, send and manage electronic newsletters. You can choose at any time to stop the subscription by opting out. You can do so by clicking ‘unsubscribe at the end of our newsletters.
When you create a free trial account, you’ll share some personal information: your name and email address as well as your username and password of choice. You can also sign up through your Google or Github account. By doing so, you allow third parties to share your email address and basic profile information. When you sign up, you will have to authenticate yourself by activating your account via a link sent to you through the email address you provided. You will then need to log-in with the username and password you previously created. We will thus use your basic information to identify you and make sure that you are a human being.
To try our SMS API you will need to share your number to text it. This way, you will be given the option to use our free trial credits, before deciding to upgrade your account.
We might ask for your telephone number in other circumstances too. We may ask you for it so that our sales team can contact you or If you decide to set up a two-factor authentication for your account. To enhance your security, you will need to enter your digits to which we will communicate verification codes to verify that it is you logging into your account. Furthermore, that number can also be used as a voice caller id.
When you buy credits or subscribe to a plan, we need more information. This includes your company details, billing addresses and preferred payment method(s). You will also be assigned an Account ID, which we’ll use to process your orders, assign invoices, and track API requests. If you integrate our APIs into your software application, you will be given an authentication token which allows us to identify you when you send the requests.
We keep a record of your account credentials, so when you instruct our APIs using your details, we know that it is you assigning the commands. Moreover, this way we can identify you when you talk to your account manager or our support team. We may also use it to improve our own internal processes and services or training our team members.
Some services might require additional information on the basis of the applicable laws. For instance, if you want to operate in Canada, Denmark, Malaysia, or the United States, you will need specific approval. You can do this on your account portal. To do so, we require details like the purpose of your campaign, and a template or an example of an SMS that you would send via MessageBird. To complete this procedure, we will share this information to local authorities.
When you use our products and services, we collect what commands your application have communicated to MessageBird, your IP address, how many times you used a MessageBird product or service, when the product or service was used by you or your end users, the number of calls or messages made or received, the length of calls or messages, where those calls or messages originated or terminated, how those calls or messages were routed, and whether or not the connection was successful.
We collect data automatically when we place cookies and other first and third party tracking technologies on your browser. The information we collect would normally include your IP address, your browser type, which pages have been visited, in what order, if the visitor is new or recurring, and other information that we use to assist us in the maintenance and improvement of our website and business. This data will only be used to ensure the website works correctly, to store any preferences you may have registered (e.g. language preference), to remarket our products and services to previous visitors, and to generate and review data and reports describing our website User base and usage patterns. If you want to know more about cookies and web beacons, and the way you can change your settings, please continue to our Cookie Policy below.
Information We Share
Unless you give us permission, we won’t share your information with third parties, except when necessary as in these circumstances:
- Telephony operators and other communications service providers as necessary for proper routing and connectivity. We reach people’s smartphones through telecom operators and other communication service providers all over the world such as Telegram and WeChat (often referred to as Over-The-Top (OTT) communications service providers).
- Third-party service providers to perform necessary actions on our behalf. We may share personal information with third-party service providers who need access such as to process payment and to prevent fraud.
- Compliance with laws. We diligently comply with the applicable laws regarding data protection and privacy. In case of legal obligation, we will present data from users to third parties, such as to report criminal acts or threats to public security to a competent authority;
- Affiliates. We may share data collected from you from the MessageBird website with our affiliates to complete internal procedures within our branches all over the world. We will only use the data as described in this Privacy Policy.
- Targeted Advertising. As a matter of policy, we will not sell or rent any information to a third party for any advertising or marketing purposes. We do however use direct marketing through Google Adwords. You can find out more on how to manage your advertising preferences by checking out our Cookie Policy below or by visiting the advertising settings in your browser.
International Transfer (outside EEA area)
Given that the Internet is a global environment, using it to collect and process personal data necessarily involves the transmission on an international basis. When data travels outside the EEA area, we take all the appropriate and necessary steps to ensure that our outsourcing partners have sufficient guarantees and safeguards in place to properly treat and protect your data in accordance with the applicable laws. We collaborate with international mobile operators and other third parties all over the world by entering, when required, into appropriate contracts to ensure compliance with the applicable data protection laws.
By using our services, you consent to transferring your data to these countries.
Data Security and Compliance Obligations
We cannot guarantee the safety of the data as we cannot control unauthorised access or use of data. However, we take all the appropriate measures to keep our and your data as secure as possible. The measures we implement vary on sensitivity of the data involved, state of art technology, implementation costs, and security risks. MessageBird maintains a comprehensive and written information security policy that contains industry standard, administrative, technical and physical safeguards designed to prevent unauthorized access and use of personal information within the company.
The information within our storage is password protected so that only the User has access to the User's personal and account information. The username and password of the User are strictly personal and should be kept secret. User is responsible for any abuse of the username/password and shall immediately notify us of any loss, theft and/or abuse at legal@messagebird.com (Subject: Privacy [URGENT]).
Personal Information Retention
MessageBird retains personal information in a form that allows user identification for a period necessary to fulfil the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy - unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law. Following that, we might keep your data in a non-identifiable form for archival, statistical and/or other legitimate purposes.
Your Rights and Choices
MessageBird respects User control. Users have the right to make choices about the data that we collect and store. In line with our commitments and the applicable laws, data subjects have the right to the following:
- Withdraw consent: At any time, you can withdraw your consent to our processing, unless it is based on another lawful grounds or we have legal obligations to keep your data. For instance, if you decide to delete your account but you fail to pay your past invoices, we would still keep your information and require you to fulfil your payment duties.
- Deletion, Access, and Changes to Your Data: To the extent permitted, users can amend, delete and view what personal data is being held about them. You can edit your information through the dashboard or ask us directly to update your information. The platform also gives you access to an overview of a content that you can export (such as your contact lists as well as your sent and received SMS up to 30 days of delivery). After those 30 days, the information will be anonymised and will be only accessible as statistics. Users can request us to obtain a copy of their personal information via email. Just write at legal@messagebird.com (Subject: Privacy) or via mail through our contact details reported below. Electronic requests to receive your copy are free of charge and will be sent to you in a CSV format or other applicable machine-readable format. All requests will be dealt without undue delay, and within one month from notification. A further extension up to three months may apply depending on the circumstances (e.g. if the information will prejudice the rights of any other individual or in complex cases). When you delete or you request us to delete your information, we might still be required to retain anonymised or aggregated information about you (that will not be able to identify you) for legitimate and necessary purposes to the extent permitted by law. We will also not delete your data if we are legally required to maintain it. For example, we may retain your personal information for backup, archival, or audit purposes, to prevent fraud, to resolve disputes, troubleshoot problems, to assist with any investigations, to enforce our Terms, and any other action otherwise permitted by law. Please note that to complete any of these requests, MessageBird might need to identify you.
- Cookies and tracking technologies: When you visit our website for the first time, you will be shown a small pop-up window asking you to accept to our use of specific cookies and plugins. You can either click ‘accept’ or decide specifically what information you want to share with us. Note that you can always change your preferences by referring to your Browser Setting, our Cookie Settings, and Cookie Policy below.
Children
Our services and products are not directed to Children under the age of 16. In certain jurisdictions, the age of digital majority may be set below or above; in which case, you must satisfy that age to become a member. We do not knowingly collect and/or process any personal information directly from children. If we discover we have received personal information from a child, either as a customer or end user, without parental or legal consent, in violation of this Policy, our Terms, and/or the local applicable laws, we will take reasonable steps to delete that information as quickly as possible. If you believe we have any of such information from or about a child, please contact us at legal@messagebird.com (Subject: Privacy [Children]).
Links, Third Party Websites and Social Networking Sites (SNS)
Our Online Services and communications may embed hyperlinks to other websites that are not owned or controlled by MessageBird and SNS (collectively, “Linked Sites”). We are not responsible for the privacy practices, policies, notices or content of any Linked Sites, even if you link to them from our Services. This Website Privacy Policy does not apply to any Linked Sites. We have no control over the collection or use of information on any Linked Site. We encourage you to read and understand the privacy practices, policies, notices, and content of any Linked Sites that you visit.
Changes In Our Privacy Policy
Please note that this policy might be subject to changes from time to time. MessageBird reserves the right to change, update, modify, or remove any part of this Privacy Policy. Amendments reflect our commitment to gain your trust in managing and protecting your personal information. If any modifications substantially affect your rights under this policy, we will send you an email where possible. Users will be always duly informed and may decide whether to continue to use our services or not in accordance with the new terms.
Disputes
If you have any dispute with us relating to our privacy practices, please contact our legal team at legal@messagebird.com (Subject: Privacy [Dispute]). Most disputes can be resolved that way. If it can’t, please refer to the Terms, which describes how disputes will be resolved between us. Please be sure to review the Terms before you use any of our products and services.
How You Can Contact Us
We take privacy concerns into high consideration. Do you still have some questions left regarding the processing of your personal information when you use our website and services? Do you have any feedback or suggestions to make this policy better?
Do not hesitate to contact us if you have additional questions you want to ask, we might have the answer you’re looking for! If you unsatisfied with the reply received, you may refer your complaint to the relevant regulator in your jurisdiction.
We take privacy very seriously. You can reach us at legal@messagebird.com (Subject: Privacy) or write us at our HQ address:
MessageBird B.V.
attn. Communications Department (Privacy),
Baarsjesweg 285
1058 AE Amsterdam
The Netherlands
Do you live in Florida, California, Singapore, Germany, China, Australia or in the UK? Check out our local addresses if you prefer old-fashioned mail.
Cookie Policy
We sometimes place small data files, called cookies, or other tracking technologies on your browser. A cookie is a small text file that a website saves on your computer or mobile device when you visit a website. MessageBird uses both session and persistent cookies. Session cookies are cookies that disappear from your computer or browser when you logout of your account or close your browser. Persistent cookies are stored even after you’ve closed the page.
Keep reading to find out what those services are, how we use them, and what choices you can make about them. Most cookies can be blocked or removed from your browser at any time by following the relevant procedure specific to your browser. For example, they may contain an option to clear your browsing history or to browse incognito or in private mode. Please note that when you block cookies on this site, the site may not function as designed. For example, you will be unable to log in where appropriate or to retain any user preferences, so information may appear in the wrong locale or be unavailable.
We make use of third party providers to put cookies in place. Opt-out tools are also provided by third parties, not by MessageBird. We do not control or operate these tools or the options that advertisers and others provide through these tools. This list is subject to change and it may not include all such providers at any given time.
| Cookie Type | Description | Management Settings |
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Required cookies |
We use required cookies to keep your account and information safe. They make it possible to authenticate users, prevent fraudulent use of login credentials, and protect accounts information from unauthorised access.
Each time you log in to your MessageBird account, a cookie containing an encrypted, unique identifier that is tied to your account is placed on your browser. These cookies allow MessageBird to uniquely identify you when you’re logged into your account and to process your online requests and transactions. |
Required cookies cannot be opted out. They are necessary to operate the account portal. |
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We also use third party providers for required cookies.
SiftScience We use SiftScience to prevent and detect fraud. |
You can read about SiftScience Service Privacy Policy here. |
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Functionality cookies |
To make this site work properly and to improve its user friendliness, MessageBird uses functional cookies. For example, we use those to save your language preferences and location so you do not have to change them every time you visit our site. These cookies will expire after 1 year. |
You can use your browser settings to opt out of functionality cookies. For more information on how to do that, click here. If you opt out, that might affect the functionality of the website and account portal. |
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We may also have third party service providers that help us provide you with the best possible user experience.
Third party service providers that currently place functionality cookies include:
Intercom Intercom is a customer relationship management and messaging tool. We use Intercom to record analysis of user activity and provide a communication mechanism. This allows us to provide you with help and support when using MessageBird.
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Intercom’s privacy policy is available here. |
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Performance cookies |
MessageBird makes use of analytical cookies to keep track of visitors’ browsing patterns to improve our interface and user experience. These cookies collect data about how visitors interact with our site. This data includes information like which pages visitors go to the most and it is intended to be anonymous and used to improve how the site functions and performs. |
You can use your browser settings to opt out of performance cookies. For more information on how to do that, click here. |
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Third party service providers that currently place performance cookies and plugins include: |
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Google Analytics We use Google Analytics to gain insights into our website traffic and marketing effectiveness. With Google Analytics we track information such as the pages that are visited, for how long, what browser is used and from which pages users exit. This will give us a better understanding of how our website is used. It also serves as guidance to improve our website and its specific pages.
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Don't want your visit data reported by any website that uses Google Analytics? Learn about the opt out browser plugin. |
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Mixpanel Mixpanel helps us better understand how users behave on our site. We use this information to continuously improve our interface and your experience.
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You can opt out from Mixpanel here. |
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Segment MessageBird uses Segment to manage third party cookies in one place. Segment itself does not store any data but merely passes it along to third-parties it is connected to. Those include all the above mentioned tools, except for Google Analytics, and only partially for SiftScience. |
Find more about Segment here. |
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Targeting or Advertising cookies |
We use third party providers to connect with Users that have already shown interest in our services (by visiting our website before) and new users when they search for terms related to our products and services.
MessageBird sometimes uses cookies placed by its third party service providers to track the performance of our advertisements. For example, these cookies remember which browsers have visited our site.
The data we send to our third parties does not include information that personally identifies you, but it might be re-associated with information that identifies you specifically after MessageBird receives it. |
To learn more about and how you can opt out of targeting and advertising cookies, you can visit this link if you are in the US, this link if you are in the European Union, or this link if you reside in Canada.
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MessageBird uses third-party advertising networks that collect IP addresses and other data from web beacons (see below) on our site, from emails, and on third-party websites. Ad networks follow your online activities over time through automated tracking technologies.
They use this data to provide ads about products and services tailored to your interests. You may see these ads on other websites. This helps us manage and track the effectiveness of our marketing. |
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Below are third parties that currently place tracking technologies on MessageBird site. The cookies duration differs. Storage can go up to 540 days from the time you clicked on the ad. |
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Google DoubleClick We use this service for advertising optimisation. DoubleClick allows us to understand our audience with real-time data and unified insights and to take control of cross-screen campaigns. This means that if you have enabled your mobile and desktop devices to track your activity in any device you’ve logged into with your Google account, we can re-market our products to you wherever you are browsing, even on another device signed into with your Google credentials. |
You can find out more about Google Double Click here.
You can opt out of Google Ads here.
Please note that you will still see ads but those will not necessarily be relevant to you once you’ve opted out. |
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Google Analytics Audience This is a Google Analytics tool that makes it possible for us to re-market our services and products to people who have already visited our websites. We build these audiences on the data we already have in Google Analytics. |
For more information on opting out of Google advertising tracking technologies, click here. You can opt out from Google Ads here. |
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Google AdWords Conversion We fortify our advertising efforts by using Google AdWords remarketing tag (advertising cookies). The information it collects are restricted to the pages you have visited on our domain. |
For more information on opting out of Google advertising tracking technologies, click here. You can opt out from Google Ads here. |
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Google Dynamic Remarketing We use Google Dynamic Remarketing to target search engine marketing to users of the Google search engine. |
For more information on opting out of Google advertising tracking technologies, click here. You can opt out from Google Ads here. |
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Twitter Advertising We use Twitter Advertising to target and track the success of social ads placed on twitter.com. |
For information on opting-out of Twitter Advertising tracking technologies, click here. |
What We Do With IP Addresses
When you visit our website or account portal, or use our products and services, we collect your IP address. We use IP addresses to track and analyse information about the devices that interact with our systems and to know where these devices are located. For example, we use IP addresses to know where our website visitors come from as well as to detect the location of account logins to help us detect possible fraud.
Web Beacon
A web beacon is an object placed in a webpage or email we use to check whether a user has accessed its content. We use web beacons along with cookies to gather data about your use of the MessageBird site and account portal, along with your interaction with our emails. For example, we may put web beacons in promotional emails that notify us when you click on a link in the email that leads you to our website or one of its pages.
Do Not Track
Do not track (DNT) is an optional browser setting that allows you to express your preferences in respect to direct advertising. We do not currently respond to DNT browser requests.