EU-U.S. Privacy Shield: Consumer Privacy Policy

Argus Information & Advisory Services, Inc.

The U.S. Department of Commerce has announced that it will continue to administer the Privacy Shield program, including processing submissions for self-certification and re-certification to the Privacy Shield Frameworks and maintaining the Privacy Shield.

Argus will continue to participate in the Shield Framework and while the Privacy Shield Framework is no longer considered a valid data transfer mechanism, Argus continues to comply with the relevant principles of the Privacy Shield Framework.

Last Updated: July 7, 2022

Argus Information & Advisory Services Inc. (“Argus”) respects your concerns about privacy. Argus participates in, and complies with, the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield (“Privacy Shield”) framework issued by the U.S. Department of Commerce regarding the collection, use, and retention of personal information transferred from the EU and the United Kingdom to the United States in reliance on Privacy Shield. Argus has certified to the U.S. Department of Commerce that it adheres to the Privacy Shield Principles with respect to such information. This consumer privacy policy (the “Policy”) describes how Argus implements the Privacy Shield Principles for Consumer Personal Data. If there is any conflict between the terms in this Policy and the Privacy Shield Principles, the Privacy Shield Principles shall govern. To learn more about the Privacy Shield program, and to view our certification, please visit https://www.privacyshield.gov/.

For purposes of this Policy:

“Consumer” means any natural person who is located in the EU or UK, but excludes any individual acting in his or her capacity as an Employee.

“Controller” means a person or organization which, alone or jointly with others, determines the purposes and means of the processing of Personal Data.

“Customer” means any entity that purchases or otherwise obtains products or services from Argus.

“Employee” means any current, former or prospective employee of Argus, or any of its European affiliates, who is located in the EU or UK.

“EU” means the European Union and Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.

“Personal Data” means any information, including Sensitive Data, that is (i) about an identified or identifiable individual, (ii) received by Argus in the U.S. from the EU or UK, and (iii) recorded in any form.

“Privacy Shield Principles” means the Principles and Supplemental Principles of the Privacy Shield.

“Processor” means any natural or legal person, public authority, agency or other body that processes Personal Data on behalf of a Controller.

“Sensitive Data” means Personal Data specifying medical or health conditions, racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, trade union membership, sex life, the commission or alleged commission of any offense, any proceedings for any offense committed or alleged to have been committed by the individual or the disposal of such proceedings, or the sentence of any court in such proceedings.

“UK” means the United Kingdom.

Argus’s EU-U.S. Privacy Shield certification can be found at https://www.privacyshield.gov/.  For more information about Argus’s processing of Personal Data obtained from Consumers on its website, please visit Argus’s Online Privacy Notice.

Types of Personal Data Argus Collects

Argus collects Personal Data directly from Consumers.  This collection occurs, for example, when a Consumer visits Argus’s website and provides Personal Data to Argus.  Click here for information on the types of Personal Data Argus receives through its website.  In addition, Argus obtains Consumer Personal Data, such as contact information, in connection with maintaining its Customer relationships and providing its products and services to Customers.  Argus also obtains Personal Data, such as contact information, of its vendors’ representatives.  Argus uses this information to manage its relationships with its vendors.

As a Processor, Argus receives Personal Data about its Customers’ Consumers located in the EU and UK.  Argus’s Customers provide the Personal Data to Argus in connection with Argus’s provision of services to its Customers.  In this capacity, Argus acts pursuant to its Customers’ instructions.  The types of Personal Data Argus’s Customers provide to Argus include postal codes, ages and financial information.  Argus processes this Consumer Personal Data in the U.S. to provide services to its Customers such as business development and data analytics and management.

Argus’s privacy practices regarding the processing of Consumer Personal Data comply, as appropriate, with the Privacy Shield Principles of Notice; Choice; Accountability for Onward Transfer; Security; Data Integrity and Purpose Limitation; Access; and Recourse, Enforcement and Liability.

Notice

Argus provides information in this Policy and the company’s online privacy notice and about its Consumer Personal Data practices, including the types of Personal Data Argus collects, the types of third parties to which Argus discloses the Personal Data and the purposes for doing so, the rights and choices Consumers have for limiting the use and disclosure of their Personal Data, and how to contact Argus about its practices concerning Personal Data.

When Argus acts as a Processor and Consumer Personal Data is transferred to Argus in the U.S. on behalf of a Customer, the Customer is responsible for providing appropriate notice to its Consumers and obtaining the requisite consent.

Privacy notices pertaining to specific data processing activities also may contain relevant information.

Choice

When Argus collects Personal Data directly from Consumers, the company generally offers those Consumers the opportunity to choose whether their Personal Data may be (i) disclosed to third-party Controllers, or (ii) used for a purpose that is materially different from the purposes for which the information was originally collected or subsequently authorized by the relevant Consumer.  To the extent required by the Privacy Shield Principles, Argus obtains opt-in consent for certain uses and disclosures of Sensitive Data.  Consumers may contact Argus as indicated below regarding the company’s use or disclosure of their Personal Data.  Unless Argus offers Consumers an appropriate choice, the company uses Personal Data only for purposes that are materially the same as those indicated in this Policy or the company’s online privacy notice.

When Argus maintains Personal Data about Consumers with whom Argus does not have a direct relationship because Argus obtained or maintains the Consumers’ data as a Processor, Argus’s Customers are responsible for providing the relevant Consumers with certain choices with respect to the Customers’ use or disclosure of the Consumers’ Personal Data.

Argus shares Consumer Personal Data with its affiliates and subsidiaries.  Argus may disclose Consumer Personal Data without offering an opportunity to opt out, and may be required to disclose the Personal Data, (i) to third-party Processors the company has retained to perform services on its behalf and pursuant to its instructions, (ii) if it is required to do so by law or legal process, or (iii) in response to lawful requests from public authorities, including to meet national security, public interest or law enforcement requirements.  Argus also reserves the right to transfer Personal Data in the event of an audit or if the company sells or transfers all or a portion of its business or assets (including in the event of a merger, acquisition, joint venture, reorganization, dissolution or liquidation).

Accountability for Onward Transfer of Personal Data

This Policy and Argus’s online privacy notice describe Argus’s sharing of Consumer Personal Data.

To the extent Argus acts as a Controller, except as permitted or required by applicable law, Argus provides Consumers with an opportunity to opt out of sharing their Personal Data with third-party Controllers.  Argus requires third-party Controllers to whom it discloses Consumer Personal Data to contractually agree to (i) only process the Personal Data for limited and specified purposes consistent with the consent provided by the relevant Consumer, (ii) provide the same level of protection for Personal Data as is required by the Privacy Shield Principles, and (iii) notify Argus and cease processing Personal Data (or take other reasonable and appropriate remedial steps) if the third-party Controller determines that it cannot meet its obligation to provide the same level of protection for Personal Data as is required by the Privacy Shield Principles.

With respect to transfers of Consumer Personal Data to third-party Processors, Argus (i) enters into a contract with each relevant Processor, (ii) transfers Personal Data to each such Processor only for limited and specified purposes, (iii) ascertains that the Processor is obligated to provide the Personal Data with at least the same level of privacy protection as is required by the Privacy Shield Principles, (iv) takes reasonable and appropriate steps to ensure that the Processor effectively processes the Personal Data in a manner consistent with Argus’s obligations under the Privacy Shield Principles, (v) requires the Processor to notify Argus if the Processor determines that it can no longer meet its obligation to provide the same level of protection as is required by the Privacy Shield Principles, (vi) upon notice, including under (v) above, takes reasonable and appropriate steps to stop and remediate unauthorized processing of the Personal Data by the Processor, and (vii) provides a summary or representative copy of the relevant privacy provisions of the Processor contract to the Department of Commerce, upon request.  Argus remains liable under the Privacy Shield Principles if the company’s third-party Processor onward transfer recipients process relevant Personal Data in a manner inconsistent with the Privacy Shield Principles, unless Argus proves that it is not responsible for the event giving rise to the damage.

Security

Argus takes reasonable and appropriate measures to protect Consumer Personal Data from loss, misuse and unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration and destruction, taking into account the risks involved in the processing and the nature of the Personal Data.

Data Integrity and Purpose Limitation

Argus limits the Consumer Personal Data it processes to that which is relevant for the purposes of the particular processing.  Argus does not process Consumer Personal Data in ways that are incompatible with the purposes for which the information was collected or subsequently authorized by the relevant Consumer.  In addition, to the extent necessary for these purposes and consistent with its role as a Controller or Processor, Argus takes reasonable steps to ensure that the Personal Data the company processes are (i) reliable for its intended use, and (ii) accurate, complete and current.  In this regard, Argus relies on its Consumers and Customers (with respect to Personal Data of Consumers with whom Argus does not have a direct relationship) to update and correct the relevant Personal Data to the extent necessary for the purposes for which the information was collected or subsequently authorized.  Consumers (and Customers, as appropriate) may contact Argus as indicated below to request that Argus update or correct relevant Personal Data.

Subject to applicable law, Argus retains Consumer Personal Data in a form that identifies or renders identifiable the relevant Consumer only for as long as it serves a purpose that is compatible with the purposes for which the Personal Data was collected or subsequently authorized by the Consumer or Customer, as appropriate.

Access

Consumers generally have the right to access their Personal Data.  Accordingly, to the extent Argus acts as a Controller, where appropriate, Argus provides Consumers with reasonable access to the Personal Data Argus maintains about them.  Argus also provides a reasonable opportunity for those Consumers to correct, amend or delete the information where it is inaccurate or has been processed in violation of the Privacy Shield Principles, as appropriate.  Argus may limit or deny access to Personal Data where the burden or expense of providing access would be disproportionate to the risks to the Consumer’s privacy in the case in question, or where the rights of persons other than the Consumer would be violated.  Consumers may request access to their Personal Data by contacting Argus as indicated below.

When Argus maintains Personal Data about Consumers with whom Argus does not have a direct relationship because Argus maintains the Consumers’ data as a Processor for its Customers, Argus’s Customers are responsible for providing Consumers with access to the Personal Data and the right to correct, amend or delete the information where it is inaccurate or has been processed in violation of the Privacy Shield Principles, as appropriate. In such circumstances, Consumers should direct their questions to the appropriate Argus Customer.  When a Consumer is unable to contact the appropriate Customer, or does not obtain a response from the Customer, Argus will provide reasonable assistance in forwarding the Consumer’s request to the Customer.

Recourse, Enforcement and Liability

Argus has mechanisms in place designed to help assure compliance with the Privacy Shield Principles.  Argus conducts an annual self-assessment of its Consumer Personal Data practices to verify that the attestations and assertions the company makes about its Privacy Shield privacy practices are true and that the company’s privacy practices have been implemented as represented and in accordance with the Privacy Shield Principles.

Consumers may file a complaint concerning Argus’s processing of their Personal Data.  Argus will take steps to remedy issues arising out of its alleged failure to comply with the Privacy Shield Principles.  Consumers may contact Argus as specified below about complaints regarding the company’s Consumer Personal Data practices.

If a Consumer’s complaint cannot be resolved through Argus’s internal processes, Argus will cooperate with JAMS pursuant to the JAMS International Mediation Rules, available on the JAMS website at https://www.jamsadr.com/eu-us-privacy-shield.  JAMS mediation may be commenced as provided for in the relevant JAMS rules.  Following the dispute resolution process, JAMS or the Consumer may refer the matter to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, which has Privacy Shield investigatory and enforcement powers over Argus.  Under certain circumstances, Consumers also may be able to invoke binding arbitration to address complaints about Argus’s compliance with the Privacy Shield Principles.

In the context of an onward transfer, Argus has a responsibility for the processing of personal information it receives under the Privacy Shield and subsequently transfers to a third party acting as an agent on its behalf.  Argus shall remain liable under the Privacy Shield Principles if its agent processes such personal information in a manner inconsistent with the Privacy Shield Principles, unless Argus proves that it is not responsible for the event giving rise to the damage.

When Argus maintains Personal Data about Consumers with whom Argus does not have a direct relationship because Argus obtained or maintains the Consumers’ data as a Processor for its Customers, Consumers may submit complaints concerning the processing of their Personal Data to the relevant Customer, in accordance with the Customer’s dispute resolution process.  Argus will participate in this process at the request of the Customer or the Consumer.

How to Contact Argus Regarding Privacy Inquiries

If you have any questions or comments about this Notice or any issue relating to how we collect, use, or disclose personal data, or if you would like us to update information we have about you or your preferences, you may contact us.

Please include your name and the name of the business (e.g., Argus Information and Advisory Services) to which your request refers.

In writing at:

50 Main St.

White Plains, NY 10606

USA