HearstLab Privacy Notice

Last Updated: February 6, 2024  

Table of Contents
A.        Introduction
B.        What Information We Obtain
C.        How We Use Information We Obtain
D.        How We Provide Information to Others
E.        Your Privacy Rights, Including Marketing Opt-Outs
F.        How We Protect Your Information
G.       How We Store Your Information
H.       Third-Party Links and Features
I.         Children/Minor information
J.         International Data Transfers
K.        Dispute Resolution/Terms of Use
L.        Changes to This Privacy Notice
M.      Contact Us
N.       Notice at Collection/Additional Information for California Residents
O.       Additional Information for European and United Kingdom Visitors        

‍INTRODUCTION 
This Privacy Notice (the“Notice”) describes how HearstLab, Inc., HearstLab UK, Inc. and HearstLab NL, Inc. (collectively referred to in this notice as 'we', 'us', 'our', 'HearstLab') collect and process personal information about you in connection with the operation of the HearstLab website (https://www.hearstlab.com/) and web pages linking to this Notice, including those promoting HearstLab pitches and events (collectively, the “Site”). This Notice applies to personal information submitted through the Site directly by a company that submits an application to the HearstLab, pitch and/or event and additional personal information that may be gathered through the application and vetting process, as well as personal information processed a result of other activities or services (such as our newsletter) operated by HearstLab (collectively, the “Services”).  HearstLab’s privacy practices may vary among the countries in which we operate to reflect local practices and legal requirements, and additional or specific privacy notices may apply in certain countries or regions. Residents of certain jurisdictions may learn more about our specific privacy practices in relation to that country or region below. 

‍WHAT INFORMATION WE OBTAIN (Categories of Personal Information We Collect) 
HearstLab obtains different types of information, including information that directly identifies you such as your name and contact information (this type of information may be called “personal information” or “personal data” depending on the jurisdiction),when you use the Site and the Services. This information may be: (i) provided by you directly, such as when you complete a form, (ii) automatically collected from your browser or mobile device using technologies such as cookies, (iii) shared by you about others such as when you refer a company, or (iv) obtained from other sources. 

‍Information we collect directly from you:
‍You may choose to provide your personal information when you use the Site or the Services, suchas when you sign up to receive our newsletter or complete a form. Please note that you may not be able to use certain features if you choose not to submit the requested information. The personal information you give us may include details such as:

• Contact information (e.g., name, email address and mailing address);
• Company name and information (e.g., industry, company description, founder information);
• Other information you choose to share with us (e.g., when you submit a form to apply to become part of HearstLab or attend a pitch event); and/or
• Transactional and activity information (e.g., requests and searches) when you interact with the Site.

Information you provide about others:
‍You may provide us information about other people and companies, such as the name and email of a contact who may be interest in joining HearstLab. Do not give us information about others unless you are authorized or have their permission to do so. We will use their information for the purposes described in this Notice. 

‍Information automatically collected:
‍We and our service providers may automatically obtain certain information when you access the Site from your web browser or mobile device, such as information about the number and frequency of visitors, technical information about browsers and devices used to access the Site, and information about crashes or other technical issues. In addition, we and third parties may automatically collect certain information through automated means about your activities over time across the browsers and devices you use to access the Site as well as across third-party sites, apps or other media. These technologies may assign or collect a unique identifier on your browser or device, and may reside, among other places, on your computer or device, within webpages or mobile apps. We may use these technologies to administer the Site, understand usage of the Site and improve the content and offerings of the Site. 

The information automatically collected includes the following:

• Information about your computer, device, browser, and operating system (e.g., type, model, or version);
• Internet protocol (IP) address, whichcan be used to derive your general geographic area (e.g., city and country); and/or
• Information about how you accessed the Site.

Some cookies and similar technologies assign or collect unique cookie IDs or other identifiers associated with your browser or device. Cookies and similar technologies may collect information while you are using our Site, while they are running in the background of your device or while you are interacting with our emails.
‍
‍Information we obtain from other sources:
‍We may receive information about you from other sources and in certain circumstances combine it with other information about you.  For example, we may obtain data from social media platforms and similar services (“Social Media Platforms”). When you engage with HearstLab on Social Media Platforms, or interact with features on the Site that contain content or features provided by Social Media Platforms(e.g., features or tools that allow you to share our content with others onSocial Media Platforms), we may obtain information from Social Media Platforms, including your username and user ID, subject to the settings and privacy practices of the relevant Social Media Platform. We obtain this information directly from the Social Media Platform or through plug-ins, integrations or applications.  Please keep in mind that the operators ofthe Social Media Platforms also gather information about your use of the Site and their features and tools.  We are not responsible for their practices. 

HOW WE USE INFORMATION WE OBTAIN (Business or Commercial Purpose for Collecting Personal Information) 
HearstLab may use the personal information we obtain in connection with the operation of the Site and the Services for a number of purposes, including, but not limited to:

• Evaluating applications submitted to HearstLab;
• Providing you with the Site and the Services, as well as sharing information you may request such as about upcoming HearstLab pitch or events;
• Communicating with you, including by sending you our newsletter;
• Developing and improving the Site and the Services we provide and customizing the user experience;
• Generating and analyzing statistics about your use of the Site and the Services;
• Backing up our systems (including for disaster recovery purposes) and enhancing the security of the Site and the Services; 
• Detecting, preventing, and responding to fraud or potentially illegal activities, violations of this Notice,  Terms of Use or other applicable terms, violations of law, intellectual property infringement, or other misuse of the Site and the Services; and
• Complying with and enforcing applicable industry and legal requirements (including legal process such as court orders, warrants or subpoenas).

HOW WE PROVIDE INFORMATION TO OTHERS (Business or Commercial Purpose for Providing Personal Information to Third Parties and Other Entities) 
HearstLab may share the personal information we obtain from you through the Site and the Services:

• With our affiliates and subsidiaries;
• With your consent or otherwise at your direction;
• With vendors that provide services or handle transactions on our behalf;
• With business partners. In certain circumstances we provide your information to business partners including, without limitation, sponsors, or event organizers, for various purposes.  For example, we may partner with a third party for an event that involves the sharing of information. These initiatives take place on the Site, through the Services or on other media, as applicable; 
• As we believe is necessary or appropriate to protect, enforce, or defend our legal rights, the privacy or safety of our employees, users of the Site and the Services or other individuals and entities, or to comply with or enforce applicable law or legal process, including responding to court orders, warrants, subpoenas, and other requests from public and government authorities.

We also reserve the right to transfer any of the information we have about you to proceed with the consideration, negotiation, or completion of a sale or transfer of all or a portion of our business or assets to a third party, such as in the event of a merger, acquisition, or other disposition, or in connection with a bankruptcy reorganization, dissolution, or liquidation.  

YOUR PRIVACY RIGHTS, INCLUDING MARKETING OPT-OUTS 
Residents of certainU.S. States and countries with applicable privacy laws are afforded certain rights with respect to their personal information. Depending on where you live, and subject to certain exceptions, you may be entitled to the rights described below with respect to the personal information we collect through the Site and the Services. Please note that if you submit a request to exercise any of the below rights (a “Privacy Rights Request”), we may request additional information to enable us to process your Privacy Rights Request. We will use such additional information you provide to verify your identity, locate your personal information that we may hold about you, and to fulfill your PrivacyRights Request. Except as otherwise directed below, if you would like to exercise your privacy rights with respect to the personal information we collected about you through our Site or Services, please contact us with your request by email at Hearstlab@hearst.com. For such requests, please put the statement "Privacy Rights Requests" in the body of your email, as well as your company name, your full name and email address, and specify the privacy right you wish to exercise at this time.

• Right to access your personal information. Under applicable privacy laws,you have the right to know the types and the specific pieces of the personalinformation we have collected from you through the Site and the Services.
• Right to delete your personal information. In some circumstances, you may ask us to delete personal information we collected from you through the Site and the Services. Please note that this is not an absolute right under applicable privacy laws, and we may not be able to delete all or some of your persona linformation.
• Right to correct your personal information. You may request that we modify or update your personal information that we have collected from you through the Site and the Services if it is inaccurate. Please be aware that not all personal information is able to be corrected, and we reserve the right to deny a request to correct your information where exceptions apply. Please note that if you would like to correct the email you use to receive newsletters from us, you must unsubscribe from the newsletters and re-subscribe using your preferred email address.

• Right to opt out. Applicable privacy laws may provide you with the right to limit or opt out of the use of your personal information for certain purposes.

  • Right to Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Advertising: Certain state privacy laws provide eligible residents with the right to opt out of the “sale” or “sharing” of your personal information for “targeted advertising” purposes, as such terms are defined under applicable privacy laws. In order to deliver our Site and Services, we may provide your personal information to others for certain purposes, including providing personal information to business partners or organizers (for example,( to organize or host a pitch or event). Please note that this interaction does not constitute “selling” or “sharing” your personal information as such terms are defined under applicable privacy laws.  
  • Rights Regarding Sensitive Personal Information: Depending on where you live, and subject to      exceptions, you may have certain rights to opt in or opt out/limit the processing of personal information that may be considered sensitive under applicable privacy laws. We do not collect, use, or disclose “sensitive” personal information through the Site and the Services.  
• Right to be free from discrimination. You may exercise any of theabove rights without fear of being discriminated against.

For additional information regarding our California-specific data practices, please see the section below titled Notice at Collection/Additional Information forCalifornia Residents.

For additional information regarding our European and United Kingdom-specific data practices, please see the section below titled Additional Information for European and United Kingdom Visitors.   

‍Authorized Agents
‍Depending on where you live, you may designate an authorized agent to make a request in relation to the privacy rights listed above. In the request, you or your authorized agent must provide us with sufficient information for us to verify both the identity of your agent and that your agent has been authorized to act on your behalf. This may result in your Privacy Rights Request taking additional time to process. If you are an authorized agent working on behalf of a consumer, you will need to follow the above processes and email Hearstlab@hearst.com  

Privacy Rights Appeal Process
‍Certain US state privacy laws afford eligible residents the right to appeal a denial of aPrivacy Rights Request in whole or in part. For additional information regarding how to submit a Privacy Rights Request appeal, please email Hearstlab@hearst.com.  

Email Marketing
‍You may unsubscribe from marketing communications and newsletters by clicking on the unsubscribe link in each email. 

HOW WE PROTECT YOUR INFORMATION
‍We maintain reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect the personal information we obtain through the Site and the Services. However, no method of transmission over the internet, or method of electronic storage, is100% secure. Therefore, while we make reasonable efforts to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee its absolute security. 

‍HOW WE STORE YOUR INFORMATION
‍We will keep your personal information for as long as we have a relationship with you. Once our relationship with you has come to an end, we will retain your personal information for a period of time that enables us to:

• Maintain business records for analysis, understanding market trends and/or audit purposes and to improve the Site or the Services
• Comply with record retention requirements under applicable laws or other relevant legal or regulatory requirements
• Defend, establish, exercise, or bring any existing or potential legal claims
• Carry out fraud detection and prevention
• Deal with any complaints regarding theSite or the Services

THIRD-PARTY LINKS AND FEATURES
‍The Site may contain links to third-party websites, mobile apps or features, including through social media features and widgets on our Site. HearstLab is not responsible for the collection or use of your information by such third parties. We encourage you to review the privacy policies or other similar statements applicable to third-party websites, mobile apps or features. ­­­

CHILDREN/MINOR INFORMATION
We do not knowingly collect or disclose personal information of minors under the age of 18, without affirmative authorization. 

INTERNATIONAL DATA TRANSFERS
‍Information collected through this Site and the Services will be processed in and subject to the laws of the United States, which may not provide the same level of protection for your personal information as your home country. 

DISPUTE RESOLUTION/TERMS OF USE
‍Any dispute concerning the Site or the Services (including our use of your personal information) will be resolved per the dispute resolution provision in the Terms of Use, which govern your use of the Site and the Services. Please take a few minutes to read the Terms of Use before using the Site and the Services. 
‍
CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY NOTICE
‍We may update this Notice from time to time to reflect changes in our privacy practices or applicable laws. We may, as permitted by law, make such changes without prior notice. We will publish the updated version on the Site and indicate at the top of the Notice when it was most recently updated. Your use of the Site and theServices will be governed by the current version of this Notice. 

CONTACT US
‍If you have any questions about this Notice or, in accordance with applicable laws, about your Privacy Rights Requests, please contact us at Hearstlab@hearst.com.  

‍NOTICE AT COLLECTION/ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS 
Under California law, specific disclosures are required, and California residents have additional rights regarding their personal information. Depending on the nature of your relationship with us, you may have certain rights. Please review this section to learn more. You may have certain rights under theCalifornia Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 ("CCPA") with respect to the handling of your information. If you would like to exercise your CCPA rights with respect to the personal information we collected about you through ourSite or Services, please contact us with your request by email at Hearstlab@hearst.com. For such requests, please put the statement "California CCPA Rights" in the body of your email, as well as your company name, your full name and email address, and specify the CCPA right you wish to exercise at this time.

• Right to access your personal information. You mayrequest to access the categories and specific pieces of personal informationthat we collected about you through the Site or Services.
• Right to deletion. Subject tocertain exceptions, you may ask us to delete the personal information wecollected about you through the Site or Services.
• Right to correct. You maysubmit a request to modify or update your personal information if it isinaccurate. Please note that this is not an absolute right, and we reserve theright to reject your request where exceptions apply.

• Right to Opt-Outs.

  • Right to Opt-Out of Sale: Under CCPA, certain types of sharing of personal information may constitute a"sale" of your personal information. As described above, in order to deliver our Site and Services, we may provide your personal information to others for certain purposes, including providing personal information to business partners or organizers (for example, to organize or host a pitch or event).Please note that this interaction does not constitute “selling” or “sharing”your personal information as such terms are defined under applicable privacy laws.
  • Right to Limit Sensitive Personal Information: We do not collect,use, or disclose “sensitive” personal information through the Site and theServices.
• Right to be free from discrimination: You mayexercise any of the above rights without fear of being denied goods orservices.

ADDITIONALFORMATION FOR EUROPEAN AND UNITED KINGDOM VISITORS 
The applicable data controller is the HearstLab entity to which you are applying for consideration for the HearstLab, pitch or event.  The  contact information for the data controller HearstLab entities is: 

‍HearstLab, Inc.
HearstLab UK, Inc. or
HearstLab NL, Inc.
300 West 57th Street
New York NY  

Attn:  HearstLab 

Email: Hearstlab@hearst.com 

Legal Bases for Using Information:
HearstLab processes personal information for different purposes based on the following legal bases:

• With your consent: We process your personal information based on your consent when you submit an application to HearstLab, a pitch or event. Where consent is the legal basis on which we process your personal information, you can withdraw your consent at any time by contacting us using the information provided in the “Contact Us” section above.
• To pursue our legitimate interests. We process your personal information to meet our legitimate interests when we use your information to provide you with the Site and related Services, to communicate with you and for our advertising and marketing purposes. 
• To comply with out legal obligations. We process and share your personal information as necessary to comply with our legal obligations when we use your information to protect our rights or the rights of others and when we share your information with other parties where required by law or as necessary to protect our rights.

In certain circumstances, you have a right to access or object to the use of personal information held about you (including in relation to direct marketing). You can also ask us to rectify, update, erase, restrict or to share your information in a usable format with another company. Such requests are subject to applicable law. 

We encourage you to contact us to update or correct your information if it changes or if the personal information, we hold about you is inaccurate. 

If you would like to discuss or exercise such rights, please contact us using the details provided in the 'Contact Us' section above. We will contact you if we need additional information from you in order to honour your requests. We are committed to working with you to obtain a fair resolution in the event you have a complaint or concern about our data processing in relation to the Site or the Services. If, however, you believe that we have not been able to assist with your complaint or concern, you have the right to make a complaint to a data protection authority.