Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy was last updated on May 1, 2020.

Metropolitan Chess, Inc. and its affiliates (“Metro” or “we”, “us” or “our”) know that you care about how your personal information is used and shared, and we take your privacy seriously. Please read the following to learn more about our privacy policy (the 'Privacy Policy'). By visiting or using Metro's websites ( www.metrochessla.com, www.understandchess.com, www.cachess.com, and any subdomains) or Metro's products, services, or applications (collectively, the “Service” or “Services”) or Metro’s software (“Software”), the Services and Software collectively comprising the Platform (“Platform”), or by providing Metro with any personal information, you agree to the terms and conditions outlined in this Privacy Policy including the collection, use, processing, retention, and disclosures of personal information (together “handling”) described here.

1) Contact information and questions

Metro welcomes your comments and concerns regarding the Privacy Policy. If you would like to ask us a question or update, edit, or look at your personal information, contact us at privacy@metrochessla.com

2) What Does This Privacy Policy Cover?

In your dealings with Metro, you may provide us with personal information. Personal information for the purposes of this Privacy Policy means any information about an identifiable individual or business that we collect in relation to the Service or Software or its use. This policy does not apply to the practices of entities that we do not own or control.

3) Collecting Information:

3.1 Account Information.

Metro collects information such as your name, email address, phone number, payment information, and physical address.

3.2 Usage.

Metro collects information related to the devices you use to access the Services and Software. This may include the type of browser you used to access the Software and Services, IP addresses, the device you use, the web page you visited before coming to our sites, and identifiers associated with your devices. Your devices, depending on their settings, may also transmit location information to the Services and Software.

3.3 Services.

When you use our Services and Software, we store, process and transmit your files (including photos, structured data and emails) and information related to them. If you give us access to your contacts, we will store those contacts on our servers for you to use. This will make it easy for you to do things like share your information like the courses you create and invite others to use the Services and Software.

3.4 Cookies.

3.4.1. In General. We use technologies like cookies to improve, provide, protect and promote our Services and Software. Cookies are small pieces of data that are stored locally which can be stored, for example, on a user’s computer, phone, or browser. We also use other technologies with similar functionality to cookies, such as web beacons, pixels, mobile identifiers, and tracking URLs, to obtain data as defined in section 3 of this Privacy Policy. For example, our email messages may contain web beacons and tracking URLs to determine whether you have opened a certain message or accessed a certain link. We use these cookies and other technologies to gather information regarding how you use Metro to make a more personalized experience for you. You can set your browser to not accept cookies, but this may limit your ability to use the Software and Services. You should also note that Metro does not control and is not responsible for how third parties or advertisers use cookies.

3.4.2. Changing your Cookie Settings. The browser settings for changing your cookies settings are usually found in the “options” or “preferences” menu of your internet browser. In order to understand these settings, the following links may be helpful. Otherwise you should use the “Help” option in your internet browser for more details.

• Cookie settings in Internet Explorer
• Cookie settings in Firefox
• Cookie settings in Chrome
• Cookie settings in Safari

To find out more about cookies, including how to see what cookies have been set and how to manage and delete them, visit www.allaboutcookies.org.

3.5 Customer Support

We may collect information from customer support emails and calls (after notice to you and with your consent) to assist when you contact our customer support services. This is to direct your questions to the appropriate customer support person, investigate and address any of your questions or concerns, and to monitor and improve our customer support responses.

3.6 Device Information

We may collect information about the devices you use to access our services, including the hardware models, operating systems and versions, software, file names and versions, preferred languages, unique device identifiers, advertising identifiers, serial numbers, device motion information, Mac Address, internet protocols, and mobile network information.

3.7 Third Party Services.

If you link, connect, or login to your Metro account with a third party service (e.g. Facebook), the third party service may send us information such as your registration and profile information from that service. Your contacts on these third party services are referred to as “Friends.” The information you provide to us from the linking of your accounts regarding you and your Friends may be stored, processed and transmitted for fraud prevention, risk assessment, or other purposes. This information varies and is controlled by that service or as authorized by you via your privacy settings at that service.

3.8 Access To Information Provided To Us

If you are an EU resident, you are entitled to see and challenge information third parties provide to us as part of our fraud detection, prevention and risk assessment efforts if all of the following factors apply: (i) we use third parties to carry out automated checks or risk assessments, (ii) we make a decision which has legal consequences for you or which significantly affects you, and (iii) such decision is based solely on such automated checks or risk assessments.

Requests should be addressed to:

Metropolitan Chess, Inc.
P.O. Box 25112
Los Angeles, CA 90025

4) With Whom Do We Share The Information?

We may share information as discussed below, but we will not sell it to advertisers or other third-parties.

4.1 Third Parties Affiliated With Metro

Metro works with trusted parties and may work with these trusted third parties to provide, protect, improve, and promote our Services and Software. The trusted third parties will only use and access your information to perform tasks for Metro and will be in compliance with this Privacy Policy.

4.2 Other Users

When using our Software and Services, identifying markers such as your name and email address may be on display to others. This can be the case in areas such as your user profile and courses and reviews. Certain features may allow you to make additional information available to other users, depending on your settings and preferences.

4.3 Legal Obligations.

We may disclose your information to third parties if we determine that such disclosure is reasonably necessary to comply with any law, protect any person from death or serious bodily injury, prevent fraud or abuse of Metro or our users, or protect Metro's property (e.g. intellectual property) rights.

4.4 Analytics Services.

As elucidated in section 5.5, Metro uses third party services and providers. Third party analytics providers may use Metro’s information to help us obtain useful statistics and other information regarding how Metro’s users are interacting with Metro’s platform. The analytics providers may use other tracking techniques other than cookies to collect and compile information. Note that Metro does not control these third party analytics technologies and is not responsible for their policies or procedures.

5) What Do We Do With Your Information?

5.1 For You

Your information helps Metro and may use your information to make the Services and Software better for you. We also use your information to deal with your questions, concerns, and complaints related to the Services and Software.

5.2 Administration.

We may use your information to administer the Services and Software and to allow you to use the Services and Software.

5.3 Billing

We may use your information to send you statements, invoices, and payment requests and reminders, and to collect payments from you. We will share information related to your information only to the extent necessary for the purposes of processing your payments you make using our Services and Software.

5.4 Communication.

We may use your information for different types of communications. We may send you non-marketing communications and marketing communications related to our products and services that Metro offers that we think may be of interest to you. By using Metro’s platform, visiting the site, using Metro’s content, and registering with Metro, you consent to receive such communications either by email, text message, or from another electronic communication technique. You can inform us at any time if you want to unsubscribe from such communications and stop receiving marketing communications. We may also send you email notifications that you requested. However, note that even should you unsubscribe from Metro’s electronic communications, we may still contact you via email or text message for any lingering administrative purposes or for any of Metro’s products and services you are still using or for which you have registered.

5.5 Third Parties.

To better improve our Services and Software, we may provide third parties with statistical information we gather from your information.

We may also use third party social networking sites such as Facebook which could be integrated into our platform. Should you use such a third party to, for instance, log into Metro, we may receive information including but not limited to your name, avatar, your likes and interests, contacts, any information publicly available, and unique identifiers such as your Facebook User ID. While it is entirely up to you whether you want to use third party websites such as Facebook on Metro, it is important for you to know that any information we receive due to your use of such third parties are governed by this Privacy Policy. However, Metro is not responsible for the policies of third party websites. If you are concerned about what information you want available, you should look at the policies and procedures of the third party softwares in question and modify your privacy settings accordingly.

Note also that should you share any information publicly on the Metro platform (e.g. a comment on a Metro blog post), that information can be collected and used by Metro.

5.6 Products and Services.

We may use your information to provide the specific products and/or services for which you sign up.

5.7 Fraud Prevention and Compliance

We use your information to keep our Services and Software secure and to prevent fraud. We also use your information to verify compliance with our Terms of Use.

5.8 Change of Control

If Metro, or much, most, or all of its assets are acquired by another company, it is likely that user information will be one of the assets transferred over to that other company due to the acquisition. You agree that should such an acquisition occur, transfer, use, and continued collection of your information may occur as set forth in this Privacy Policy.

5.9 Research and Development

We may use the information we collect for testing, research, analysis, and product development. This allows us to improve and enhance the safety and security of our services, develop new features and products, and facilitate insurance and finance solutions in connection with our Software and Services.

5.10 Aggregated Data

We may share aggregated information (defined as information about Users that are combined together so that the information no longer identifies or references a particular individual user) and non-personally identifiable information for industry and market analysis, demographic profiling, marketing and advertising, and other purposes related to Metro’s business.

5.11 Payment Processing.

Payment details you provide may be encrypted using technologies such as secure sockets layer (SSL) before they are submitted online. Payments made through the Platform are made through our payment gateway provider, Braintree. You will be providing credit or debit card information directly to Braintree which operates a secure server to process payment details, which encrypts your credit or debit card details and authorizes payment. Information provided to Braintree is not within our control and is subject to Braintree’s Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions.

5.12 Marketing Service Providers.

Metro may use the services of a marketing service provider to provide statistical analysis of marketing Metro’s marketing endeavors.

5.13 Widgets

We may display parts of the Platform (e.g., your User Content) on sites operated by Metro’s business partners, using technologies such as widgets or application programming interfaces (“APIs”). If your User Content is displayed on a partner’s site, information from your public profile page may also be displayed.

5.14 With Your Consent

We may share your information other than as described in this policy if we notify you and you consent to the sharing.

5.15 Anything Else?

We may use your information for any other reasonable purposes as allowed by law. Except as specified otherwise, your information submitted to us through the Services and Software will be used for the purposes specified in this Privacy Policy or as otherwise discussed in the Terms of Service and the relevant pages of our Services and Software.

6) How Do We Protect Your Information?

6.1 Security

Your private information is of paramount importance to us. We therefore have a team dedicated to keeping your information secure and testing for vulnerabilities. We also continue to produce and work on features to keep your information safe.

Just keep in mind that no security measures and no practices we have are impenetrable. While we make every effort to keep your information safe, we cannot guarantee the security of your information. To help us further protect you from security attacks such as third party interception of your information, it is recommended that you protect against unauthorized access to your computer, device, and Metro account, and to log off when you are using a shared device such as a public computer. To further assist in maintaining the security of your information, it is also recommended to always keep your passwords safe and do not share your passwords.

6.2 Retaining Your Information

We will keep information you store on our Services and Software for as long as we need it to provide you the Services and Software. If you delete your account, we will still keep this information and any data collected regarding all activities you have already engaged pursuant to your use of the Service and Software for a period of time as allowed by state and federal law. For EU residents, upon written request to eu-privacy@metrochessla.com, any personal data we would have been processing on your behalf would be deleted permanently within 30 calendar days.

6.3 Deleting Your Information

After such a period of time passes, we will delete this information but there may be some latency in deleting this information from our servers and back-up storage, and we may keep this information if necessary to comply with our legal obligations (see Section 4.3) such as resolving any disputes or enforcing Metro’s relevant agreements. We may also retain cached or archived copies of your information until it is deleted on our servers within a period congruent with our normal course of business. For EU residents, upon written request to eu-privacy@metrochessla.com, any personal data we would have been processing on your behalf would be deleted permanently within 30 calendar days.

7) Where Do We Store Your Information?

We may store, use, and/or transmit information in locations around the world, including those outside your country. Information may also be stored locally on the devices you use to access the Software and Services.

8) Security of Your Personal information

Metro has security measures in place to protect against the loss, misuse and unauthorized alteration of the information under our control. Your Metro account is protected by a password for your privacy and security. However, Metro cannot guarantee the security of a user account or other personal information. Unauthorized entry or use, hardware or software failure, and other factors, may compromise the security of user information at any time.

9) Withdrawal of Consent And Jurisdictional Issues

9.1 In General

Except as required by law, we will not use or disclose your personal information for any purpose for which you do not consent or later withdraw consent. If you withdraw consent, you agree that we may continue to use the personal information previously provided to us to the extent that we are allowed by law to do so and to the extent necessary to enforce any contractual obligations you may have to Metro. You also understand that we need personal information about you to provide the Services. If you refuse to provide us with the personal information we require or later withdraw your consent to use and disclose this information, we may no longer be able to provide you with these Services and Software.

9.2 Deletion

To unsubscribe from Metro services and delete your Metro account, you may do so by contacting delete@metrochessla.com. Keep in mind that processing such a request may take some time. Additionally, we may retain your personal data (in part or in whole) in order to meet any regulatory and reporting requirements for the timeframes stipulated by law and in order to be able to address customer service issues. For EU residents, upon written request to eu-privacy@metrochessla.com, any personal data we would have been processing on your behalf would be deleted permanently within 30 calendar days.

9.3 California Residents

Under the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (“CCPA”), California residents have certain rights around Metro’s collection, use, and sharing of their personal information.

Metro does not sell your personal information and will not do so in the future without providing you with notice and an opportunity to opt-out of such sale as required by law. Similarly, we do not offer financial incentives associated with our collection, use, or disclosure of your personal information.

Metro collects various categories of personal information when you use the Platform, including but not limited to identifiers, commercial information, and internet or other electronic network or device activity information. A more detailed description of the information Metro collects and how we use it is provided above in Section 3. Sections 4 and 5 describe the categories of third parties with whom we share personal information, and what information may be shared under different circumstances.

If you are a resident of California, you have the right to request to know what personal information has been collected about you, and to access that information. You also have the right to request deletion of your personal information, though exceptions under the CCPA may allow Metro to retain and use certain personal information notwithstanding your deletion request. You may send your request by email to privacy@metrochessla.com or write to us at:

Metropolitan Chess, Inc.
P.O. Box 25112
Los Angeles, CA 90025

We will not discriminate against you for exercising your rights under the CCPA. An agent may submit a request on your behalf, but you must verify that your agent is authorized to do so.

Separate from the CCPA, under California Civil Code Section 1798.83, California residents who have an established business relationship with Metro may choose to opt out of our sharing your personal information with third parties for direct marketing purposes. If you are a California resident and (1) you wish to opt out; or (2) you wish to request certain information regarding our disclosure of your personal information to third parties for the direct marketing purposes, please send an e-mail to privacy@metrochessla.com with “PRIVACY POLICY” in the subject line or write to us at:

Metropolitan Chess, Inc.
P.O. Box 25112
Los Angeles, CA 90025

9.4 Users Outside of the U.S.

Metro is headquartered in California, and in order to provide the Platform to you we must transfer your data to the United States and process it there. By visiting or using the Platform, you consent to storage of your data on servers located in the United States. If you are using the Platform from outside the United States, you consent to the transfer, storage, and processing of your data in and to the United States or other countries. Specifically, personal data collected in Switzerland and the European Economic Area (“EEA”) is transferred and stored outside those areas.

That data is also processed outside of Switzerland and the EEA by our Metro, or our service providers, including to process transactions, facilitate payments, and provide support services as described in Section 5. By submitting your data or using our Platform, you consent to this transfer, storage, and processing by Metro and its processors.

10) Correcting and Updating Your Personal information

To review and update your personal information to ensure it is accurate, login to your account with your email address and password. If you cannot login successfully, contact us at support@metrochessla.com.

11) Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may change this Privacy Policy by posting changes on our website or by taking other steps intended to bring the changes to your attention such as providing you with an email or other message about the changes. You can always see our most recent Privacy Policy by visiting www.metrochessla.com/privacy.html. By continuing to use or access the Services and Software after the revisions come into effect, you agree to be bound by the revised Privacy Policy.

12) Survival

All terms of this Privacy Policy which by their nature extend beyond their termination shall remain in effect until fulfilled and apply to respective successors and assigns.