Branch Metrics recognizes that privacy is an important issue, so we design and operate our services with the protection of your privacy in mind. This privacy policy ("Policy") explains how information is collected and used pursuant to offering our products and services (the "Branch Metrics Services" or “Services”). This Policy also explains how information is collected and used in connection with our corporate website located at www.branch.io (the “Website”).
Branch Metrics collects personally identifiable information (“PII”) via the Website. PII is information that may be used to identify or contact a unique individual. For example, when Clients register to use our Services, we ask them to provide us with PII including first and last name, email address, and telephone number. To the extent that we charge a fee for the Services, we may also collect billing and payment information from Clients. We also require Clients to setup a user ID and unique password for account security purposes. Clients also have the option of uploading a profile photo and adding other team members to their account. This account information enables us to setup an account for Clients, to provide the Services, and to otherwise manage Client accounts. We may also use the information to notify Clients about updates to our Services and provide them with access to special promotions. We offer a mechanism to opt-out from marketing related emails.
The Website: What we collect from Users that visit the Website
While it is not necessary to provide PII to simply visit our Website, some Users may provide PII to Branch Metrics by sending us an email or filling out an online form on the Website. We generally use this information to answer their question and may store that information for our record keeping purposes.
We also collect non-personally identifiable information (“Non-PII”) via the Website from Users, including Clients. Non-PII is information that cannot by itself be used to identify a particular person or entity, and may include your IP host address, pages viewed, browser type, Internet browsing and usage habits, Internet Service Provider, domain name, the time/date of your visit to this Website, the referring URL and your computer’s operating system. We use the Non-PII collected via the Website to help administer the Website.
We automatically collect information using "cookies" and Web beacons on the Website. Cookies are small data files stored on your hard drive by a website and web beacons are electronic images that may be used on our Website or in our emails. Among other things, cookies help us improve your experience on the Website as well as our marketing activities. We use cookies to see which areas and features are popular and to count visits to our Website. Most web browsers are set to accept cookies by default. If you prefer, you can choose to set your browser to remove cookies and to reject cookies. Removing or rejecting cookies could negatively impact your experience on the Website. For more information about cookies and web beacons, please visit http://www.allaboutcookies.org/.
The Branch Metrics Services: Overview
Branch Metrics offers a self-serve tool that enables our Clients to create customizable and sharable “deep links” that provide Clients with additional insights into how Users download and utilize our Clients’ mobile Apps. A deep link is a hyperlink that enables the Service to track User activity beyond shares and through installs. Users encounter the Branch Service’s deep links in multiple ways, including: dynamically inside a mobile App, via SMS or email when Clients send links directly to their customers and prospects or when Users send other Users links directly, and via social networking platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn when Clients (or other Users) share our link socially. Our Service enables Clients to recognize mobile devices over time in order to ascertain whether a device that clicked one of our deep links is likely to be the same device that installed a particular mobile App. Our Service’s ability to recognize devices over time enables our Clients to help customize User App experiences, conduct analytics and better understand the effectiveness of their marketing campaigns.
Information Collected via Branch Metrics deep links
When a User clicks onto a deep link created via our Service by a Client, certain information is collected about that User’s mobile device. Most of this information is considered Non-PII, including: the mobile platform, SDK version, timestamp, API key (identifier for application), application version, device identifier, iOS Identifier for Advertising, iOS Identifier for Vendors, Android Advertiser ID, IP address, the device model, manufacturer and device O/S, session start/stop time, mobile network code, network status (WiFi, etc.). We may also use persistent cookies to help us collect or store this information. Our cookies can be deleted or rejected through the browser settings of the User’s device. Branch Metrics utilizes any combination of this data to help us identify a User's device(s) pursuant to providing the Service.
Clients may also pass custom data points to Branch pursuant to providing the Services such as the ad campaign name or information used to customize your experience with an App post install. The type of custom information shared via our Service is ultimately determined by our Clients. We strongly encourage Clients not to share sensitive information such as credit card or password information via our Service.
Information Collected post App Install
When a User installs and opens a mobile App that contains the Branch SDK, the Service collects the same information from the device described above (i.e., IP address, O/S and O/S version, Etc.) and ascertains whether it is likely that the same device that previously clicked on a deep link is the same device that installed and downloaded that particular App. If our technology has a reasonable level of confidence that it is the same device, the Service merges the information collected prior to the App being installed with the information collected post App install. This enables our Clients to better understand which deep links are effective, enables them to better understand their advertising and marketing programs and enables them to customize their User’s experience with their Apps.
Data Integrity
We process information in a way that is compatible with and relevant for the purpose for which it was collected. To the extent necessary for those purposes, we take reasonable steps to ensure that any information in our care is accurate, complete, current and reliable for its intended use.
Branch Metrics may also utilize information collected via the Website or the Service to better understand how Users come to download certain mobile Apps, what types of Apps are popular, what characteristics Users of certain Apps may have in common, and the connections between Users’ devices.
Branch Metrics recognizes a number of consumer choice mechanisms. This includes the mobile device settings for Android and Apple iOS devices as well as Do Not Track signals coming from Internet browsers. These choice mechanisms generally restrict Branch Metrics ability to target advertising messages, which is not currently part of our Services.
To exercise the mobile device settings opt-out, please visit the privacy settings of your Android or iOS device and select “limit ad tracking” (Apple iOS) or “opt-out of interest based ads” (Android). Where Branch Metrics is able to see that such a selection has been made, we will not use information collected from that device to target advertising on mobile applications.
To exercise the Do Not Track settings, please visit the privacy settings of your browser. Where Branch Metrics is able to see that such a selection has been made, we will not use information collected from that device to target advertising on that browser.
Opt-out from promotional emails
In addition, you can opt-out of receiving promotional emails from us by following the instructions in those emails. If you opt-out, we may still send you non-promotional emails, such as certain updates about your account and/or use of the Services.
In addition, you can opt-out of receiving promotional emails from us by following the instructions in those emails. If you opt-out, we may still send you non-promotional emails, such as emails about your account. Under California law, California residents who have an established business relationship with us may choose to opt-out of the disclosure of personal information about them to third parties for such third parties' direct marketing purposes. As detailed above, our policy is not to disclose personal information collected online to a third party for direct marketing purposes without your approval. If you choose to opt- out at any time after granting approval, email privacy@branchmetrics.io.
Attn: Privacy Officer
Branch Metrics, Inc.
1400 Seaport Blvd
Building B, 2nd Floor
Redwood City, CA 94063
privacy@branchmetrics.io
Privacy Complaints by European Union and Swiss Citizens
In compliance with the U.S.-EU and U.S.-Swiss Safe Harbor Principles, Branch Metrics commits to resolve complaints about your privacy and our collection or use of your personal information. European Union and Swiss citizens with inquiries or complaints regarding this privacy policy should first contact us at privacy@branchmetrics.io.
We have further committed to refer unresolved privacy complaints under the Safe Harbor Principles to an independent dispute resolution mechanism, the BBB EU Safe Harbor, operated by the Council of Better Business Bureaus. If you do not receive timely acknowledgment of your complaint, or if your complaint is not satisfactorily addressed by the privacy department at Branch Metrics, please visit the BBB EU SAFE HARBOR web site at www.bbb.org/us/safe-harbor-complaints for more information and to file a complaint.