The Design Network Website Privacy Policy

This privacy policy sets out how The Design Network (also referred to as “TDN”) uses and protects any information that you give us when you use our website (referred to in this policy as the “Website”) and how the Website interacts with your computer or mobile device (collectively referred to in this policy as “Computer”). We are committed to ensuring that your privacy is protected. If we ask you to provide certain information by which you can be identified when using the Website, that information will only be used in accordance with this policy.

When you use the Website, the information you provide is collected either automatically or directly. Generally speaking, this information is used to help us assure and measure advertising relevance, facilitate the quality and functionality the Website, track usage, inform our affiliated businesses about utilization of the goods and/or services we feature, offer customer support, send you messages, improve security and to improve the security of the Website or to comply with legal obligations. A more detailed description of the types of information gathered by us, and our use of that information, appears below.

Information Provided by You. The name and the contact information you provide when you set up an account with TDN, as well as what you submit when you create a profile, is collected by the Website. These submissions include, among other things, your username and any photos you submit. Where fields are designed for public display, the information you enter may go on social network. If you wish to customize this publicly-displayed information, you can do so by adjusting the profile settings on your account.

Let us know if at any time you believe you, your identity or your likeness are being used or displayed in a way that is unauthorized. You may alert us to these or any other questions or concerns by contacting:
L. Frye;
info@thedesignnetwork.com
Post Office Box 1550
Jamestown, NC 27282
336.822.3300, extension 2157
fax: 336.822.3036.

By the act of posting information on the Website or creating an account or profile, you agree to the following:

1. the profile and account information you provide is accurate;
2. TDN’s public disclosure of any material you post such as photos, videos, comments, favorites, channel content and information for your profile;
3. TDN’s processing, delivery and storage of messages you exchange with others through the Website;
4. TDN’s investigation of potential misuse of the Website. You may be enabled to connect via your email address to third-party providers of goods and services outside of the Website. There may be certain administrative or legal notices from us that you cannot opt out of.

The following also comprise information we gather and store: search activities on the Website such as what pages are viewed and when. Your Computer may also provide us with URLs (requested or referring), type of Computer, type of browser and browser identifier, IP address, and mobile carrier.

Should you choose to connect your TDN profile to another network such as Facebook (referred to as “the other network” in this sentence) you enable the sharing of (a) your contact information from the other network with TDN; and (b) your Website activities with the other network.

Tracking Technologies
Cookies (small files with unique identifiers) are located on TDN’s website, on your Computer, the emails we send to you, or other locations. TDN may use these and other similar technologies such as local shared objects (known as “flash cookies”) and web beacons (collectively, we refer to these as “Cookies” in this policy). Cookies also help authenticate and secure transactions on the Website, store preferences, keep advertising relevant, and improve the features and functions of the Website. They may remain indefinitely or only for the duration of a single session. The following types of information about you are transmitted by means of Cookies: time and date the Website was used, browser type, search preferences, advertisements that were shown and/or clicked on. Users who are not comfortable with the use of Cookies should not use the Website, however while most web browsers automatically accept cookies, users can usually modify their browser settings to decline Cookies. Disabling Cookies may prevent you from taking full advantage of all of the features of the Website.

When and How Your Information May Be Shared
TDN does not lend, rent, assign or sell your contact information for marketing purposes by other businesses. Some information in connection with your use of the Website may be shared with third parties for one or more the following purposes:

1. In order to assure the proper performance on the Website’s functionalities, to carry out requests from you, or to otherwise provide consumer support.
2. In instances where it appears the Website is being misused, in order to comply with requests from entities that have a legitimate interest in the proper use of the Website, or to cooperate with law enforcement instructions or lawful requests from agencies with jurisdiction.
3. User information may be aggregated (without identifying your email address or non-public information), in order to help us analyze data about web page traffic, the effectiveness of our advertising and of the Website, and improve our website by tailoring it to customer needs. This information may in some instances include your public profile username, photos, favorites and any other publicly displayed profile identifiers.

Account Termination and Data Retention
You may deactivate your account whenever you wish by going to “Account Settings”. Unless prohibited by law we may keep information about you, however after your account is closed, your profile is no longer displayed and you no longer provide new information to us. Your prior postings and comments provided to forums associated with your public profile may remain public.

Google Analytics Display Advertising Feature

• The Google Analytics Display Advertising Feature has been implemented.
• We are currently using this information to better understand the interests of visitors to the Website, based on understanding their visiting and viewing behavior in greater detail.
• We are not knowingly providing this information to third parties.
• Users can opt-out of the Google Analytics Display Advertiser Features through Ads Settings, Ad Settings for mobile apps, or any other available means (for example, the NAI’s consumer opt-out). We encourage you to visit Google Analytics’ currently available opt-outs for the web if you need further information.
• We do not knowingly contact or collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe we have inadvertently collected such information, please contact us so we can promptly obtain parental consent or remove the information.

Links to Other Sites
The Website may contain links that allow you to visit other websites. Please be aware that by using these links you are leaving the Website and visiting a website over which we have no control. Therefore, we are not responsible for protection of information you provide while visiting these other sites. If you have questions about their policy on these matters, see their privacy policy.

No website can guarantee absolute security of information transmitted via the internet. However, we comply with industry standards in our efforts to protect the information you submit.

California Website users are entitled by law to the following specific consumer rights notice: The Complaint Assistance Unit of the Division of Consumer Services of the California Department of Consumer Affairs may be contacted in writing at 1625 N. Market Blvd., Suite N 112, Sacramento, California 95834, or by telephone at (800) 952-5210. For more information, go to http://www.dca.ca.gov/index.shtml

December 19, 2014