MetroFax Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy is effective on December 1, 2013 for current users, and upon acceptance for new users.

This privacy policy is between you and j2 Cloud Services, Inc. and/ or j2 Global Ireland Limited, as set forth in the Customer Agreement (each, the "Company", "we", "us" or "our"). We are dedicated to establishing trusting relationships with our users by respecting their personal identity and by promoting the use of fair information practices.

This privacy policy ("Policy") covers the information practices relating to the MetroFax Web Site, www.MetroFax.com ("Site") and all MetroFax Service ("Service") offered now or in the future. For purposes of this policy, "MetroFax account" is defined as the account through which you access the Service. We do not share information obtained from users through our Site or Service with third parties except as otherwise specifically set forth in this Policy. In this Policy we describe the following:

1. Information Collection

   The Company collects information from its users at several different points on the Site and through the Service, both directly from users (including through interactions with Customer Service and Sales) and through the use of technologies such as cookies, log files and clear gifs.

   1. Registration
      In order to use the Service, you must first complete the registration process. During registration you are required to provide contact information (such as name, phone number and email address), and we will provide you with a password. We use this registration information to provide the service, and to contact you with updates about the Service and other services that may be of interest. We may request or require that users provide general demographic information (such as job title and industry), so we can provide a more personalized experience. Paying users must also provide payment information (such as a credit card number and expiration date). This information is used for billing purposes and to process users' orders. If we have trouble processing a user's order and/or collecting payment, the contact information is used to contact the user. If you begin but fail to complete the registration process for MetroFax Service, we may contact you in an effort to help you sign up for MetroFax or send you other emails with details about MetroFax or other services that may be of interest. You can opt-out of receiving these emails by clicking on the opt-out link included in the emails.
   2. Test MetroFax
      If you elect to use the "Take a Test Drive” tool on the Site, you will automatically receive a sample fax by email. We may also send you other emails with details about MetroFax or other services that may be of interest. You can opt-out of receiving these emails by clicking on the opt-out link included in the emails.
   3. Entity Users
      We may collect information pertaining solely to corporations, governmental or educational entities, or other businesses or not for profit entities, such as a company's address. We may use any such information without restriction.
   4. Cookies
      A cookie is a piece of data stored on users' computers tied to information about the users. We may use both session ID cookies and persistent cookies. For the session ID cookie, once users close the browser, the cookie simply terminates. A persistent cookie is a small file stored on users' hard drives for an extended period of time. Persistent cookies can be removed by following Internet browser help file directions. Use of a cookie is not linked to any personally identifiable information while on the Site except if users choose to store their user names and passwords so that users do not have to enter it each time they access their account. Then a persistent cookie will be stored on your computer which is linked to your account information. If you reject the persistent cookie, you may still use the Site but you will be limited in some areas of it. Persistent cookies also enable us to track and target the interests of our users to enhance their experience on the Site. See the "Profile" section below. Some of our business partners (for example, third party advertisers) may use cookies on the Site, in emails or in our advertisements on other Web sites. The cookies are not linked to any personally identifiable information. This Policy covers the use of cookies by the Company and does not cover the use of cookies by any third party advertisers. Our third party advertisers have their own privacy policies which you should consult. In order to create a user-friendly experience, some of our third party promotions and advertisements are designed to automatically transmit users' information onto the third party's landing page when users chooses to "click" upon a third party's advertisement or promotion. For more information about receiving the Company's advertisements on other Web sites, and for opting out of this practice, please see the "Choice/Opt-out" section below.
   5. Log Files
      Like most Web sites, our servers use log files to analyze trends, administer the Site, track users' movements in the aggregate and gather information to improve the user experience and the Service.
   6. Clear Gifs
      Clear gifs are tiny graphics with a unique identifier, similar in function to cookies, and we may use them to track the online movements of our users. Clear gifs are invisible on the page and are much smaller than cookies, about the size of the period at the end of this sentence. We may also use clear gifs in our HTML-based emails to let us know which emails have been opened by the recipients. This allows us to gauge the effectiveness of certain communications and the effectiveness of our marketing campaigns. If users would like to opt-out of receiving promotional emails, please see the "Choice/Opt-out" section below.
   7. Profile
      We may store information that we collect through cookies, log files and clear gifs to create a profile of our users. A profile is stored information that we keep on individual users that details their viewing preferences and Service usage. We may also gather information about users and users' preferences from third parties. Please see the Third Party Intermediaries; Supplementation of Information section below. Consequently, information may be tied to users' personally identifiable information to improve the content of the Site for users, improve our Service and provide new services that are likely to be of interest to users and to direct pertinent product updates and marketing promotions to users if they have opted in to receive those promotions.
   8. Children's Privacy
      We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of 13. If we learn that we have personal information of a child under the age of 13, we will delete that information from our systems. For tips on protecting children's privacy online, please the FTC's Web site.

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2. Use of Personally Identifiable Information

   1. Legal, Security and Safety
      The Company does not release personally identifying information about our users (other than as disclosed in this Policy) or monitor, edit or disclose the contents of users' private communications through the Service except where the Company in good faith believes that such action is necessary to: (1) comply with the law or where we have a good-faith belief that such disclosure is necessary to comply with a current judicial proceeding, a court order or legal process served on us; (2) investigate, prevent or take action regarding illegal activity; (3) protect and defend the rights or property of the Company; or (4) to protect the personal safety of our users or the public. For example, we may disclose personal information to law enforcement, other government officials or third parties in response to criminal or civil subpoenas. Sometimes, these subpoena requests come from our third party Internet, telecommunications and collocation providers all over the world who supply the network required for us to deliver our Service. In order to maintain the integrity of our network, we often cooperate with requests from these third party providers and/or requests from law enforcement or other governmental officials directed to these providers. In cases where the Company believes that disclosure of any information about a user (including account information) is necessary, we reserve the right to disclose all information in our possession about such user.
   2. Provision of Service
      Users should also be aware (and hereby agree) that certain technical processing of and access to fax messages and their content may be required to: (a) provide the Service, including without limitation, routing and indexing the messages; (b) conform to connecting networks' technical requirements; (c) prevent or minimize disruptions to the Service; or (d) conform to other similar requirements.
   3. Welcome Email and Special Offers
      We send all new users a welcome email to verify their information (such as name and email address) and password. Users may occasionally receive emails promoting the Company's services and third party services that may be of interest to them ("Promotional Emails"). To opt-out of receiving these Promotional Emails, please see the Choice / Opt-out section below. We may also contact users by other communication channels such as telephone or mail using contact information provided by users or obtained from third party sources as set forth in the section on Third Party Intermediaries; Supplementation of Information below.
   4. Product Updates, Newsletters, Service Announcements
      We might send you communications which contain usage tips, product updates or updates to the Customer Agreement or this Policy. If necessary, we will also send you Service-related announcements. For instance, if a Service is temporarily suspended for maintenance, we may send users an email. Users cannot opt-out of these non-promotional communications unless they deactivate their account.
   5. Customer Service
      We communicate with users in reply to requests for assistance or regarding issues relating to users' accounts. We may reply via email, phone, Web chat, mail or other available method, in accordance with users' wishes.
   6. Abuse; Spam and Junk Faxes
      The Company has a zero tolerance policy for abuse. While we cannot be responsible for external communications received through the Service, it is our intention to use all legally available means to prevent use of the Service for any illegal purpose, including but not limited to distribution and receipt of unsolicited commercial faxes ("junk faxes"). We also specifically restrict users from taking any actions which impose an unreasonable or disproportionately large load on the Company's resources. We ask that any users who are annoyed by receipt of such junk faxes or otherwise impacted by illegal use of the Service to please report such activity here.
   7. Third Party Intermediaries; Supplementation of Information
      In order for the Company to properly fulfill its obligations, to improve our Service and direct information to users about services that may be of interest to users, we may use third parties and may share users' information with these third parties. For example, the Company verifies the billing address on all credit card transactions and may obtain credit reports for some corporate users. We use an outside credit card processing company to bill users for Service. In addition, we may use third parties to host certain portions of our Site, to fulfill certain requests for information from our users and to comply with legal requirements. In order to personalize a user's experience and provide relevant offers from us or our third party advertisers, we may share users' information with third parties to learn more about users and their preferences. These companies are not to store or use personally identifiable information for any secondary purposes and the information obtained from these third party sources is maintained in a manner consistent with this Privacy Policy.

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3. User Choices Regarding Collection, Use and Distribution of Personally Identifiable Information.

   1. Business Transitions
      In the event the Company goes through a business transition, such as a merger, acquisition by another company or sale of a portion of its assets, users' personal information will, in most instances, be included as part of the assets transferred. If as a result of the business transition, the users' personally identifiable information will be used in a manner different from that stated at the time of collection they will be given a choice not to have their information used in this different manner, as described in the notification of changes section, below.
   2. Choice/Opt-Out
      Users may opt-out of receiving Promotional Emails by clicking the opt-out link included in Promotional Emails. We also utilize third party advertisers to display advertisements for our Service on other web sites. If you would like more information about receiving the Company's advertisements on other Web sites, or would like to opt out of this practice, please visit http://www.networkadvertising.org/optout_nonppii.asp
   3. Links
      This Policy applies solely to information collected by the Company through the Site, the Service and Customer Service. The Company has advertising and affiliate relationships with third party sites which drive interested parties to our Site. Information that is collected on their Web sites does not fall within this Policy. The Company may also have co-brand relationships with some Web sites. A Web site is a co-brand of the Company if it offers Company technology or services to its users under a different brand. The Co-Branded Web sites and third party sites will have their own privacy policies specific to each site, and the user should read them carefully before registration.
   4. Surveys
      Periodically, users might be asked to participate in surveys. Participation in these surveys is completely voluntary and the user therefore has a choice whether or not to respond or provide information. The requested information may include contact information (such as name and address) and demographic information (such as gender). Survey information will be used for purposes of monitoring or improving the use and satisfaction of the Company's Service. Users' personally identifiable information will not disclosed or shared with third parties unless set forth in this Policy or we obtain your permission. We may use an intermediary to conduct these surveys, but the intermediary may not use users' personally identifiable information for any secondary purposes.
   5. Tell-A-Friend
      If users are offered the opportunity to use our referral service for informing a friend about our Service, and elect to do so, we ask users for the friend's name and email address. The Company will automatically send the friend a one-time email on the users' behalf inviting them to visit the Company's Site. The Company stores this information for the sole purpose of sending this email and tracking the success of our referral program.
   6. Sweepstakes; Contests; Giveaways
      Periodically, we might offer users an opportunity to participate in sweepstakes, contests and giveaways. Participation in these promotions is completely voluntary and the user therefore has a choice whether or not to disclose this information. The requested information may include contact information (such as name and address) and demographic information (such as gender). Users' personally identifiable information will not disclosed or shared with third parties unless set forth in this Policy or we obtain your permission. We may use an intermediary to conduct these promotions, but the intermediary may not use users' personally identifiable information for any secondary purposes.
   7. Special Notification for California Residents
      Individual users who reside in California and have provided their personally identifiable information to the Company may request once per calendar year information about Company's disclosures of certain categories of personally identifiable information to third parties for their direct marketing purposes. Such requests should be directed to the Chief Privacy Officer at cpo@j2global.com. Within thirty days of receiving such a request, we will provide a list of categories of personal information shared during the immediately preceding calendar year with other businesses for their direct marketing purposes, and the names and addresses of those third parties. The Company reserves its right to not respond to requests submitted other than to the email address specified in this section.

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4. Security

   The Company takes every reasonable precaution to protect its users' information. When our registration/order forms ask users to enter their personally identifiable information, that information is protected with encryption software called SSL. Any activities after you log into your account are also encrypted with SSL.

   While we use SSL encryption to protect personally identifiable information online, we also employ security measures to protect user-information off-line. All of our users' information, not just the personally identifiable information mentioned above, is restricted in our offices. Only employees who need the information to perform a specific job (for example, our billing clerks or a Customer Service representative) are granted access to personally identifiable information. Finally, the Company servers that store personally identifiable information are in a secure environment.

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5. Changing Your Personally Identifiable Information

   If a user's personally identifiable information changes (such as phone, credit card or email), users can change their information by logging into their account on the Site. If users have cancelled their account, they must call Customer Service to change their personally identifiable information.

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6. Notification of Changes

   If we decide to change our Policy in a non-material way, we will post those changes in this Policy, and other places we deem appropriate, so our users are always aware of what information we collect, how we use it and under what circumstances, if any, we disclose it. We will use information in accordance with the privacy policy under which the information was collected.

   If, however, we change our Policy in a material way, we will notify users via email. Users will have a choice as to whether or not we use their information in this different manner. However, if users have deleted/deactivated their account, then they will not be contacted if we change our Policy, nor will their personal information be used in this new manner.

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7. Safe Harbor

   The Company is a participant in the Safe Harbor program developed by the U.S. Department of Commerce and the European Union. We have certified that we adhere to the Safe Harbor Privacy Principles agreed upon by the U.S. and the E.U. For more information about the Safe Harbor and to view our certification, visit the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Safe Harbor website at http://www.export.gov/safeharbor/.

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8. Data Retention

   The time period for which we keep information varies according to how we use the information. In some cases, there are legal requirements to keep data for a minimum period. Unless there is a specific legal requirement for us to keep the information, we do not retain it for no longer than is necessary for the purposes for which the data was collected or for which it is to be further processed.

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