Privacy Policy

Please read the following policy carefully before using this Site or providing us with information  about an identifiable individual (“Personal Information”). 

PURPOSE & SCOPE 

The purpose of this privacy policy (the “Policy”) is to provide you with information about how  Wine Growers British Columbia Society (“ Wine Growers BC”, “we”, “us”, or “our”)  collects, uses and discloses your personal informal information in connection with your access to  and use of the https://tasteadvisor.co website, mobile application (“App”) and all related webpages 

(collectively, the “Site”) and the services available thereon, including the curation of wine and  other alcoholic beverage recommendations based on your personal preferences and tastes  (collectively, the “Services”). This Policy also applies to any person providing services on our  behalf. 

We are committed to protecting your privacy and will manage your Personal Information in  accordance with all applicable privacy laws including the Personal Information Protection and  Electronic Documents Act (Canada), Personal Information Protection Act (British Columbia) and  Personal Information Protection Act (Alberta). 

By installing the App, creating a Wines of British Columbia Explorer account, or using the Site or Services, you acknowledge the notices in this Policy and you consent to our collection, use,  disclosure, and retention of your Personal Information in accordance with this Policy and as  otherwise permitted by law. You may withdraw your consent at any time by giving us reasonable  notice. 

COLLECTION OF YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION  

The Site and Services are intended for use by adults of legal drinking age in the jurisdiction in  which you reside. We do not knowingly collect Personal Information from individuals under the  legal drinking age. If you are under the legal drinking age in your jurisdiction, please do not submit  any Personal Information through the Site or Services. If you believe we have inadvertently  collected such Personal Information, please contact our Privacy Officer at the contact information  listed in this Policy immediately so we can remove the information. 

We use a third party cloud-based platform as a service and hosting service, TasteAdvisor Inc., a  British Columbia, Canada corporation (“TasteAdvisor”) to provide a platform and additional  services for the Site and Services. Any Personal Information you provide when you interact with  us or use the Site or Services is collected directly by TasteAdvisor on our behalf. 

We also collect Personal Information from you automatically, which is addressed in more detail  below. In some cases, we may seek your consent for the use and disclosure of your Personal  Information after it has been collected, but before it has been used or disclosed (e.g. where we  want to use your Personal Information for a purpose not previously identified to you). We will not use or disclose your Personal Information for any new purpose without first identifying the  new purpose and providing notice to or obtaining your consent (as applicable), unless permitted  by law. 

You can always choose not to provide us with certain of the Personal Information we request,  however you may not be able to access or utilize all or part of the Site or Services. 

Personal Information You Provide 

• Contact information: we collect your Personal Information when you contact us directly to  inquire about the Site or Services. This may include your first and last name, e-mail  address, phone number, and other information that you choose to provide to us. 
• Account and profile information: we collect your Personal Information when you register  for an account (“Account”) with us, and when you create or modify your Account or user  profile. This includes information such as your first and last name, your e-mail address,  phone number, username, password, age, gender, location and time zone. 
• Preferences: we collect information about your wine preferences, such as the type, body,  sweetness, price point, taste, aroma and other tasting notes of your preferred wines. 
• Photograph: we collect your photograph when you choose to upload such photograph to  your Account, whether through your Facebook, Google or other social media service  account or directly through the Site. 
• Ratings and reviews: we collect Personal Information that you may include in any feedback  that you provide to us through the App, including ratings, reviews and photographs about a product or service, and comments that you submit on our Site or Services. 
• Chat information: if you choose to communicate with one of our experts using the online  chat feature on the Site, we may collect any information that you disclose to us through  such means. 
• Winery information: if you are a merchant in the wine or similar industry, we collect  information about your product(s), location(s), event(s) or other similar content that you  disclose to us voluntarily. 
• Other information: we may collect any of the information or content that you provide  through our Site voluntarily. For example, when you e-mail us for information about us and our Services. We collect the Personal Information to provide you with the information  or service that you have requested. 

Personal Information Automatically Collected When Using the Site 

(a) Social Media Information

If you register for an Account or login to your Account via your Facebook, Google or other social  media service account, we will receive basic information from your profile on the applicable  service, which may include your username, name, gender, friends and profile photo. 

(b) Location Information 

If you permit the Site or Services to access location services through the privacy settings on your  mobile device or browser, we may also collect the location of your device when the App is running  in the foreground or background of your device.  

If you have enabled location services in the App through your mobile device, we will track your  geolocation on a real time basis when you are logged into the App in order to provide you with  relevant information and promotions for wines and wineries near where you are located. You can  choose whether to enable the location tracking feature through the settings on your mobile device.  If you choose to disable access to location services through your mobile device, this means that  the App will not receive location information from your device, which may affect the functionality  available to you. You can also view your location information through your Account. 

(c) Technical Information 

We automatically collect the following technical information about your Site and Services usage:  • the web browser, device and operating system that you are using; 

• the sections of the Site that you visit; 
• the date and time of your use of the Site and Services and your in-media time; 
• if you were on another website before visiting the Site and if that website referred you to  our Site, the URL of that previous website; and  
• the Internet Protocol (IP) address of your Internet Service Provider. 

We do not link any of the above information with information that is personally identifiable to  you. We collect this data in an aggregate format for a number of reasons, including to understand  the traffic on our Site, how it is used, and how we can improve it. We also collect this data to  ensure that the App is compatible with your device. We do not share this aggregate data with third  parties except for the possible use of web analytics companies as described below. 

(d) Pixel Tags or Web Beacons 

A pixel tag (also known as a web beacon) is a piece of code embedded in the Site that collects  information about visitors’ engagement on that web page. The use of a pixel allows us to record,  for example, that you have visited a particular web page on the Site. 

(e) Web Analytics

We may use third party analytics tools, such as Google Analytics, Facebook, and Intercom, to  track certain Site usage information in a way that does not personally identify you. Such  information may include, name, email, age, gender, device or network used to access the page,  geolocation, etc.. This data is used for aggregate reporting purposes. None of this data is used by  us or our service providers to identify you. These third party analytics companies may use cookies  and other tracking technologies to perform their services. To learn more about Google’s privacy  practices, including how you can view and edit your preferences, please see the Google Privacy  Policy. Information about how to opt-out of certain types of interest-based ads is available here. 

USE OF YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION  

We will only use your Personal Information to fulfill the purpose for which it was originally  collected, or for a use consistent with that purpose, unless you expressly consent otherwise or it is  permitted or required by law. We may contact you to inform you about our services, including new wineries and wine selections, in different ways including by mail, email, telephone, or other  means to which you have agreed.  

We may use the Personal Information that we collect for the following purposes:  

• To provide services to you: we use your Personal Information to provide you with access  to the Site and/or Services, including to set up your Account and user profile, and to  administer your use of the Site and/or Services. For example, we use your taste preferences  to generate wine and winery recommendations for you. 
• To communicate with you: we use your Personal Information to contact and correspond  with you directly about our relationship and your use of the Site and/or Services. For  example, we may use your Personal Information to respond to specific requests and  inquiries from you, including to provide you with information and services that you  request. 
• To personalize the Site and Services: we use your Personal Information to identify what  may be of interest to you, and what services, information and/or offers may be more  relevant to you. For example, we may use your address to determine whether there are  wines and wineries located near you, and where we have your consent to do so, we may  use your contact information to send you information and updates about such wines and  wineries, including special offers from our partners. 
• To generate aggregated statistics: we may use your information to conduct data analysis,  testing, research and monitor and analyze Site usage and activity trends. 
• To improve our Site and Services: we may use your Personal Information to improve the  Site and/or Services. For example, we may use the comments and suggestions that you  provide to improve our App. We may also aggregate your winery and wine distributor  visits and duration of visits information to conduct data research and analysis on usage and  activity trends and to improve the App and the Services.
• For security purposes: we may use your Personal Information to monitor suspicious or  fraudulent activity, protect the security of the Site and Services, and identify violations of  the Terms of Use. 
• Troubleshooting and user support: we may use your Personal Information to respond to customer service requests regarding your Account, the Site or the Services, and to administer and resolve technical issues on our Site and Services. 
• Legal: we may use your Personal Information to meet legal and regulatory requirements. 
• Other: we may use your Personal Information to facilitate such other services and activities,  as we may identify to you at the time.  

If you provide us with your e-mail address, and “opt-in” to receiving messages from us via the e mail address provided, you may receive electronic communications from us from time to time.  These electronic communications will provide you with our contact information and a method to  opt-out and unsubscribe from receiving marketing information and any further communications  from us. You can also opt-out of receiving further marketing communications from us by  contacting our Privacy Officer via the email address below. We may use your e-mail address to  communicate with you regarding important matters, such as information about your account. You  may not opt-out of receiving communications required by law, or necessary to provide you with  requested services. 

DISCLOSURE OF YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION  

Except as described in this Policy or in other situations where we have provided you with prior  notice, have obtained your consent, or are obligated or permitted by law, we will not share your  Personal Information with third parties. 

Wineries and Business Partners 

Wineries will be able to download annual reports from the Site that are drawn from the aggregate  statistics of the users who have tried their respective wines and other product(s). These reports  will not include any of your Personal Information nor your wine preferences. If an individual user  wants to provide feedback to a winery or wine distributor confidentially, the user should arrange  that directly with such winery or wine distributor outside of our Site or Services. 

Third Party Service Providers 

We may disclose certain Personal Information to third party service providers, to carry out work  on our behalf. Currently, we use third party service providers set out below: 

• Site and Services design and operation: we use a third party company, TasteAdvisor, to  provide the platform that we use for the Site and Services. 
• Developed and Managed IT Services: TasteAdvisor uses a third party company, FireStitch  Inc., to provide developed and managed information technology services for the Site and Services and to compile statistics and analytics for us about aggregate use of and interaction  with the Site and Services.

• Hosting and content delivery network services: TasteAdvisor uses a third party host,  Amazon AWS, to host our Site and Services. Amazon AWS’s servers are resident in  Canada. 

We may partner with additional third-party advertisers, ad server companies, and ad networks  (“Third-party Advertising Companies”) to promote our Services or certain product(s). If you  respond to one of our advertisements and visit or register to use our Services, we or our third party  service providers may provide these Third-party Advertising Companies with identifiers from your  device or computer, such as an IP address or device ID, to help us analyze our user acquisition  efforts. 

The third party service providers will have access to Personal Information needed to perform their services, but are only provided the limited amount of information required to perform their  services. When we use third party service providers, we require the providers to protect your  Personal Information in accordance with the law and with no less than the same or more stringent  security and privacy standards than we apply. Any such disclosure of your Personal Information by us to a third party service provider will be conditional upon the information being used solely  for the purpose for which it has been disclosed. 

With the exception of our third party service providers, we will only share your Personal  Information outside of the Site or Services with your consent, or where we use it to provide you  with information or services you request (in which case we will consider you to have given your  implied consent).  

The third party service providers identified in this Policy are located across multiple jurisdictions,  and your Personal Information may be stored, accessed or used in the United States or Canada and  may be subject to the laws and access by government or regulatory organizations in those jurisdictions. If you have any questions about our policies and practices with respect to such  service providers, including the collection, use, disclosure, and storage of Personal Information,  you can contact our Privacy Officer at the contact information listed in this Policy. 

Business Changes 

In the event we go through a business transaction such as a merger, acquisition by another  company, or a sale of all or a portion of our assets, your Personal Information may be among the  assets transferred and any such acquirer of us or our assets may continue to collect, use and disclose  your Personal Information as set forth in these Terms. 

Where Required or Authorized by Law 

We may also disclose your Personal Information where authorized or required by law. For  example, we may disclose your Personal Information to comply with a subpoena, in response to a  law enforcement body with the lawful authority to obtain the information, pursuant to an  investigation into the breach of a law, or to our legal counsel. 

SECURITY & PROTECTION OF YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION 

Wines of British Columbia Explorer takes reasonable steps to protect your Personal Information.  We have implemented reasonable physical, technical and organizational measures to protect  against unauthorized access, collection, use, disclosure, and disposal, in a manner appropriate to  the sensitivity of the information. As well, we will use care when destroying or disposing of  Personal Information to prevent unauthorized access, use or disclosure of any Personal  Information. Our employees and independent contractors with access to Personal Information are  required to respect the confidentiality of such information. 

The Site includes links to external websites. Once you leave the Site, this Policy does not apply.  We are not responsible for the privacy practices, collection of Personal Information, or content of  external websites. We are not responsible for any lost, stolen, or compromised user IDs, passwords  or for any activity on your Account via unauthorized password activity. You should take steps to  protect against authorized access to your account by, for example, choosing a robust password and  keeping your login ID and password private. We are not responsible for any failure by you to  secure your own devices and their access to the Internet or your use of public, unsecured networks. 

RETENTION OF YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION 

Personal information collected by us is maintained in accordance with applicable privacy  legislation and our retention policies and practices. However, once you deactivate and remove  your Account or stop using your Account for a period of twenty-four (24) months, we will delete  any Personal Information on such Account immediately or after such period as may be required  for retention by applicable laws. 

CORRECTION AND ACCESS TO YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION 

All Personal Information in your Account is accessible by you. You can make changes to certain  Personal Information that we hold about you, such as your contact information, by editing the  information in your Account. You are responsible for keeping the Personal Information in your  Account up to date and accurate. Certain minimum Personal Information must be input in your  Account in order to use the App’s services. For example, you must share your first and last name  and your email address with us. 

You can obtain access to, verify or correct the accuracy and completeness of your Personal  Information in our possession and control. In appropriate circumstances, we will amend the  information. It is your responsibility to provide any updates to your Personal Information to us in  writing.  

You may request access to your Personal Information and/or correction of that information by  contacting us in writing at the contact information noted below, with sufficient detail to enable us to identify the Personal Information being sought. When you contact us, we may ask for further  information to confirm your identity and the nature of the information being sought. 

After we receive your request for access to Personal Information, we will provide you with an  estimate of when you can expect a response. In some cases, we may need additional time to  respond to a request, in which case we will provide you with written notice of the extension. Please note that in some cases, we may not provide access to Personal Information that we hold about you, such as where the denial of access is authorized by law. There are also cases where we may  be legally required to refuse access to Personal Information. If we deny your request for access to  Personal Information, we will advise you of the reason for the refusal, and will provide the name,  title, and contact information of the designated person who can address the refusal. 

We may charge a reasonable fee according to the cost required to retrieve and provide access to  the requested information. We may provide an estimate of the fee in advance and in some cases,  will require a deposit for all or part of the fee. 

GOVERNING LAW AND DISPUTE RESOLUTION 

Those who choose to use or access the Site or Services from outside Canada do so on their own  initiative and are responsible for compliance with local laws, if and to the extent local laws are  applicable. Notwithstanding the foregoing, and recognizing the global nature of the Internet, each  user shall comply with all local rules regarding online conduct and submission of acceptable  materials. This Policy shall be governed and and construed in accordance with the laws of the  Province of British Columbia and the federal laws of Canada applicable therein, without regard to  its conflict of laws principles. 

Except for any claim involving the violation of intellectual property rights, breach of  confidentiality or breach of privacy, all disputes arising out of or in connection with this Policy  shall be promptly referred to a member of senior management of each of the parties involved, who  shall have sixty (60) days to attempt to resolve the dispute in good faith. If that fails, the parties  agree to arbitrate any and all disputes, claims or controversies arising out of or relating to this  Policy in any way. 

The parties involved will submit the dispute to arbitration by a single arbitrator who is acceptable  to both parties and whose expenses will be shared equally by them. If they cannot agree on an  arbitrator, an arbitrator will be appointed by the BC International Commercial Arbitration Centre for Domestic Disputes. The seat of the arbitration shall be in Vancouver, British Columbia. The  International Arbitration Rules or successor legislation will apply to the arbitration. You and  Wines of British Columbia Explorer hereby irrevocably submit to the jurisdiction of the arbitrator  in Vancouver, British Columbia and waive any defense in an arbitration based upon any claim that  such party is not subject personally to the jurisdiction of such arbitrator, or that such arbitration is  brought in an inconvenient forum or that such venue is improper. The determination of the  arbitrator will be conclusive, final and binding on the parties. The parties expressly waive any right  of appeal to any court or judicial authority to the fullest extent permitted by law, other than as may  be necessary to enforce or confirm any arbitration award. 

You and Wines of British Columbia Explorer agree to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the  courts of British Columbia situated in the city of Vancouver with respect to any claim, proceeding  or action involving the violation of intellectual property rights, breach of confidentiality or breach  of privacy, provided that Wines of British Columbia Explorer may seek and obtain injunctive  relief in any jurisdiction in any court of competent jurisdiction. 

QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS

Questions or concerns regarding this Policy, including the collection of your Personal Information,  can be directed to the Wines of British Columbia Explorer Privacy Officer, who is responsible for  ensuring our compliance with this Policy. You can contact the Privacy Officer at: 

Email: support@winebc.com 

We take any complaint about our privacy practices seriously. We will investigate all complaints.  If we find a complaint justified, we will take the necessary steps to resolve it. The complainant  will be informed of the outcome of the investigation regarding any complaint. 

If you are not satisfied with our response to a complaint, you may have options to exercise various  complaint procedures, including with the relevant Privacy Commissioner (if you are based in  Canada) or regulatory authority (if you are based outside of Canada). 

CHANGES TO THE POLICY 

We may update this Policy from time to time by posting a new version of the Policy on the Site.  Our collection, use, disclosure, and retention of your Personal Information will be governed by the  version of the Policy in effect at that time. We suggest that you review this statement periodically.