MechLink
This privacy policy applies to mechandlink.com and all other websites, applications, or mobile applications (collectively referred to as "Sites") owned and operated by MechLink and its various subsidiaries (collectively referred to as "MechLink Services," "we," or "our"), including any other related top-level and sub-level domains, except in cases where a different privacy statement is explicitly indicated.
Our policy outlines what information we collect, how we collect this information, the purposes for which we collect it (including the legal basis for processing your personal information), how we use this information, with whom we share this information, and under what circumstances this information is disclosed. Our policy also explains what rights you have regarding your personal information, the measures we take to protect your private information, and what steps you should take to protect this information. Finally, our policy will tell you whom to contact with questions about our policy. If you need assistance or encounter any issues accessing this policy or the Sites, please contact us at info@mechandlink.com. Significant changes will be communicated by posting an updated version of the policy on this website.
Unless otherwise stated, the disclosure describing how and why we collect and use your personal information also describes how and why we have collected and used your personal information in the past twelve months.
We collect the following categories of personal information about you. Please note that the personal information we collect about you may vary depending on the nature of your interactions with us and may include, but is not limited to, all examples listed below:
Identifiers: such as your name, alias, postal address (including city, state, postal code, and country), unique personal identifier, online identifier, email address, telephone numbers, auxiliary numbers, account name, IP address, social security number, driver's license number, passport number, and other similar identifiers you provide to us.
Personal Records: such as name, signature, social security number, address, telephone number, passport number, driver's license or ID number, bank account number, credit card number, debit card number, or other financial information.
Characteristics of Protected Classes: including age and date of birth, gender.
Commercial Information: including records of personal property, products or services purchased, obtained, or considered, or other purchasing or consuming histories or tendencies.
Internet or Other Electronic Network Activity Information: such as your Internet or similar activity, usage statistics, information about your device (including browser and operating system), your browsing history, search history, information regarding interactions with our Sites, application logs, device data, and registration, social media account information or advertisements, access times, and referring websites.
Geolocation Data.
Audio, Electronic, Visual, or Similar Information.
Professional or Employment Information: such as your job title, company name (including company website URL and number of employees).
Inferences Drawn from Any Information We Collect: to create a profile reflecting your preferences, characteristics, psychological trends, predispositions, behavior, attitudes, intelligence, abilities, and aptitudes.
Sensitive Personal Information: including personal information that reveals a consumer's social security number, driver's license, state ID, or passport number; personal information that reveals a consumer's account login, financial account, debit card, or credit card number, in combination with any required security or access code, password, or credentials allowing access to an account; and precise geolocation data.
We may request additional information from you based on certain transactions, contracts, or regulatory requirements. We will inform you of what information is required and how it will be used.
We collect information about you and how you interact with us in various ways, including:
Information You Provide Directly to Us: We collect information you provide directly to us, such as when you register an account on any of our Sites or submit information to us (e.g., related to bidding or purchasing, when you submit inquiries, etc.).
Information Collected or Inferred Automatically from Your Interactions with Us: We automatically collect technical information about your interactions with us (e.g., IP address and browsing history).
Information from Public Sources.
Information from Third Parties: We receive information about you and your interactions with us from third parties, such as your employer or colleagues, third-party service and content providers, credit reporting agencies, companies that provide or sell potential buyer lists, and others who interact with us.
Information Collected Through Interactive Website Features: We may receive personal information from vendors providing certain interactive features on our Sites. Your use of these interactive features is voluntary, and we may retain personal information you submit through these features. For example, we may provide interactive chat features on our Sites to answer questions and for other customer service purposes. When you engage in interactive chat with virtual or live agents, the chat content may be captured and stored as records. By using these features, you understand that our vendors may process information obtained through the feature to provide services on our behalf.
We may combine information received from various sources described in this policy (including third-party sources and public sources) and use it for the purposes outlined below.
If you provide us with your personal information offline, this policy applies to our collection and use of your information.
We may use your information in the following ways:
To Provide Services to You: such as completing transactions with you; registering and managing your account; establishing and facilitating our business relationship with you; responding to your inquiries, complaints, or requests; and understanding your preferences and needs.
For Our Own Internal Business Purposes: such as managing and improving our Sites; tracking and reporting website traffic; analyzing customer demographics and interests; helping diagnose potential issues with our servers; enhancing or developing features, products, and services; monitoring and analyzing information about your browsing and viewing preferences; and otherwise protecting or promoting our legitimate interests.
For Legal, Safety, or Security Reasons: such as complying with legal requirements; protecting our safety, property, or the rights of others; detecting, preventing, and responding to security incidents or other malicious, deceptive, fraudulent, or illegal activities.
In De-Identified, Anonymous, or Aggregated Formats: When converted to de-identified, anonymous, or aggregated formats, data no longer constitutes personal information, and we may use this information for any purpose. We may use anonymous or aggregated information and share it with third parties.
For Marketing: We may use your personal information to send you email reminders about upcoming sales and newsletters, as well as information about products and services we think you may be interested in. In compliance with applicable data protection laws, we will obtain your prior consent before sending you email reminders and newsletters.
For Any Other Purpose with Your Consent.
We may share your personal information with the following categories of recipients:
MechLink Affiliates: We may share your personal information within MechLink business entities.
Service Providers: We may share your personal information with external service providers, such as Salesforce, Oracle Eloqua, Amazon Web Services, and Microsoft Azure, whose services we may use from time to time to help us provide services to you and assist us in conducting business activities.
Shared with Third Parties to Provide Services or Communication to You: We may also provide the necessary information to other Site users, vendors, third-party partners, subcontractors, or service providers to deliver the services you request or complete transactions.
Business Partners, Other Site Users, or Third Parties: We may also provide your personal information to our business partners, Site users, or third parties for their own use, including for third-party marketing. Where required by law, we will obtain your consent before such sharing occurs.
Law Enforcement, Legal Entities, and Government Entities: In response to a subpoena, court order, or official request, we may share your personal information with law enforcement, legal entities, or government entities, or share your personal information at their request to investigate, prevent, or take action regarding suspected illegal activities, fraud, or potential threats, or to exercise legal rights or defend against claims when we believe it is necessary to protect your safety or the safety of others, or as otherwise required or permitted by law.
Third Parties as Part of a Sale or Merger: As we continue to develop our business, we may sell or buy assets. If another entity acquires us or merges with us, your personal information will be disclosed to that entity. Additionally, if we sell assets of a business unit, your personal information (if held by that business unit) may be considered an asset of ours and therefore may be sold or transferred to the third-party buyer.
Auditors: We may provide transaction-related information to government or private auditors to examine or verify our business practices, accounting records, or financial reports. Any information released for this purpose will be subject to standard confidentiality restrictions.
We disclose the above categories of personal information to our service providers and contractors for the following business or commercial purposes.
Ensuring the security and integrity of personal information
Debugging to identify and fix errors that impair existing intended functionality
Short-term, transient use, including but not limited to non-personalized advertising
Providing services on our behalf
Providing advertising and marketing services (excluding cross-context behavioral advertising)
Conducting internal research for technological development and demonstration
Undertaking activities to verify or maintain the quality or safety of services or devices that we own, manufacture, manufacture for us, or control
Processing, maintaining, or collecting personal information on our behalf
Detecting or preventing malicious, deceptive, fraudulent, or illegal activity
For internal use by service providers
We disclose personal information to vendors facilitating cross-context behavioral advertising, targeted advertising, and other advertising and marketing, including through cookies, as explained below in 'Do We Use Cookies?'. We have sold and/or shared the following categories of personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising and targeted advertising:
Identifiers
Personal records
Internet or other electronic network activity information
Geolocation data
Inferences
The categories of recipients to whom we may sell and share personal information include our vendors and other third parties for cross-context behavioral advertising and targeted advertising, as well as other marketing and advertising services we use on our website. We do not knowingly sell or share personal information of consumers under 16 years of age. If you provide us with personal information for an inquiry, the basis for processing is our legitimate interest as a business to respond to your inquiry, or where legitimate interest is not a lawful processing basis in your jurisdiction, we will rely on your consent.
If we establish a business relationship with you, we rely on the legal basis of entering into a contract with you, processing your personal information in accordance with that contractual relationship, and completing transactions with you.
If we process your personal information to send you marketing information (e.g., purchase reminder emails, information about upcoming sales events, special announcements, etc.), we will rely on the legal basis of legitimate interest and/or consent (if required and obtained) to process your personal information for these purposes. You have the right to withdraw consent at any time. If consent is the only lawful basis for processing, we will cease processing data after you withdraw consent.
If we use your personal information to enhance or develop features, products, and services, we will rely on the legal basis of legitimate interest, as our legitimate interest is to provide responsive services to our customers to ensure their satisfaction, or where legitimate interest is not a permissible legal processing basis in your jurisdiction, we will rely on your consent.
If we process your personal information to comply with our legal and regulatory obligations, we will rely on the legal basis that such processing is necessary to fulfill a legal obligation.
Before we change the reason for using any personal information you have provided to us, we will notify you of our intention to change the purpose of the information, ensure such use complies with applicable data protection laws, and seek your consent if necessary before using your personal information in a new way.
Your personal information will typically be stored and processed in Frankfurt, Germany. Your personal data may be stored and processed in any country where we or our affiliates or authorized partners have facilities or operations, including but not limited to the United Kingdom and the United States. Under the laws of these jurisdictions, information processed in other countries may be subject to access requests from governments, courts, or law enforcement agencies in those jurisdictions.
We will retain the categories of personal information listed above for the period necessary for the purposes described in this notice or for any additional period authorized by law. This typically means retaining information for a period consistent with one of the following:
Your personal information is reasonably necessary for managing our operations, managing our relationship with you, or fulfilling other purposes for which we collect the information;
Your personal information is reasonably necessary for purposes compatible with the disclosures made in the context of collecting personal information;
The information is reasonably necessary to protect or defend our rights or property (this is usually associated with the applicable statute of limitations for specific actions);
We are otherwise required or permitted to retain your information by applicable law or regulations.
We will not retain your personal information for longer than necessary for the purposes for which it was collected or as described in this policy. When determining the relevant retention period, we consider the following factors:
Our contractual obligations to you;
Legal obligations under applicable law to retain data for a certain period;
Statutory limitation periods under applicable law;
(Potential) disputes;
Compliance, regulatory, and audit purposes;
Guidelines issued by relevant national data protection authorities.Otherwise, once your personal information is no longer needed, we will securely anonymize or delete it. For more information on how long we will retain your personal information, please contact us using the contact details provided below.
A. UK and EEA Rights
Regarding your personal information, you have several rights. You can obtain more information and advice about your rights from the data protection regulator in your country. You can exercise any of these rights by writing to us at the email address provided in the "Contact Us" section below:
Right to be Informed: You have the right to obtain clear, transparent, and easily understandable information about how we use your information and your rights. This is why we provide you with the information in this policy.
Right to Access: You have the right to access your information (if we are processing it) and certain other information (similar to what is provided in this policy). This allows you to be aware of and verify that we are using your information in accordance with data protection law. You can do this by writing to us at the email address provided below.
Right to Rectification: If your information is inaccurate or incomplete, you have the right to request correction. You can write to us at the email address provided below to request correction of any errors in the personal information we hold.
Right to Erasure: This allows you to request the deletion or removal of your information where there is no compelling reason for us to continue using it. This is not a general right to deletion; there are exceptions.
Right to Restrict Processing: You have the right to "block" or suppress further use of your information. When processing is restricted, we can still store your information but may not use it further.
Right to Data Portability: You have the right to obtain and reuse your personal data across different services for your own purposes. For example, if you decide to switch to a new provider, this allows you to move, copy, or transfer your information easily between our IT systems and theirs without affecting its usability. However, this is not a general right and has exceptions.
Right to Object to Processing: You have the right to object to certain types of processing, including processing for direct marketing (i.e., receiving emails from us notifying you about other services we provide that we think may interest you, or being contacted with various potential opportunities). You can change your email communication preferences by contacting us.
Right to Lodge a Complaint: You have the right to lodge a complaint with the data protection regulator in your country about the way we process or handle your personal data.
Right to Withdraw Consent: If you have given consent to us for any processing of your personal data (i.e., we rely on your consent as a legal basis for processing your personal information), you have the right to withdraw your consent at any time (although if you do so, it does not mean that any processing of your personal data carried out before you withdraw your consent is unlawful). You can withdraw your consent to the processing of your personal information at any time.We generally act on requests and provide information free of charge, but we may charge a reasonable fee to cover our administrative costs for providing information for unfounded or excessive/repeated requests or further copies of the same information. Alternatively, we may have the right to refuse to act on the request. Please consider your request responsibly before submitting it. We will respond as soon as possible. Generally, this will be within one month of receiving your request, but if the request requires more time to handle, we will reply and inform you.
B. California and Texas Rights
If you are a resident of California or Texas, you may have the right to submit certain requests related to your personal information, as described below, under applicable law. To exercise any of these rights, please submit a request through our website at https://mechandlink.com or send an email to info@mechandlink.com. Please note that if you submit a request for information, deletion, or correction, we may need to obtain information to locate you in our records or verify your identity based on the nature of your request. You may designate an authorized agent to submit a request on your behalf; however, before processing your request, you will still need to verify your identity directly with us. Authorized agents can submit requests on your behalf using the web form or email address listed above.
Right to Access, Know, and Data Portability: You have the right to confirm whether we are processing your personal information, learn what personal information we have collected about you, access your personal information, and obtain a copy of certain personal information.
Right to Delete Your Personal Information: You have the right to request that we delete personal information we have collected from you, subject to certain exceptions.
Right to Correct Inaccurate Information: If you believe the personal information we hold about you is inaccurate, you have the right to request that we correct that information.
Right to Opt-Out of the Sale and Sharing of Personal Information for Cross-Contextual Behavioral Advertising and Targeted Advertising: You have the right to opt-out of the sale of your personal information and request that we do not share personal information for cross-contextual behavioral advertising and targeted advertising. To opt-out, manage your cookie preferences when visiting each website.
Rights Related to Automated Decision-Making/Profiling: You may have the right to opt-out of certain types of automated decision-making that involve profiling for personal aspects related to your work performance, economic situation, health, personal preferences, interests, reliability, behavior, location, or movements. To opt-out, manage your cookie preferences when visiting each website.
Right to Appeal: If you are denied any of the above rights, residents of certain states have the right to appeal the decision for reconsideration. If you choose to exercise any privacy rights, we will not discriminate against you.
C. People's Republic of China Rights
Regarding your personal information, you have several rights. You can exercise any of these rights by writing to us at the email address provided in the "Contact Us" section below:
Right to be Informed: You have the right to obtain clear, transparent, and easily understandable information about how we use your information and your rights. This is why we provide you with the information in this policy.
Right to Access: You have the right to access your information (if we are processing it) and certain other information (similar to what is provided in this policy). This allows you to be aware of and verify that we are using your information in accordance with data protection law. You can do this by writing to us at the email address provided below.
Right to Rectification: If your information is inaccurate or incomplete, you have the right to request correction. You can write to us at the email address provided below to request correction of any errors in the personal information we hold.
Right to Deletion: When the processing purpose has been achieved or cannot be achieved, the information is no longer needed, we stop providing services, or the retention period has expired, you withdraw consent (if data processing is based on consent), or we process your information in violation of laws, regulations, or agreements, you have the right to request deletion of your information.
Right to Restrict Processing: You have the right to "block" or suppress further use of your information. When processing is restricted, we can still store your information but may not use it further.
Right to Object to Processing: You have the right to object to certain types of processing, including processing for direct marketing (i.e., receiving emails from us notifying you about other services we provide that we think may interest you or being contacted with various potential opportunities). You can change your email communication preferences by contacting us.
Right to Withdraw Consent: If you have given consent to us for any processing of your personal data (i.e., we rely on your consent as a legal basis for processing your personal information), you have the right to withdraw your consent at any time (although if you do so, it does not mean that any processing of your personal data carried out before you withdraw your consent is unlawful). You can withdraw your consent to the processing of your personal information at any time.
We generally act on requests and provide information free of charge, but we may charge a reasonable fee to cover our administrative costs for providing information for unfounded or excessive/repeated requests or further copies of the same information. Alternatively, we may have the right to refuse to act on the request. Please consider your request responsibly before submitting it. We will respond as soon as possible.
D. Canada Rights
Regarding your personal information, you have several rights. You can obtain more information and advice about your rights from the data protection regulator in your country. You can exercise any of these rights by writing to us at the email address provided in the "Contact Us" section below, except where the law provides otherwise:
Right to be Informed: You have the right to obtain clear, transparent, and easily understandable information about how we use your information and your rights.
Right to Access: You have the right to access your information (if we are processing it) and certain other information (similar to what is provided in this policy). This allows you to be aware of and verify that we are using your information in accordance with data protection law. You can do this by writing to us at the email address provided below.
Right to Rectification: If your information is inaccurate or incomplete, you have the right to request correction. You can write to us at the email address provided below to request correction of any errors in the personal information we hold.
Right to Complain: You have the right to lodge a complaint with the data protection regulator in your country regarding the way we process or handle your personal data.
Right to Withdraw Consent: If you have given consent to us for any processing of your personal data (i.e., we rely on your consent as a legal basis for processing your personal information), you have the right to withdraw your consent at any time (although if you do so, it does not mean that any processing of your personal data carried out before you withdraw your consent is unlawful). You can withdraw your consent to the processing of your personal information at any time.
Verification: To exercise your rights, we need to obtain information to locate you in our records or verify your identity based on the nature of the request.
E. Other Rights
Users can request that we stop using their personal information. If you want to know what information we have collected, wish to have any information cleared, or want us to stop using personal information, please contact info@mechandlink.com. Returning certain personal information may prevent you from accessing all or parts of our website. We will do our best to inform you of the extent to which your request will affect your ability to use our website before fulfilling your request.
After registration, our website will offer users the option to receive emails. To opt-out of receiving our marketing emails, please contact us using the details provided in the "Contact Us" section below or follow the opt-out/unsubscribe instructions included in marketing emails.
We may use third-party providers to assist us in sending marketing emails to you.
We are committed to ensuring your personal information is safe and secure.
We use appropriate technical and organizational measures to prevent the loss, misuse, and alteration of personal information.
Employees with access to personal information must undergo data privacy training and are supervised by management to ensure sufficient protection measures are taken to protect customers' private information. Our website has security measures in place to protect against the loss, misuse, and alteration of information under our control. Our website uses SSL (Secure Socket Layer) encryption for all sensitive data transmitted over the Internet. This includes data added to the website by customers and data transferred out of the website by employees. No information, including passwords that access sensitive information, is transmitted over the Internet without encryption. Please note that no method of transmission over the Internet or method of electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to use commercially acceptable measures to protect personal information, we cannot guarantee its absolute security.Please note that any data transmission over the Internet is not completely secure.
Third parties not under our control may illegally intercept or access transmissions or private communications. Any such transmission of information is at your own risk. For any data transmission over the Internet, we recommend using enhanced data protection means, such as firewalls, antivirus software, and similar technologies.
Never send credit card information via email. Do not disclose information about your account to anyone not authorized by you to act on your behalf in transactions with us. Do not tell anyone your password. We will never ask you for your password to verify your identity.
We use cookies, web beacons, tracking pixels, and other online tracking technologies (collectively referred to as "Cookies") to provide content relevant to your interests and customize your experience on the Sites, store your information so you do not have to re-enter it each time you visit the Sites, store your privacy preferences, provide enhanced functionality and personalization, show you advertisements, and measure and improve the performance of our Sites. To make our website operate as efficiently as possible and to provide you with the best user experience, it is best to enable cookies.
You can manage your cookie preferences when visiting each website.
We may use certain web analytics services (including Google Analytics and Meta Pixel) to help us understand and analyze how visitors use our Sites. We use this information to enable Google advertising features such as dynamic remarketing, interest-based advertising, audience targeting, behavior reporting, demographic and interest reporting, user segment analysis, device reporting, display advertising, and impression reporting.
We are not responsible for the effectiveness or compliance of opt-out options or tools provided by others or the accuracy of their statements regarding their programs.
We may offer third-party integrations on our Sites. If you choose to connect a third-party account to our system, you should refer to that party's privacy policy to understand how they collect, use, and protect your personal information. The YouTube API Service is one such integration and may collect, store, use, process, and share personal information as described in this policy. The YouTube API Service may also provide content and collect personal information from your device, as described in this policy. For more information about the YouTube API Service, please refer to the YouTube Terms of Service and the Google Privacy Policy. If you enable our YouTube integration, you agree to the YouTube Terms of Service.
Our Sites are not targeted to or marketed to individuals under the age of 18, and we do not intend to collect any information, including personal information, from children under the age of 18, either on the Sites or offline. If you are under 18, you may not register to receive emails or newsletters or otherwise submit any personal information to us. If personal information has been submitted to our Sites by a child under the age of 18, we will delete the information immediately upon discovering that it was provided by a child under 18 and will not use it for any purpose.
If you believe that we have improperly disclosed your personal information to a third party, or if you have any questions about how we collect, store, use, or destroy your personal information, or how to exercise your rights related to personal information, you can contact us at the email address, phone number, or mailing address listed below. When contacting us about your personal information, please do not include your account password, credit card number, date of birth, driver's license number, or social security number in any email sent to us.
If you encounter difficulties correcting your personal information or have questions about our policies, please contact one of our customer service centers using the contact information provided on our website, or contact us by email at: info@mechandlink.com.
If you wish to make a complaint about how we collect, use, disclose, or protect your personal information, or if you have specific questions about our policies or practices regarding the collection, retention, use, or disclosure of personal information, please contact us at info@mechandlink.com.
You also have the right to file a complaint with the data protection authority regarding the collection and use of your personal data. For more information, please contact your local data protection authority.
